This procedure aims to reduce the risk of injury when people are working on plant by preventing the item and its components from being set in motion and preventing the accidental release of stored energy.
This procedure applies to people (staff, contractor, sub-contractor, self-employed person, student, etc.) working on plant on University premises. Where several people are working on plant, this procedure applies to every person.
- Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic)
- Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 (Vic)
A complete list of definitions relevant to this procedure is contained within the Health and Safety Policy.
A further list of definitions specifically relevant to this procedure is included below:
Term | Definition |
Plant |
All machinery, fixed appliances and services. This includes cranes, hoists, lifts and forklifts, presses, workshop machinery, farming machinery, processing machinery, conveyors, pumps, engines and motors, industrial vehicles, fixed pipe work, electrical installations and cabling, etc. It also includes fixed or portable specialised workshop/laboratory tools and equipment that have external or integrated energy sources (e.g. explosive-powered tools, equipment with sources of ionising or non-ionising electromagnetic radiation, compressed gases, capacitors, high-capacity batteries, etc.). It does not include road-registered vehicles, household consumer goods (e.g. kitchen refrigerators or microwave ovens), common hand-held tools (drills, sanders, angle grinders, etc.), portable items (mobile phones, hand-held instruments, etc.), and general office furniture and equipment (e.g. desktop computers, printers), except where these items contain or generate a chemical or where they are used for a purpose that is different from their intended usage (e.g. research projects). |
Working in isolation |
Means working alone in conditions where no other person is able to:
|
ACTIVITY | RESPONSIBILITY | STEPS | |
A. | Safely shutting down the item(s) of plant | Any person planning to work on plant |
|
B. | Completing a Safe Work Method Statement form | Any person planning to work on plant |
|
C. | Isolating all energy sources: Lock-out/Tag-out | Any person working on plant |
*Note: "electrician" in this procedure means a worker who holds either of the following electrical licences: - Restricted Electrical Worker’s licence (REL, previously known as ‘D licence’) - Electrician's Licence (A Class/A/E Licence) |
Fig. 1: A typical lock-out/tag-out set up
ACTIVITY | RESPONSIBILITY | STEPS | |
D. | De-energizing all stored or trapped energies | Any person working on plant |
|
E. | Testing for effective isolation | Any person working on plant |
|
F. | Completing the work | Any person working on plant |
|
Forms
- Lock and Tag Register (PDF 129.4kb)
- Safe Work Method Statement for Contractors (DOCX 180.4kb)
- Safe Work Method Statement for Staff and Students (DOCX 180.2kb)
- The Chief Operating Officer, is responsible for monitoring the implementation, outcomes and scheduled review of this procedure.
- The Head - Health, Safety and Wellbeing is responsible for maintaining the content of this procedure.
- The Property and InfrastructureManagers are responsible for including this procedure in contractor inductions and for ensuring that contractors/sub-contractors and Property and Infrastructure staff comply with this procedure.
- Deans/Directors are responsible for ensuring their staff and students comply with this procedure.
- Specific responsibilities are included under Actions.
The Lock Out Tag Out of Plant Procedure will be communicated throughout the University community in the form of:
- an Announcement Notice via FedNews website and on the ‘Recently Approved Documents’ page on the ‘Policies, Procedures and Forms @ the University’ website; and
- an email to the Director and Managers of Property and Infrastructure.
The Lock Out Tag Out of Plant Procedure will be implemented throughout the University via an Announcement Notice via:
- an Announcement Notice via FedNews website and on the ‘Recently Approved Documents’ page on the ‘Policies, Procedures and Forms @ the University’ website; and
- an email to the Director and Managers of Property and Infrastructure.
Document Title | Location | Responsible Officer | Minimum Retention Period |
Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) |
School/Directorate/College/Centre of staff or students who performed the work on plant Property and Infrastructure for contractors |
Dean/Director | Destroy seven (7) years after work was completed |
Lock and Tag Register | Property and Infrastructure | Director | Destroy two (2) years after work has been completed |