This document provides users with guidance that help manage risks related to energies & fluids during maintenance activities on items when in use. It is the responsibility of each employer, according to the terms commonly used in the company, to:
- Set out the correlation between the processes described in this document and standard practices,
- Define the roles and responsibilities of the people involved in the energies & fluids lockout process.
This document refers to concepts, definitions, rules, recommendations, and best practices taken from national and international documents (lockout/tagout - "administrative lockout" - Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) - Safe isolation) that cover activities to ensure the safety of workers with respect to energies & fluids.
This document deals with the prevention of energy & fluid (e.g. powders, gases, liquids, etc.) related risks; it is noted that some are covered by specific regulations or standards, such as the electrical risk. Environmental issues related to energies & fluids are not in the scope of this document. Danger associated with energies & fluids can be direct (e.g. contact, absorption, etc.) or indirect by reaction (e.g. mixing, heating, etc.). The scope includes all fluids because they can be intrinsically dangerous or become dangerous.
The recommendations given in this document have been drawn up with a view to ensure the safety and health of workers around hazardous energies & fluids, and situations when they are conducting actions related to maintenance, settings or changing formats, regardless of the type of activity.
The recommendations relate to activities carried out on items. They are applied before, during and after the operation to:
- The energies & fluids supplied, contained, transported, or released by items, products,
- Risks related to the presence of hazardous energies & fluids for the worker and the surrounding personal.
This document is a methodological guideline within the maintenance standards.
NOTE Particular cases such as risks of lack of presence of vital elements for the worker (e.g. breathable air) are in the scope but will not be detailed.