ENSURING PERSONNEL ELECTRICAL SAFETY WITH KEY INTERLOCK SYSTEMS.

Forthcoming Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations will require that industrial plants have documented lockout/tagout (clearance) procedures to ensure that cleared electrical equipment does not become energized inadvertently. The rules are to be written from a functional standpoint, letting plants develop the procedures that best fit their circumstances - systems of locks or tags, or combinations of both - so long as employee safety is properly served. This article describes an effective lockout system used to ensure the safety of employees working on power systems.