ESG Assessment of SUE Mosgortrans in the Field of Ecology

The Illusion of Safety: Why a Formal Approach to LOTO Doesn't Work

The Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) system has become an integral industrial safety standard, but its existence on paper does not guarantee personnel protection. Enterprises often face a situation where regulations are written and stations are installed, but workers continue to ignore the rules, citing years of experience and a reluctance to spend time shutting down equipment. During the webinar, Valeria Ishina, Head of the HSE Department at the Techno plant, analyzes a practical case of restarting a non-functioning LOTO system, which previously led to tragic consequences due to poor communication and a formal attitude towards risks.

Step-by-Step Transformation: From Instructions to Visualization

The speaker details the steps necessary to create a viable hazardous energy lockout procedure. The key focus is on transitioning from general rules to specific visualized solutions for each area.

• Development of local LOTO cards and color identification. Abandoning universal locks in favor of clear separation: yellow locks for energy sources, individual colors for workers' personal locks. This eliminates confusion during joint work.
• Practical situation modeling. Theoretical training does not provide an understanding of risks. The presentation shows how intentionally leaving equipment energized during an internship clearly demonstrates to workers the consequences of lockout errors.
• Equipment analysis and station zoning. The placement of locks and lockout devices must be strictly dosed. An overloaded station disorients personnel, so the number of devices is calculated individually for each production line.

Overcoming Resistance and Unscheduled Knowledge Testing

The implementation of any changes inevitably faces resistance from both line personnel and department heads. The speaker uses an example to show how the identification of mass violations (missing tags, incomplete release of residual energy) became the reason for a total unscheduled knowledge test. It turned out that only 20% of employees actually understood the algorithm of actions. The solution was to move training directly to the production sites: a step-by-step analysis of lockout on specific units with the participation of the technical service.

Results and Integration into the Production Process

A systematic approach allowed transforming LOTO from an imposed HSE initiative into a natural part of the technological process. Personnel engagement grew to 100%, and the number of identified procedure violations dropped from 57 cases to zero. Further development of the system involves introducing QR codes with first-person video instructions for each lockout point, which minimizes the likelihood of error when working with unfamiliar equipment.

What you will learn from this webinar:

• How to develop clear LOTO cards and avoid overloading lockout stations?
• What to do if old production equipment is not structurally adapted for installing locks?
• How to organize practical training on the LOTO procedure directly at the workplaces?
• What algorithm of actions to apply if a worker left after a shift without removing their personal lock?
• How to distribute areas of responsibility between the HSE department and technical specialists when implementing the system?