A simple padlock can save a life

Aug 07, 2023

Title: Family & Farmstead Editor, Successful Farming Resides In: Warren County, Iowa Hometowns: Indianola, Iowa & Shadehill, South Dakota Education: Grand View University Expertise: Family features, health and safety, parenting, homesteading Twitter: @LisaFoustPrater Summary Writes the Family section in each issue of Successful Farming magazine, plus contributes to Agriculture.com. Background Lisa spent the first five years after college working in several roles for CMF&Z, an advertising and public relations agency in Des Moines, Iowa, serving agricultural and other clients. She started her career with Successful Farming magazine in 1999, working primarily for the web team and writing product reviews for the magazine. She later wrote for the Living the Country Life magazine and website and has written and edited several cookbooks and other books for Successful Farming and Living the Country Life. Today, Lisa is the Family & Farmstead Editor for Successful Farming, sharing interesting family features, heartfelt editorial columns, and important health and safety information with our readers. Lisa grew up in Indianola, Iowa, aside from a chunk of her childhood spent in Shadehill, South Dakota, population 8. She and her husband, Jayson, enjoy farm life in southeast Warren County, Iowa, where they and their three sons — all Eagle Scouts — have a small herd of cattle. Their two oldest sons are studying journalism and public relations at Northwest Missouri State University, and their youngest is a senior in high school. Education B.A. in Mass Communication, Grand View University ARTICLES AUTHORED BY LISA FOUST PRATER:

When certain pieces of equipment need to be accessed, maintained, or repaired, it's crucial to the safety of the person performing the task that the power to that system be shut off.

For example, if a person has to enter a grain bin and the auger is accidentally powered on, the person in the bin can be sucked down into the grain and suffocated or entangled in seconds.

One way to make it perfectly clear to other employees or others on the farm that power is off for a reason is using the lockout-tagout system. Today's National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) Harvest Safety Week message offers step-by-step instructions.

Employers must develop written procedures for each energy source that may need to be locked out and communicate instructions to employees. Having an effective lockout-tagout system in place would prevent almost all engulfments, electrocutions, and entanglements in the grain and feed industry, according to the learning module.

Before performing the task, the person turns off and places a padlock on the energy isolating device so it can't be accessed.

The energy isolating device may be a circuit breaker, line valve, disconnect switch, block, or other item that stops energy from powering the device. Push buttons, selector switches, toggle switches, dials, limit switches, and control circuit devices do not provide the protection needed, and the power needs to be shut off at the source.

On the padlock is a tag explaining the padlock is there to keep power off for safety and should not be removed. The tag identifies the employee who placed the padlock, and the key remains with that employee. If more than one employee is working on the task, they should each place their own lock. If that is not possible, they should each place their own tag on the lock, but the lock should not be removed until each employee has removed his or her own tag.

Once the energy isolating devices are powered down, it's important to make sure any stored energy in the equipment is dissipated. This could mean discharging capacitors, releasing air or hydraulic pressure, letting equipment cool down, draining lines, or lowering loads.

Then, test the equipment to see if it will start. If it passes the test, return the controls to the off position and work may begin.

Once work is finished, it's time to remove the lockout device. Be sure to remove all tools, parts, and debris from the area and replace any guards that were removed. Inspect equipment and work area.Remove the lock-out device from the energy source, then alert affected employees and power up the equipment.