What Affected Employees Should Know About Lockout/Tagout

When maintenance must be performed on powered equipment it is important to make sure everything is de-energized during the work. Oftentimes the usual operator of the equipment is not the one making repairs or performing maintenance task, so the usual operator becomes classified as an affected employee. An affected employee is simply someone who is disrupted by the work of the authorized employee, the person performing the repairs.

OSHA has standards for conducting maintenance and making repairs on energized equipment to help prevent accidents or injuries from the accidental start-up of broken equipment or equipment being serviced. Read the OSHA standard on controlling hazardous energy.

“Lockout Tagout: Affected Employees” explains the different between authorized and affected employees. The course also explains the Lockout/Tagout process, providing affected employees with an understanding so they can follow procedures and get their jobs done safely and effectively.