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dures, but it’s not always enough. You need to make it easy for your employees to comply. To do so, why not leverage the technology that is already in your employees’ hands?
Employers can easily create QR codes that reference the proce- dure instantly on smartphones. This way, workers don’t have to go back to the shop and get paper copies. Alternatively, share a hyperlink to an in-house YouTube account that models the appropriate steps.
If you don’t have Wi-Fi or internet connectivity in your facility, text a photo of the LOTO sequence to a smart device as part of your pre-job planning. The technology to which your workers have access is ever-evolving and usually just a click away. Many younger workers already have a firm grasp on this technology and can lever- age it in a way that works for them. This approach can help enhance their on-the-job experience while engaging them throughout the process. An engaged employee is a safe and happy employee.
Beyond improving individual employee safety, having instant access to LOTO procedures will facilitate your organization’s audits and oversight. Feedback will not only ensure LOTO compliance audits are completed, but also will identify gaps or “work arounds” that need to be corrected. Manually writing down a procedure step by step can be cumbersome; by involving technology, a worker can make note of a required change immediately at the machine center instead of memorizing it and documenting it later.
Of course, while your organization may benefit from employ- ing all of these methods, you have to find a mix that works best for
your employees and culture. LOTO protocols should not be a static part of your floor management program. Instead, regularly take a step back and decide whether the systems you have in place are al- lowing your floor to run as safely and smoothly as possible.
Not every idea will work in every situation, but that should not deter you from engaging your shop floor experts to incorporate new tactics. LOTO is essential to saving lives, preventing seri- ous injuries, and avoiding heavy fines and censure by regulators, so your organization needs to take the necessary steps to make it work.
Eric Glass, a Senior EHS Advisor with UL EHS Sustainability, has 18 years of risk management, loss control, and safety experience. He is an OSHA Outreach Trainer and advises companies on the design of advanced risk management and safety programs. In addition, he provides insight for workplace safety training and software de- velopment and contributes to UL’s Fire and Electrical Safety Audits offering for international ready-made garment factories. He also assisted with development of Florida’s first continuing education safety curriculum for service contractors in the HVAC, electrical, and plumbing industries.
REFERENCES
1. https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/controlhazardousenergy/
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