WAC 296-45-17515
Protective materials and hardware. (1)
Locks, tags, chains, wedges, key blocks, adapter pins,
self-locking fasteners, or other hardware shall be provided by
the employer for isolating, securing, or blocking of machines or
equipment from energy sources.
(2) Lockout devices and tagout devices shall be singularly
identified; shall be the only devices used for controlling
energy; may not be used for other purposes; and shall meet the
following requirements:
(a) Lockout devices and tagout devices shall be capable of
withstanding the environment to which they are exposed for the
maximum period of time that exposure is expected.
(b) Tagout devices shall be constructed and printed so that
exposure to weather conditions or wet and damp locations will not
cause the tag to deteriorate or the message on the tag to become
illegible.
(c) Tagout devices shall be so constructed as not to
deteriorate when used in corrosive environments.
(3) Lockout devices and tagout devices shall be standardized
within the facility in at least one of the following criteria:
Color, shape, size. Additionally, in the case of tagout devices,
print and format shall be standardized.
(4) Lockout devices shall be substantial enough to prevent
removal without the use of excessive force or unusual techniques,
such as with the use of bolt cutters or metal cutting tools.
(5) Tagout devices, including their means of attachment,
shall be substantial enough to prevent inadvertent or accidental
removal. Tagout device attachment means shall be of a
nonreusable type, attachable by hand, self-locking, and
nonreleasable with a minimum unlocking strength of no less than
fifty pounds and shall have the general design and basic
characteristics of being at least equivalent to a one-piece,
all-environment-tolerant nylon cable tie.
(6) Each lockout device or tagout device shall include
provisions for the identification of the employee applying the
device.
(7) Tagout devices shall warn against hazardous conditions
if the machine or equipment is energized and shall include a
legend such as the following: Do Not Start, Do Not Open, Do Not
Close, Do Not Energize, Do Not Operate.
Note:
For specific provisions covering accident prevention tags, see chapter 296-24 WAC.