Hazardous Energy Control Program

Procedures

4. Emergency Lock Removal

When an authorized employee is not available to remove their lock, the supervisor of that employee has the authority to request the removal of a lock in the absence of the employee. In those cases when a supervisor exercises that authority, the following procedure must be followed:

1. The supervisor shall contact an authorized person and request assistance in this procedure.
   
   
2. The supervisor and an authorized person must attempt to contact (at least verbally) the employee to whom the lock belongs and determine if the employee is on the premises.
   
   
3. If the employee is on the premises, she/he alone has the authority to determine whether the lock can be removed based on the guidelines of the lockout procedure.
   
   
4. If the employee is not on the premises, the supervisor or an authorized person will make a reasonable effort to contact the employee and will ask the employee whether the work is complete and the equipment is ready to be activated. The employee will be advised that his/her lock will be removed.
   
   
5. If the employee advises that the equipment is not ready to be activated, the supervisor must arrange to have another lock placed on the equipment as soon as the existing lock is removed.
   
   
6. If the employee advises that the equipment is ready to be activated, the supervisor shall inspect the work area to verify that there is no danger in re-energizing the equipment, remove the lock, and inform the department management that the equipment is operational.
   
   
7. If contact is not established, the supervisor will inspect the equipment for completeness of work and authorize the removal of the lock. The employee whose safety lock has been removed will be notified of the removal in person by the supervisor immediately upon the employee's return to work.
   
   
8. If the equipment is ready to be activated, the supervisor will inform the department management that the equipment is operational. At this point, the supervisor can authorize removal of the lock.
   
   The person removing the safety lock is responsible for making certain that all requirements for restoring power are followed prior to removing the safety lock.