Can servicing or maintenance be performed by a crew, department, or other group under this standard?

• Yes. If they have been properly trained and the energy control program is followed [29 CFR 1910.147(f)(3)(i); 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)].

  What procedures must be followed that, when a group is performing servicing and/or maintenance,  will offer group employees the same protection that the standard provides to individual employees?

  • Protection must be utilized which affords the employees a level of protection equivalent to that provided by the implementation of a personal lockout or tagout device [29 CFR 1910.147(f)(3)(i)].

  • Primary responsibility for a set number of employees working under the protection of a group lockout or tagout device must be vested in a single authorized employee [29 CFR 1910.147(f)(3)(ii)(A)].

  • The single authorized employee must determine the exposure status of individual group members [29 CFR 1910.147(f)(3)(ii)(B)].

  • If there will be more than one crew, department, or group involved in the activity, a single authorized employee must be designated to coordinate affected workforces and to ensure continuity of protection [29 CFR 1910.147(f)(3)(ii)(C)].

  • Each authorized employee must affix a personal lockout or tagout device as required in the standard when work begins and remove it when work is completed [29 CFR 1910.147(f)(3)(ii)(D)].