The facility was faced with an enormous task of reviewing and revising the Lockout portion of the facility’s Health and Safety Program due to the influx of serious injuries that were occurring throughout the company at various locations. Operators were sustaining injuries while performing routine work at service locations of the injection molding machines. The Regional Environmental Health and Safety Manager had started the process to reduce or fully eliminate the potential for operator injury with a LEVEL 1 – Safety lockout Procedure, however management lacked the resources and acceptable format to complete the task.

IET engineers created a format and obtained buy-in as to how the procedures would be documented. IET audited the entire facility, identified deficiencies and immediately started creating LEVEL 1 - Safety Lockout Procedures for the Injection molding departments that were submitted for appropriate approval.

The next step was to create/submit Lockout Energy Control Placards to achieve a complete controlled energy state for all injection molding equipment and sub-assembly equipment. Each placard contained specific steps for shutting down, isolating and blocking sources of energy. Upon final approval and sign off from the facility management, IET then proceeded to laminate each lockout placard and secure them throughout the facility.