LOTO with Overhead Bus Plugs
Hello, does anyone have any good recommendations for loto when it comes to overhead bus plugs? Many of ours are 30+ ft up and the maintenance team uses poles to turn them off. I can't seem to find hardware that could be used with these and I don't want to create a fall hazard in making them access them.
Any thoughts on how to improve this and be compliant with 1910.147 would be appreciated.
Comments (8)
Would a gate valve lockout device fit over it? It would still require them to get up there to put it on, but it may work.
Another option would be a lockout cable strung tight between the two bus plug handles to where neither could be operated.
There is usually what we called a "hot stick" with a hook that goes in the hole in the handles on the buss box. You pull the handle down with the hook on the hot stick. You could use some sort of chain to lock the hot stick to a post or something. As long as there is only one hot stick you are good!
Basically Lockout is not necessary if Subpart O is applied (Machine Guarding). Distance is considered a "guard". Since the boxes far exceed 7' for machine and electrical hazards off the floor I think you are good as long as you have posted individual machine lockout procedures mandating the bus box handle is in the off position (I would have pictures) before machine entry. Also the hot stick needs to be "controlled" or locked out. I just thought too, it you had a floor barricade up in a diameter that exceeded any distance a ladder or hot stick could reach the boxes use you would be good as well.
I would hang a big lockout tag on the handle of the bus box as another precaution.
Drew's answers are good too. I am sure if you give it thought you may come up with other answers.
PS At first I was going to remind you that your bus boxes need to be labeled. But when I looked carefully I see you may have them on the bottom of the boxes. We used bright black numbers on a yellow background on the flats to the right of the handles so the numbers just "jumped right out" at you and were very easily seen. My two cents.
Is there access for scissor lifts or boom lifts to the area? Even if the plug cannot be locked out, you can definitely tag it out. I have run into older gear in the past year with the same issue.