Case Study 2: Automotive Component Lubrication Robotics

Correct. This activity was covered by the Lockout/Tagout standard.

The Lockout/Tagout standard covers servicing and/or maintenance activities performed on machines or equipment only where servicing and/or maintenance employees are exposed to the unexpected energization, start up, or release of hazardous energy.

Although in this situation the employee was clearly performing service and maintenance (unjamming) and had bypassed machine guarding and safety devices, a court held (contrary to OSHA's position) that this specific activity was not covered by the Lockout/Tagout standard because the employer used alternative measures to effectively eliminate the hazard of unexpected energization, start up, or release of stored energy. According to the court's ruling, measures such as a multi-step start-up procedure, time delays, and audible warnings, protected employees by providing sufficient warning, even if the machine were to be started during the middle of a servicing procedure. Typically, however, such situations will be rare.

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