Responding to industry requests, identification solutions manufacturer Brady has introduced customised additions to its Lockout/Tagout system, a product that has the ability to totally cut off any flows of energy into a particular machine, over the past six months.

One such addition is the Safety Redbox group-lockout box, which enables portability and easy mounting, even in irregular mining environments.

The South African mining industry and the steel industry in Poland requested a next-generation Brady Lockout/Tagout keybox system, says Brady product manager Dominique Roosen.

The Safety Redbox can be placed or mounted in various contexts, with its quick-release mechanism offering flexibility to where it can be used. The new lockbox can also be locked in place, eliminating any possibility of retrieving a key outside the lockout procedure by purposely shaking the box, for example.

“In mining, timely maintenance, audits, reports and follow-ups for applications, such as power generation, drilling equipment and drainage, are important to keep production and profitability stable . . . the Lockout/Tagout system offers safer maintenance operations and phased maintenance actions. Machinery can continue to operate and only the machine in need of maintenance is locked out for the duration of maintenance,” she explains.

The system includes a lockout device that can block the flow of energy, or resources, when it is in the off position, and at least one padlock to lock the device in place, adds Roosen.

Lockout devices block valves, handles and buttons, as these regulate the flow of energy or resources to machinery. It is a planned safety procedure that protects workers from the risks posed by live machinery driven by various energy sources.

She notes that it is important to have a written procedure that explains the necessary steps to isolate a specific machine completely from its energy sources.

The Lockout/Tagout procedure can vary for different machinery and operations, depending on how many and where the energy points are, and in which order they have to be isolated.

These machine-specific procedures are best written by safety managers and production managers, says Roosen, adding that Brady released the Link360 software, which enables different stakeholders to edit and approve the procedures in a clear workflow, in September 2013.

Roosen states that the Lockout/Tagout system is gradually becoming standard equipment at many European, Middle Eastern and African production sites.

Since it was first introduced, different padlocks have been developed that can optimally withstand various environments, including those containing dust, water, moisture, chemicals, weathering and sunlight, she says.

Various lockout devices have also been developed to effectively block several types of handles, valves, buttons and other devices to activate or deactivate the flow of energy or resources, with various key-systems using only unique keys or master and grandmaster key sets, having been added.

Additional Improvements
Based on requests from the automotive industry in Sweden, Brady currently offers a line extension of its successful Lockout/Tagout Twist and Secure push-button and emergency-stop safety covers. The transparent Twist and Secure provides the extra advantage of an obvious visual indication of the on/off status of control buttons.

Meanwhile, the new Brady Perma-Mount ball-valve lockout stays in place indefinitely without hampering machinery. This not only allows for faster lockout operations but also ensures the correct lockout device is used at all times. A lockable hook-mechanism blocks the ball valve’s handle in the off-position before maintenance operations start. After unlocking the padlock, a maintenance professional simply releases the handle from the hook, allowing for machinery to resume operations.

The Safelex universal cable lockout device uses a tough steel cable and a lockable safety hasp to lock out any equipment not supporting a dedicated lockout device. Its cable length varies from 1 m to 5 m and can be tightened, but not loosened, after the device is locked with up to six padlocks.