List of checks for deactivation and isolation: What should be inspected in industrial premises?
Before
equipment maintenance, the most dangerous time window is not the moment
of shutdown itself, but the period from "thinking the power has been
cut off" to "actually confirming that it has been shut down". Many
accidents occur during this gap - someone thinks the power has been cut
off, and someone thinks the residual pressure has been released. As a
result, when they take action, the machine suddenly starts.
A
reliable checklist for deactivation and isolation should ensure that
all these "beliefs" are transformed into "confirmations". Below, in the
order of operations, we will summarize the items that must be checked
before each shutdown and maintenance in industrial facilities.
I. Preparatory Checks Before Shutting Down
Before starting to shut down anything, there are several things that must be clarified first:
Is
the energy list for the equipment complete? Each piece of equipment has
an "Energy Source List", which records all the energy types involved in
this equipment - electricity, gas, liquid, heat, gravitational
potential energy. If this equipment has just undergone renovation or a
change in process, has this list been updated synchronously? This is the
first step and also the most easily overlooked step. During the
renovation, a pipeline of compressed air was added, but the file was not
updated afterwards. When checking, this was overlooked.
Who
is conducting this maintenance? The list of participants needs to be
confirmed. Not only the maintenance workers from our factory, but also
the outsourced personnel and those providing cross-departmental support
should be included. The more people there are, the more communication
gaps there will be. There should be a specific column on the inspection
checklist to record the names and job types of all the participants.
Is
the downtime window clearly defined? When does the shutdown start and
when is the resumption planned? It should be clearly stated. This is not
to urge everyone to rush the work, but to confirm: If the work is not
completed by the resumption time, who is responsible for notifying
everyone of the delay? Many accidents occur under the condition of "lock
not removed after exceeding the time limit" - someone thinks the
maintenance is over and resumes power supply without authorization.
II. Energy Isolation Check - Item-by-item Confirmation
This
is the core part of the checklist. The isolation methods for different
energy types are different, and the inspection points are also
different.
Electrical isolation
Has
the main power switch been turned off? To confirm that the switch
handle is indeed in the "OFF" position, one must not merely rely on
others' statements that "it has been pulled".
Is the device locked with a personal safety lock? Is the key to the lock with you?
Are
there residual capacitors? After the large frequency converter and
servo system are powered off, there may still be electricity stored in
the capacitors. It is necessary to measure the voltage with a multimeter
to confirm that it drops below the safe level.
If it is a high-voltage device, has the "disconnect + ground" procedure been carried out? Has the grounding rod been installed?
Mechanical isolation
Does
the equipment have energy storage components? Springs, counterweights,
balance blocks - these may still release energy even after the equipment
is shut down.
Is it
necessary to use mechanical baffles or support blocks to fix the moving
parts? For example, the slider of a hydraulic press must be fixed with
mechanical support, not just relying on hydraulic locks.
Is
the gravitational potential energy handled? Suspended loads, lifted
platforms - must be lowered to the ground or physically locked.
Pneumatic and hydraulic isolation
Has the main valve of the air source/hydraulic source been closed and locked?
Has
the residual pressure in the pipeline been released? To open the
pressure relief valve, confirm that the pressure drops to zero. Do not
just look at the pressure gauge - the pressure gauge may be faulty, or
it may show the pressure of another section of the pipeline.
If there is a Energy reservoir (energy storage device), has the pressure in theEnergy reservoir been released separately? This is the most easily overlooked point.
Process medium isolation
Has
the pipeline for transporting hazardous chemicals been reliably
isolated? Double isolation (closing valves + installing blind plates) is
more reliable than relying solely on valves.
Are there any signs at the isolation points? To prevent others from mistakenly opening the valves.
If the medium is toxic or volatile, has it been purged or replaced after isolation?
III. Lockout tagout (LOTO) inspection
After
energy isolation is completed, Lockout tagout is the second line of
defense. The checklist should include these confirmation items:
Have all the isolation points been locked? Does the number of locks correspond to the number of participants?
Is each person's lock only accessible with their own key? (Key principle of security: one key for one lock)
Are
the lockout tag information complete? The labels should include: the
name of the person who locked it, the date, contact information, and the
operation content.
If it's a
group operation, is there a collective Group Lockout Box used? The
advantage of a collective lock box is that the equipment can only be
started when the last person unlocks it - no one can restore it in
advance.
IV. Zero-energy verification - the most crucial step
After
the isolation and locking are completed, verification must be carried
out. This step cannot be omitted and cannot be entrusted to others.
The
verification method is as follows: Try to start the device. Press the
start button and observe if the device responds. If the device moves, it
indicates that the isolation is not thorough and a recheck is
necessary. If the device does not respond, it means the isolation is
effective.
This verification
action should be carried out by the person who performed the locking,
rather than by the shift supervisor or the safety officer. Because only
the person who performed the locking is the one who knows best whether
he has locked all the necessary energy sources.
After
the verification is completed, mark the verification time and the name
of the verifier on the checklist. This signature carries legal
significance.
V. Inspection during Maintenance Period
After the maintenance began, the work on the inspection checklist was not yet completed.
Every
day before starting work, does anyone check if the locks and tags are
in good condition? Have they been knocked off or been removed by someone
without permission?
If there
is a shift change, does the person handing over and the person taking
over jointly confirm the lock status during the handover? Both parties
sign on the checklist together, which is much more reliable than just
giving a verbal explanation.
If
the scope of the maintenance expands (for example, originally planned
to repair the electrical system, but later it was discovered that the
mechanical part also needed to be worked on), does a re-evaluation of
the energy isolation range need to be conducted? The original isolation
measures might no longer be sufficient.
VI. Inspection before Resuming Operation
After
the maintenance is completed and preparations are made to resume
operation, the last part of the checklist comes in handy:
Have
all tools, parts and debris been completely removed from the inside and
around the equipment? Once there was an accident where a wrench fell
into the transmission mechanism, and the equipment got stuck as soon as
it was started, causing a chain of damages.
Have all protective covers and safety doors been restored to their original positions?
Have
all personnel evacuated to a safe area? It is necessary to count the
number of people, and it cannot be done by simply shouting "The machine
is going to start" and then leaving.
Was
the lock removed by the person who locked it? It cannot be removed by
someone else or "helpfully" removing someone else's lock.
After
removing the lock, was the equipment's condition finally confirmed to
be normal, and then did you notify the power supply department to
restore the power?