OSHA Plans to Update Lockout/Tagout Rule

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will launch a request for public input next April as it seeks to update its 1989 lockout/tagout standard, which is falling behind the times, especially when it comes to computer-based control of hazardous energy. “The agency has recently seen an increase in requests for variances for these devices,” an OSHA spokeswoman emailed the publication Business Insurance on Thursday. “Additionally, there are international standards harmonization concerns since this method of lockout/tagout is more accepted in other nations. In light of these developments, the agency plans to issue a Request for Information to learn more about the strengths and limitations of this new technology, as well as its potential hazards to workers.” The American National Standards Institute updated its lockout/tagout standard in December 2016. That same year, OSHA issued 3,406 lockout/tagout violations, making it the fifth-most cited violation.