When outside contractors perform maintenance or servicing at a facility, coordination between the contractor and the host employer becomes critical for worker safety. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Control of Hazardous Energy standard (29 CFR 1910.147) requires employers to implement procedures that prevent the unexpected release of hazardous energy during equipment servicing. When multiple employers are involved, OSHA expects both parties to coordinate their Lockout Tagout (LOTO) programs to ensure that no employee is exposed to dangerous energy sources.
Under OSHA regulations, both the host employer and the contractor maintain independent responsibilities for protecting their employees. These responsibilities cannot be transferred from one employer to the other. Instead, both parties must communicate and align their LOTO procedures so that workers clearly understand how hazardous energy will be controlled during the job. Continue reading “Coordinating Lockout Tagout Between Contractors and Host Employers: What OSHA Expects”