Safety - Lock Out Tag Out
One of the major things I have to worry about with my job is safety. In industry there is what is called Lock Out Tag Out or LOTO (say lotto) for short. Before working on a system you apply padlocks and tags to prevent you from getting energized when working on the system. This energy could be electricity, moving machinery, or air and gasses under pressure in a pipe. You isolate it then lock it off and identify it as being locked out. This has been drilled into my head since my first week of work. ryuneko and I have had several discussions on this topic.
So my friend in China sends me this message this morning detailing a discussion between him and the customer's electrical supervisor:
JB: "I want to have locks on these [400V] breakers, for safety."
CE: "Oh, Mr. [J], we have no locks... our LOTO system is not yet resolv-ed."
JB: "So, you have a man working on the lube oil motor--but no lock on it?"
CE: "Yes. But for power on motor, you need to fill out form to turn on motor."
JB (begins racking in breaker)
CE: "What you doing?!?"
JB: "I don't know... Do I have to know what I'm doing to kill someone?"
CE: "We follow Chinese law for safety... you can not power without the form."
JB: "I suppose the way you guys reproduce, you can afford to operate that way."
CE: "Ha ha ha... what? Can you talk slower?"
JB: "YEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS."
My response is that the Chinese need to learn that the only way paper will keep you safe is if many sheets are between the electrical contacts, not just sitting on a desk. Electrons don't care about paperwork. That is one of the things that drives me nuts at some sites. The safety dude and management is paranoid about the paperwork. The paperwork has some importance, it keeps things systematic and keeps the lawyers happy but what is going to safe my ass is my padlock with the key in my pocket. Some safety dudes forget that fact.
So my friend in China sends me this message this morning detailing a discussion between him and the customer's electrical supervisor:
JB: "I want to have locks on these [400V] breakers, for safety."
CE: "Oh, Mr. [J], we have no locks... our LOTO system is not yet resolv-ed."
JB: "So, you have a man working on the lube oil motor--but no lock on it?"
CE: "Yes. But for power on motor, you need to fill out form to turn on motor."
JB (begins racking in breaker)
CE: "What you doing?!?"
JB: "I don't know... Do I have to know what I'm doing to kill someone?"
CE: "We follow Chinese law for safety... you can not power without the form."
JB: "I suppose the way you guys reproduce, you can afford to operate that way."
CE: "Ha ha ha... what? Can you talk slower?"
JB: "YEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS."
My response is that the Chinese need to learn that the only way paper will keep you safe is if many sheets are between the electrical contacts, not just sitting on a desk. Electrons don't care about paperwork. That is one of the things that drives me nuts at some sites. The safety dude and management is paranoid about the paperwork. The paperwork has some importance, it keeps things systematic and keeps the lawyers happy but what is going to safe my ass is my padlock with the key in my pocket. Some safety dudes forget that fact.