Implementation of lockout/tagout (LOTO) methodologies on production lines

• Autor(a) principal: Rocha, Francisco Rafael Coelho da
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.22/24103
• topic: Mechanical Engineering; Lockout Tagout; Safety Procedure; Workplace Safety; Packaging Industry; Domínio/Área Científica::Engenharia e Tecnologia

With machines getting increasingly more complex, as technology advances and automation becomes an increasingly important aspect of all types of manufacturing processes, so does the complexity of engaging with machinery increase, which can lead to increased risk, and injury rates. This is particularly relevant in the packaging industry, where competition and the market’s changing demands require that package manufacturers remain flexible and efficient, which makes maintenance, changes, and improvements to machinery a common occurrence. It is then important to promote safety in the workplace, by implementing safety standards and methodologies. One such methodology is known as LOTO, or Lockout Tagout, which aims to control hazardous energies by developing blocking methods for the energies present in industrial equipment and to develop safety procedures to instruct workers on how to perform their tasks safely. In this context, this dissertation aims to use LOTO methodologies to develop a safety procedure for three different machines, located in a factory specializing in the manufacturing of metal cans used for the packaging of various products. To achieve this goal, some preliminary work was done to develop the resources needed for the implementation of LOTO methodologies, such as the improvement of the tagging system that identifies the equipment and the energy blocking points, and the acquisition of the equipment needed to correctly block and dissipate the energy present in the machines. Following these tasks, each of the three machines was individually analyzed, documenting the tasks performed by workers on the machine and the energies involved in those tasks, as well as the implementation of the needed changes and improvements. Once the needed information was gathered, a safety procedure was developed and implemented for each machine, showcasing the documented tasks, along with the energies that need to be blocked, and a guide on how to perform each task safely. The implemented changes and safety procedure seemed not to slow down the duration of tasks and were able to reduce the injury rates seen on the machine. However, due to the time constraints placed on this dissertation, and the large timescale needed to correctly evaluate rates of injury, it is suggested to collect more data after implementation of the safety procedures for a more robust conclusion.