The warning of mechanical injury accidents directly points to the formalization of the locking and tagging process

The Warning of Mechanical Injury Accidents Directly Points to the Formalization of the Locking and Tagging Process

(Industry Analysis Report) A series of recent serious mechanical injury accidents has cast a spotlight once again on industrial energy isolation management. Investigations reveal that in over 70% of maintenance-related accidents, while basic “Lockout/Tagout” (LOTO) procedures existed, their implementation had deteriorated into mere formalities, becoming a significant hidden danger.

“It’s All a Routine, Until the Accident Happens”

In a machinery processing plant in the southern region last month, maintenance worker Mr. Zhang was cleaning a power press. The equipment’s power supply had been disconnected, and a “Do Not Operate” tag was hung. Unexpectedly, a new employee on the production line, unaware of the ongoing maintenance, bypassed the lock and tag and restarted the machine, resulting in Mr. Zhang suffering a severe crush injury to his arm. Investigators found that while locks and tags were in place, there was no centralized lockbox management, no visual work permit system for the area, and the isolation of multiple energy sources was incomplete—effectively reducing the safety measures to a symbolic tag on a single power switch.

The “Three Major Formalisms” of LOTO: Widespread Industry Challenges

1. “Document Formalism”: Procedures exist only on paper and in training records, becoming a “box-ticking” exercise for audits, failing to effectively guide actual operations.
2. “Tool Formalism”: Locks and tags are issued, but their use is not strictly monitored. “One lock for all” or sharing of keys is common, and tags are filled out carelessly, losing their warning function.
3. “Procedure Formalism”: The process of identifying energy sources, isolating, locking/tagging, verification, and release is simplified. Steps such as energy verification and group lockout are often omitted. “We’ve always done it this way” replaces standard procedures.

Experts Call: Transforming “Compliance Behavior” into “Safety Culture”

Industry safety experts emphasize that LOTO is a “life-saving procedure,” not a “burden.”

• Technological Enhancement: Introducing smart locks, electronic permit systems, and QR code management can technically prevent unauthorized unlocking and procedural omissions.
• Cultural Development: Through immersive VR accident simulations and behavioral safety observations, make employees internally understand that “this lock guards my life.”
• Management Deepening: Incorporate LOTO execution into daily safety performance assessments, implement supervisor-led energy verification at shift changes, and hold contractors strictly accountable to the same standards.

The warning from these accidents is clear: In high-risk industrial environments, any procedural formality can be a precursor to disaster. Moving LOTO from a mere “procedure on file” to a deeply ingrained “muscle memory” and “safety barrier” for every employee is an urgent challenge facing every enterprise pursuing true safety.