SOP FOR EQUIPMENT TAGGING SYSTEM
PURPOSE : Accidents are often caused due to operation of some equipment at the time when people are attending / working on it due to improper communication about the equipment being given or taken for maintenance. Tags tied on the operating devices of equipments states about the status of the equipment if it is under maintenance. This helps in preventing the accidents.
SCOPE : This procedure shall apply before an equipment is handed over to maintenance department or otherwise taken out of cleaning / inspection etc.
RESPONSIBILITY : All Area manager / Area Managers are responsible to ensure the implementation of the tagging system in their area of control.
Security Manager / EOHS Manager will be responsible to monitor the compliance of this procedure.
PROCEDURE :
The following tagging procedure shall be applicable in the plant :
PLANT – YELLOW TAG
Whenever production personnel take on equipment out of line for carrying out maintenance work or doing clean-up work, they should proceed as follows :
Close / blind all the inlet and outlets, as necessary.
Switch off power from the MCC and remove fuses (take electrician’s help for removing fuses).
Yellow tag shall be put by the Area manager / Supervisor at all the lines which are isolated by him i.e. including the switch in MCC and field switch.
In case the equipment is being handed over to maintenance department, tagging would imply that the production department is certifying equipments to be safe for work. The Yellow tag would bear the signature of concerned Supervisor (s) / Manager. Person (s) signing it would be responsible for above certificate.
MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT – BLUE TAG
When Maintenance department takes over an equipment for doing maintenance work, they would put blue tags exactly at the same place as the yellow tags of the production department. A blue tag signifies that the equipment is under maintenance and no one including production department is authorised to start the equipment.
ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENT – RED TAG
If electrical work is to be carried out on any equipment by itself or in addition to other maintenance work, the Electrician would put a red tag in the MCC and field switch. A red tag signifies that the electrical maintenance is being carried out and no one is allowed to operate the equipment electrically.
REMOVAL OF TAGS
After the work has been done by each department, the tags shall be removed only by authorised personnel. It implies that yellow tag would be the last to be removed. The removal of blue or red tags would signify that the relevant maintenance work has been completed by Mechanical / Electrical Departments and as far as they are concerned, the equipment can be operated. Before removing the yellow tag, the production person must satisfy himself about the quality of work and ensure that there is no hazard involved in running the equipment.
FINAL DISPOSAL OF TAGS
The used tags after the completion of the job shall be put in a box in the department and will be discarded after 24 hours of commissioning of equipments.
Production Manager and Engineering Manager are responsible for implementation of the system and this shall be monitored by the Plant Head/location Head / EHS Manager / Security Manager.