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California State University, Long BeachCalifornia State University, Long Beach
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9.0 Contractors and Outside Service Representatives

This program requires that contractors and outside service representatives be informed of the LOTO procedures implemented at university facilities, auxiliary organization facilities and job sites. Contractors and service representatives must provide the university copies of their Hazardous Energy Control program. These procedures must be at least as protective of the “guest” employees as the university procedures are for university employees. SRM shall make this determination.

After the university and the outside employer inform each other of their respective LOTO procedures, each employer shall ensure that their employees understand and comply with all restrictions and/or prohibitions set forth in this document.

The general contractor is responsible for presenting and explaining the university’s Hazardous Energy Control program to its authorized employees and the authorized employees of any subcontractors. The university is responsible for informing its authorized and affected employees of the requirements within the contractors program.

University personnel shall be the first to place a lock and tag, at each isolation point as detailed in the LOTO procedure, before the contractor starts work and the last to remove the lock and tag when the contractor completes work. If the work is being performed on auxiliary equipment, authorized auxiliary employees, in consultation with University Facilities Management authorized employees will be the first to place a lock and tag and the last to remove those devices. Under no circumstance shall a contractor lock and tag be on equipment without being accompanied by a university or auxiliary organization lock and tag.

9.1 Contractor Responsibilities

The contractor shall:

  1. Provide a list of names to the Project Manager/Construction Manager/Inspector of Record or other authorized personnel who will be responsible for applying and removing its lockout and tagout devices. Only contractor authorized personnel shall apply and remove lockout and tagout devices.
  2. When requested, immediately provide the most recent Control of Hazardous Energy training records for those individuals listed.
  3. Provide a copy of written Hazardous Energy Control Program to the Project Manager/Construction Manager/Inspector of Record before the start of work involving control of hazardous energy.
  4. The Project Manager/Construction Manager/Inspector of Record shall submit a copy to SRM for review.
  5. Comply with the University Control of Hazardous Energy Program.
  6. Do not place a lock or tag on equipment until after the equipment has been de-energized, locked and tagged by University personnel.

9.2 University (Host Employer) Responsibilities

CSULB Safety and Risk Management shall:

  1. Upon request from contractor(s), provide copies of the University's Hazardous Energy Control Program.
  2. In coordination with Facilities Management and Physical Planning/ Construction Management, as applicable, conduct safety meetings to inform contractors of their obligations under the University's Hazardous Energy Control Program.
  3. Develop a procedure to ensure University authorized and affected employees understand the contractor’s hazardous energy control policies and procedures.

University Staff and/or Administrators shall ensure that, as required the following actions take place:

  1. The department, Physical Planning/Construction Management or Facilities Management administrator responsible for having a contract issued to a contractor is responsible for ensuring that the contractor is complying with the requirements detailed in this program.
  2. Ensure the contractor has appropriate locking (key only)/blocking devices and tags as required by this program and are detailed in the LOTO procedure.
  3. Ensure that all contractor lockout/tagout operations are coordinated with Facilities Management Electrical Shop and, if required, the affected academic department staff.
  4. Advise SRM of contractor problems encountered during implementation of the written LOTO procedure. Stop work until resolved.
  5. Stop work activities on those portions of a job that pose an imminent threat to health, property or the environment and/or the requirements of this program are not being met.

9.3 Pre-Work Notifications

Work shall not begin until University Facilities Management and/or other affected personnel approve the shutdown or isolation. The following steps shall be performed before the start of work:

  1. Upon written request from the Contractor, the Project Manager/Construction Manager/Inspector of Record shall submit a Shutdown/Isolation Request form (Appendix C) to Facilities Management.
  2. Timeframes for shutdowns and/or isolation shall be considered and coordinated in advance. A minimum of one week is required, except in emergency situations.

9.4 Prohibition of Release of Energized Equipment to Contractors

The university (or auxiliary organization) shall not release any piece of

equipment or process to any Contractor that is energized except as defined below:

  • Exception 1: Equipment that is cord and plug may be unplugged by the contractor provided that this is the only source of hazardous energy and the contractor’s authorized employee is made aware that the equipment is energized.
  • Exception 2: Equipment that will be tested by the Contractor as part of the routine servicing of the equipment may be energized provided that the contractor’s authorized employee is made aware that the equipment is energized.

Each piece of equipment that is to be de-energized and released to a contractor for repair, servicing, maintenance, or construction shall have a written LOTO procedure that includes the steps to follow to ensure that equipment will be de-energized and to verify that hazardous energy has been released. The procedure shall be developed by Facilities Management.

If specific situations warrant, Safety and Risk Management, Construction Management, Facilities Management, the appropriate auxiliary organization and the contractor shall all have input into development of the LOTO procedure.

Isolating and de-energizing of equipment may begin prior to the contractor’s arrival on site. The Contractor, in the presence of an authorized university employee, shall verify that all hazardous energy has been released from the process or equipment before the contractor starts work. Each subcontractor shall also verify that hazardous energy has been released before starting work.

All authorized persons shall sign off on the LOTO procedure that they have verified that hazardous energy has been released from the equipment before the start of work. The signature is an acknowledgment by all authorized parties that all steps in the LOTO procedure have been completed and all hazardous energies have been controlled.

9.5 Required Hazardous Energy Control Equipment

The Contractor shall provide identifiable keyed locks, blocking devices and tagout devices, as applicable, to all authorized personnel. An authorized university representative must approve this equipment prior to use on the project.

9.6 Application of Lockout and Tagout Devices (Contractors)

The Contractor’s authorized personnel shall:

  1. Coordinate all lockout/tagout activities with the university Construction Management site inspector, who will in turn coordinate the application of contractor locks and lockout and tagout devices with Facilities Management staff.
  2. Have an approved locking, blocking and tagging equipment, as applicable, for each hazardous energy control/isolation point.
  3. Review and sign the LOTO procedure with an authorized university representative.
  4. Do not manipulate isolation devices on process equipment.
  5. Apply locks and tags only under the direction of a (CSULB) Facilities Management Manager, Lead Building Engineer, Electrician, or college/academic unit qualified electrical worker.
  6. Apply lock to isolation devices that are lockable.
  7. Whenever a lockout and/or tagout device is used, the tag must be completed so that the following is clearly readable (specific tag requirements are detailed in the LOTO procedure):
    • Authorized employee’s first initial and last name
    • Authorized employee’s company name
    • Date
    • Brief description of work to be performed
  8. Abide by group LOTO procedures, if applicable, as required by this program.

9.7 Notification and Job Site Safety

Before any lockout/tagout device is removed from energy isolating equipment, affected employees shall be notified and the work area shall be inspected to ensure all other employees, tools, and equipment have been moved to a safe location and all safety devices and guards have been installed. The contractor shall designate the person to make the notifications and identify this person to the Construction Management Inspector of Record overseeing the work.

9.8 Removal of Lockout/Tagout Devices (Contractor)

The Contractor’s authorized personnel shall:

  1. Remove only locks and lockout/tagout devices applied by contractor personnel.
  2. Not energize any equipment unless in the presence of the university Construction Management Inspector of Record.
  3. Provide an emergency callout person who has the authority to remove locks

and tagout devices applied by contractor coworkers. The university Construction Management Inspector of Record is responsible for notifying all personnel who have placed a lock and tag on the equipment.

9.9 Machine and Equipment Testing

In situations where testing and/or repositioning of machinery or equipment is required to accomplish servicing or maintenance objectives, authorized and affected employees shall follow all procedures set forth in this document for application and removal of all lockout/tagout devices.

9.10 Modified and New Equipment

Whenever replacement, major repair, renovation, or modification of a machine or equipment is performed, and whenever new machines or equipment is installed, energy isolating devices for such machines or equipment shall be designed to accept a lockout device.

9.11 Group Lockout/Tagout Procedure (Contractor)

To ensure the integrity of the group lockout/tagout method, the contractor shall ensure the following are completed before group lockout/tagout is implemented:

  • Identify crew leaders for each trade (contractor) who will be responsible for applying group locks and tags. A crew leader may exist for each contractor or subcontractor.
  • Ensure the crew leaders with the devices necessary to perform proper group lockout/tagout.
  • Review and sign the LOTO Procedure with an authorized university representative.

9.12 Training and Communication

The university will communicate the requirements of its Hazardous Energy Control Program to the general contractor at the start of a job (during the pre-construction meeting). The general contractor is responsible for informing all of its subcontractors of these requirements. Each contractor is responsible for ensuring all of its employees are trained in accordance with Cal-OSHA requirements. Training is required for all authorized and affected employees.

The University considers all hazardous energy control procedure infractions to be an imminent hazard, and work affected by the infraction is subject to immediate stoppage.

V. 1.1 12/22/2008