The unexpected release of hazardous energy (electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, etc.) and related machine start-ups are longstanding issues in many industries, often resulting in incidents. These occurrences can lead to severe injuries, fatalities, and significant financial losses, making it essential for organisations to implement effective safety protocols.
Therefore, the adoption of measures to mitigate risks is crucial. Depending on the hazards and risks identified, each machine, equipment or process needs to have specific procedures for the control of hazardous energy.
Upcoming Webinar: Control of Hazardous Energy
Hazardous energy release contributes to a large number of injuries and deaths every year. Because of this, the need to understand the methods available for the Control of Hazardous Energy remains high.
Register now for the upcoming Fortress Webinar on Control of Hazardous Energy!
The webinar will run on the 12th March 2025 at 10:30am.
You can register for the webinar in your preferred time zone using the accompanying buttons.
If you can’t make it to any of our live showings, please register, and we will send you a recording.
🌏 Asia-Pacific: March 12th, 10:30 AEST (23:30 GMT)
🌍 Europe: March 12th, 10:30 GMT
What is ANSI/ASSP Z244.1?
ANSI/ASSP Z244.1 establishes requirements for controlling hazardous energy through lockout, tagout, and alternative methods. The standard explains how to apply these different approaches to activities concerning machinery, equipment, and processes, such as installation, inspection, testing, troubleshooting, decommissioning, and others.
The standard aims to establish procedures that protect personnel who can be exposed to hazards as a result of the unexpected energization or start-up of machinery, helping prevent incidents from occurring.
Significant Changes in the 2024 Revision
Following a revision process that began in July 2023, the latest edition of ANSI/ASSP Z244.1 was published in December 2024: ANSI/ASSP Z244.1-2024 The Control of Hazardous Energy – Lockout, Tagout, and Alternative Methods.
In the revised standard, alternative methods and risk assessment have received additional attention, emphasizing their importance in the control of hazardous energy. A major change to this document is the elevation of alternative methods to the same level of choice as lockout/tagout (LOTO) for the control of hazardous energy.
New requirements and guidance are provided to assist the decision process and determine when lockout is required and when alternative methods may be used to provide effective protection.
In addition, new content has been added, including:
• A new section on Hazardous Energy Control Methods
• Information on cybersecurity aspects
• Energy control for processes
• Content on mobile applications, feasible risk reduction, piping systems, fault annunciation, and zoned or partitioned machines or equipment
Along with the added content, updates were made to definitions, requirements for alternative methods, and appendices.
Key Sections of the “Control of Hazardous Energy” Safety Standard
ANSI/ASSP Z244.1-2024 includes ten sections as well as several appendices (A through Q) which offer relevant examples to facilitate the use of the standard. The first four sections are about scope and purpose, references, definitions, and responsibilities, Section 5 is a new addition to the current revision and discusses Hazardous Energy Control Methods.
Section 6 is about the Hazardous Energy Control Program, including hazardous energy control procedures such as those used for energy isolation with lockout. It also discusses how to transfer hazardous energy control between shifts, regardless of the methods used, without compromising safety.
A crucial part of the standard is Section 9 – Alternative Methods of Hazardous Energy Control, which addresses alternative methods (e.g., engineering controls) for controlling hazardous energy when lockout cannot be applied. It may not always be possible to fully isolate a machine and perform certain tasks. Hence, this section provides a methodology to assess the tasks and risks associated with them so that alternative methods are equivalent to lockout in preventing machine start-up or the release of stored energy.
Support and Training from Fortress Safety
With the machinery safety landscape in constant evolution, staying up to date about standards is crucial. At Fortress Safety, we always stay informed with new developments and use our expertise to support customers navigating the complexity of safety standards. If you have questions or need any help, get in touch with our team.
For those looking to expand their machinery safety knowledge, we discuss LOTO and alternative methods as per ANSI/ASSP Z244.1 in Module 5 of our B11 LMSS™ course. The B11 LMSS™ course is a five-module remote training certified by B11 Standards, Inc. that covers U.S. machinery safety standards and requirements.
