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Electrical Safety and Lockout/Tagout

Electrical safety

The City of Waukesha Fire Department inspects the space every year. These are the everyday rules that keep us safe and in line with the fire code.

  • No multi-plug adapters. Plug-in adapters that turn one outlet into several (cube taps, splitters) are not allowed in commercial buildings. Plug a power strip directly into the wall outlet, then plug tools into the power strip.
  • Do not daisy-chain power strips or extension cords into each other.
  • Use the cord that is there. Do not stretch extension cords across walkways or work areas. If a tool does not reach power safely, ask instead of improvising.
  • Keep electrical panels clear. Never block a panel; someone may need to reach a breaker fast.
  • Damaged is out of service. Do not use a tool, cord or power strip with cracked insulation, exposed wire, a missing ground pin or signs of scorching. Tag it and report it. See Shop Safety: Tagging a Tool Out of Service and Reporting It.
  • Exit signs must stay lit. If you notice an exit sign that is dark, report it.

For where the panels are and how breakers are labeled, see Facility Operations: Building Systems.

Lockout/Tagout for maintenance

Lockout/tagout means making sure a machine cannot start while someone is working on it, and making it obvious to everyone else that it is being worked on.

Before you change a blade or bit, clear a jam, adjust anything inside a guard, or do maintenance:

  1. Turn the tool off and wait for it to stop completely.
  2. Disconnect the energy. Unplug it, or for hardwired machines switch off and lock the disconnect. On tools with a safety key, remove the key (the Wood Shop: Radial Arm Saw works this way).
  3. Tag it. Leave a clear note on the tool saying it is being worked on and by whom, so nobody plugs it back in.
  4. Check it. Try the switch to confirm it will not start.
  5. When you are done, replace all guards, remove your tag, and only then reconnect power.

Several maintenance checklists in this knowledge base start with "power off and unplug". That step is not optional.

To be confirmed: whether WMI provides lockout locks and tags, where they are kept, and which machines are hardwired.

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