Lockout-tagout equipment safety lock - GIF and photo

[ranald]

One can't test their repairs if is locked by another in some circumstances.
I used to do horticultural work in a factory grounds under a kind of supervision by one engineer. I told him the out front mower needed new blade washers as the old conical washers had flattened out thus allowing the blade to slip under load. He said to attach a sheet of paper advising out of order. I also removed the belt guards, tied back the shoot & placed stands on the deck.
The factory & property owner was really ticked off as the sign was destroyed by a storm & he lent the machine to a guy who had property an hour + a barge crossing away. He was very angry the stands were on top & the covers off & retrieved the key from the engineers room when he was absent. The idiot using the machine couldn't work out why the centre blade didn't cut & kept mowing, doing damage to not only the boss, blade washers, blade but also the gear box. I had a couple of kubota gear boxes and gave one to fix the problem.
He abused me , (much more gentler than other workers,) as he considered it was "my fault". They still refused to purchase locked out locks or signs & one time I climbed on a forklift to move gear & when I saw smoke I shut it down immediately (no sign, so I asked the supervisor & he said all staff knew it was out of order: to which I advised that several others (like me) had licences & aurthorisation & he shrugged his shoulders complaining of the cost="well remove the key"!.

I ended keeping my own signs in my glove compartment & wallet. Next time I attached my "locked out signs" it happened again. When he started shouting at me, I held up another credit card sized sign for the keyring and quietly said "one of these was attached to the key as well as on the steering wheel". He walked off mumbling. At least 3 generations had owned that farm where he set up the business. HE LOST IT BUYING OTHER PLANTS. The next owner, who got it at fire sale price, has gone to gaol (jail) for cutting safety corners causing death to an employee. Saving a couple of hundred dollars caused a worker to die.