Lockout Rules for Cleaning, Oiling, and Maintenance

Why Cleaning Is When Accidents Happen

During production, machines have guards and interlocks; but during cleaning, oiling, mold changes, and clearing jams, guards are opened and hands reach places they normally can't. If someone presses start at that moment, or residual air pressure or a spring suddenly moves a part, the consequences can be severe. That's why occupational safety rules in every country make "reliably isolating energy during maintenance and cleaning" a priority.

What the Regulations Say

Article 57 of the Occupational Safety and Health Facilities Regulations (職業安全衛生設施規則; currently effective version) states that when cleaning, oiling, inspecting, repairing, or adjusting machinery, equipment, and related accessories could endanger workers:

1. Stop the relevant machinery and feeding.
2. To prevent others from operating the start device or feeding material by mistake, take measures such as locking out or posting signs.
3. Provide safety equipment and measures to prevent hazards from falling objects.
4. When stopping or dismantling for repair, where there is danger from stored energy such as springs and other elastic elements, hydraulic, pneumatic, or vacuum accumulators, take measures such as releasing, shutting off, or isolating it.
5. For work that must be done while the machine is running, fit guards or enclosures on the hazardous parts, or use work tools of sufficient length; where stopping some units of a continuous-feed production line is difficult and guards can't be fitted, use devices with safety function design or confirm the safety of the work in writing, and assign an on-site supervisor to oversee it.

The Facilities Regulations were amended on June 30, 2026, and the new version of Article 57 takes effect on January 1, 2027, adding: before carrying out the work above, employers must establish a hazard prevention plan based on the conditions of the workplace and equipment, inform the workers, and have them work according to the plan. The plan must include identification, assessment, and control of work hazards, work methods and safety control practices, work permit procedures, and work safety check methods.

In addition, Article 276, Subparagraph 2 states that when power is cut to adjust electrical machinery, the switch must be locked out or tagged and signed immediately after it's turned off; when restoring power, only the person who signed the tag may remove the lock or tag before power is restored. Article 254 requires that during de-energized circuit work, open switches be locked or marked "Do not energize" or "Power-off work in progress."

Article 29 of the OSH Act also prohibits employers from having persons under 18 clean, oil, inspect, or repair hazardous parts of running machinery or power transmission devices.

How to Do Lockout/Tagout

The general steps of lockout/tagout (LOTO):

1. Prepare: Identify all the machine's energy sources: electricity, compressed air, hydraulics, springs, gravity, heat, steam.
2. Notify: Tell the operators and nearby coworkers that the machine is about to be shut down for maintenance.
3. Shut down: Stop the machine using the normal procedure.
4. Isolate: Turn off the main power switch or unplug the machine, and close the air supply valve.
5. Lock and tag: Each worker places their own lock and tag (with name, date, and work being done) on the isolation point and keeps their own key. For multiple workers, use a multi-hole lockout hasp, one lock per person.
6. Release stored energy: Bleed off air and hydraulic pressure, let springs return to their free state, and wait for rotating parts to stop completely and hot parts to cool.
7. Verify: Press the start button to confirm the machine won't move, then return the switch to the off position.
8. Work: Begin cleaning or maintenance.
9. Restore: Count tools and parts, reinstall guards, confirm everyone has left the danger zone, have each person who placed a lock remove their own lock, then notify others and restore power.

For small plug-in machines (such as tabletop machines), the simplest approach is to unplug the machine and keep the plug where the worker can see it, or lock it in a plug lockout box.

Employee Training

• Under Article 32 of the OSH Act and Schedule 14 of the Rules for Occupational Safety and Health Education and Training (職業安全衛生教育訓練規則), general safety and health training for new hires or employees changing jobs must be at least 3 hours, with an additional 3 hours for those using production machinery or equipment; the course includes standard operating procedures, self-checks before, during, and after work, and emergency response.
• Write each machine's shutdown and lockout steps on a card posted beside the machine; new staff follow it several times, and a supervisor signs off once they can do it correctly.
• Give extra training to cleaning crews and night shifts, since most cleaning happens after hours when there are fewer people and more pressure to hurry.

For how Dong-Yih machines are disassembled and cleaned, please call 06-257-4644. For the full process of allergen changeover cleaning, see Allergen Management and Machine Changeover Cleaning.

FAQ

Q: What do the regulations say about stopping machines for cleaning?
A: Article 57 of the Occupational Safety and Health Facilities Regulations requires that when cleaning, oiling, inspecting, repairing, or adjusting could be hazardous, the machine and feeding be stopped, locks or signs be used to prevent others from starting it by mistake, and stored energy be released; from January 1, 2027, a hazard prevention plan must also be established in advance.

Q: How is lockout done?
A: Stop the machine, isolate power and air, have each worker place their own lock and tag on the isolation point, release stored energy, test-start to confirm it won't move, then work; afterward, each person removes their own lock before power is restored.

Q: How many hours of safety training do employees need?
A: General safety and health training of at least 3 hours, plus an additional 3 hours for those using production machinery or equipment (Schedule 14 of the training rules).

Q: Can we have a part-time worker under 18 clean a running machine?
A: No. Article 29 of the OSH Act prohibits persons under 18 from cleaning, oiling, inspecting, or repairing hazardous parts of running machinery.