Lockout Tagout – Landscaping Stats and Facts

FACTS

Key hazards related to Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) procedures in the landscaping industry.

  1. Unexpected Startup of Equipment: Failure to properly implement LOTO can result in the unexpected startup of machinery or equipment while it is being serviced or maintained.
  2. Inadequate Training: Workers who are not adequately trained in LOTO procedures may not understand the importance of de-energizing equipment or may skip steps in the process.
  3. Failure to Identify All Energy Sources: In complex equipment, multiple energy sources (electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic) may need to be controlled.
  4. Improper Use of Lockout Devices: Using the wrong lockout devices or failing to secure them properly can result in ineffective isolation of hazardous energy, allowing the equipment to be re-energized accidentally​.
  5. Communication Failures: Poor communication among workers can lead to confusion about whether equipment has been locked out. This can result in someone unknowingly re-energizing equipment while another worker is still performing maintenance​.
  6. Overconfidence and Complacency: Workers who become complacent or overconfident in their familiarity with LOTO procedures may skip steps or fail to follow the process correctly.
  7. Inadequate Supervision: Hazard: Lack of supervision or failure to enforce LOTO procedures can lead to non-compliance among workers, particularly in fast-paced environments like landscaping.

STATS

  • According to (OSHA), failure to control hazardous energy (which LOTO is designed to prevent) accounts for nearly 10% of the serious accidents in many industries, leading to approximately 24,000 injuries and 120 fatalities annually in the U.S. (BLS.gov).
  • While specific data for the landscaping industry isn’t available, OSHA frequently lists LOTO violations among the top 10 most cited safety standards across all industries.
  • In Canada, (CCOHS) emphasizes the critical importance of LOTO procedures. While exact numbers for the landscaping industry are not reported, non-compliance with LOTO procedures is recognized as a significant contributor to workplace injuries in industries that involve machinery (CCOHS).
  • The LOTO standard is estimated to prevent 120 fatalities and 50,000 injuries each year across various industries, including landscaping.
  • Workers exposed to hazardous energy lose an average of 24 workdays for recuperation due to injuries related to improper lockout/tagout practices.