Obras Onsite
Free check · lockout / tagout

Is this properly isolated?

Isolation goes wrong in predictable ways: a second energy source nobody knew about, stored energy that was never dissipated, or a lock that went on without anybody proving the thing was actually dead. This walks the sequence.

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This is not an approval or a compliance determination. A green result means nothing on this list is outstanding — it is not a sign-off, an audit, or advice that you comply with anything. The decision belongs to the competent person responsible for the work.
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The step people skip

Almost everybody identifies the source, switches it off and puts a lock on. The step that gets skipped under time pressure is proving it dead — testing at the point of work, with a tester that has itself been proved on a known live source before and after. Switching off is not isolating. A closed valve is not a blank. And stored energy — springs, hydraulics, capacitors, raised loads, pressurised lines — does not care that the isolator is open.

Questions

Does a green result mean it is safe to work on?

No. It means nothing on this list is outstanding. Isolation is a technical task for a competent person and this cannot see your plant, your drawings or your site.

What is a personal danger lock?

A lock applied by each individual who will work on the isolated plant, that only they can remove. Group isolation with one lock held by a supervisor is not the same thing, and the difference matters when somebody goes home mid-shift.

Why does stored energy matter so much?

Because isolating the supply does nothing about energy already in the system. Springs, accumulators, capacitors, raised loads and pressurised lines have all killed people on correctly isolated plant.

Who can remove a lock?

The person who applied it. Any procedure for removing somebody else’s lock has to be a formal, documented one, and it should be rare enough to be memorable.

Related free tools

Permit boardIssuing and closing permits on site. What is blocking my job?Including work near live services. SWMS self-checkIs the SWMS behind this complete? Emergency plan checkWhat happens when it goes wrong.

An isolation that can be verified from the deck

In Obras the isolation permit carries a QR band. Scan it and the live record shows whether it is open, who holds it and when it was last verified.

See Obras in action Take a free SWMS

This is a practical site-management tool. It is not legal, engineering or regulatory advice and does not guarantee compliance or a satisfactory inspection outcome. Requirements may vary by jurisdiction, project, contract and circumstances.

Want a person to look at it?

The tools above are free and yours to use. When you need the paperwork behind them reviewed by someone who has run sites, Obras HSE Services is a live consulting business in south-east Queensland.