Industry · Chemicals
LOTOTO in the chemical industry
In a chemical plant, switching off a pump motor is not enough. Hazardous energy sits in the process itself: in pressurised media, in temperature, in the contents of a vessel and in the pipework leading to it. Isolation points are therefore often spread along pipe runs, and the lockout itself is usually just one part of the documentation a job requires.
LOTOTO in the chemical industry is the lockout, tagout and tryout procedure in which, besides drives, the process media in pipework and vessels are isolated as well. The job is often tied to other permits too, for example for confined space entry or hot work.
Switching off the drive is not enough. The process itself holds energy.
How does LOTOTO in chemicals differ from isolating a machine?
Short answerBesides electrical and mechanical energy, process media, their pressure and temperature have to be isolated. Isolation points are often valves along pipe runs rather than a switch next to the equipment.
For a machine in a workshop, the isolation point is usually close by: the main isolator, a compressed-air valve, a mechanical restraint. A reactor, tank or heat exchanger is different. The medium may reach it from several directions, and every inlet and outlet needs to be closed and secured. The valves may sit on different levels and in different parts of the plant.
On top of that, operations prepare the equipment themselves, for instance by draining and cleaning it according to their own procedures. Maintenance needs to know not only what is locked out but also that operations have prepared the equipment and handed it over for the job.
Which equipment and media must a chemical site consider?
Short answerReactors, tanks, pipework and valves, pumps, heat exchangers, agitators and compressors. Alongside electrical and mechanical energy, the focus is on the chemical energy of process media, pressure and heat.
| Equipment / area | Examples of energy sources and media |
|---|---|
| Reactors | chemical (process media), pressure, thermal, electrical (agitator) |
| Tanks and storage vessels | chemical, gravitational, pressure |
| Pipe runs and valves | chemical, pressure, thermal |
| Pumps | electrical, mechanical, pressurised medium |
| Heat exchangers | thermal, pressure, chemical |
| Agitators | electrical, mechanical |
| Compressors | electrical, pneumatic, mechanical, pressure |
This table is illustrative only. The actual media, isolation points and how they are secured are defined by your equipment register and your site’s approved procedures.
How do you record isolation points on pipework and vessels?
Short answerThrough the equipment register, where each item has its energy types, a description and photos assigned. During lockout, each energy is confirmed by its performer with lock number and time.
A photo of the valve in the register helps find the right spot on an extensive pipe run. Descriptions and equipment tags stay in the codes your site already uses. During lockout the system records a performer and a confirmation for each energy type separately, and the status “locked out” is reached only once all are confirmed. Partially completed isolation is therefore visible.
The records are only as good as the register. During implementation we therefore review the equipment and its links to isolation points with you. A list of energies is not a substitute for the approved procedure for securing them. That procedure can become a digital work instruction with photos of each valve. The principle is explained under energy isolation.
How can LOTOTO be linked to permits for high-risk work?
Short answerEquipment in the register can carry a flag for high-risk work. The relevant form template is then attached to the lockout record, and the completed document is uploaded directly to it.
Work in a chemical plant often runs alongside other permits: entering a vessel as a confined space, welding on pipework, working at height on a process structure. The system records flags for these types of work against the equipment. An administrator uploads the form templates; workers view or download them from the record and attach the completed documents to the lockout. In the archive, they stay together.
For designated work, the health and safety officer is notified. How LOTOTO should connect with other permit types your site uses is something we design during the process analysis. The lifecycle of a digital permit is described under digital permit to work.
Who prepares, approves and carries out the isolation?
Short answerThe requester prepares the request, the operator responsible for the equipment approves it, and the performers confirm isolation of each energy. The exact split is configured to match your rules.
The right to approve is tied to the equipment the operator is responsible for. User types can be tied to energy types, so electrical isolation is confirmed by an electrician and isolation of process media by someone authorised to do so. When a contractor works on the equipment, they attach to the lockout as another work group, and the equipment cannot be unlocked until they have closed their work.
System administration is not the same as competence to carry out the job. More under roles and authorisations.
ReadGroup lockoutWhat must be documented after cleaning or a turnaround?
Short answerThe whole job in one place: equipment, people, confirmation of each energy, attached forms for high-risk work, the groups involved and the unlocking.
Completed records move to the archive. The audit log keeps who changed what, when, and the old and new value. For an internal review or an investigation, there is no need to piece information together from several binders. More on the LOTO audit trail page.
What can a digital process bring to a chemical site?
We do not quote percentages. These are concrete changes in daily work:
How do you start with digital LOTOTO at a chemical site?
Short answerBy selecting one operating unit, reviewing its equipment register and isolation points, and running a pilot.
In the chemical industry we build on our experience with LOTOTO processes and on an analysis of your site. We first go through your procedures and permits, then set up roles, approvals and form templates. The implementation approach is described on the solution page.
What does digital LOTOTO in chemicals not replace?
A digital record does not confirm that equipment has been drained, cleaned or depressurised. That remains the job of your site procedures and of verification on the spot.
Frequently asked questions
Are high-risk work forms filled in within the application?
No. An administrator uploads form templates, they can be viewed or downloaded from the record, and the completed documents are attached to the lockout.
Can a photo be attached to an isolation point?
Photos are stored against equipment in the register. If you want a photo at every isolation step, we can digitalise your work instruction.
How are contractors involved?
They can attach to the lockout as a work group. Whether they get their own access or are represented by a responsible person on site, we design around your rules.
Where is Tryout recorded?
We design how Tryout is recorded and built into the digital workflow according to your site’s rules.
Next step
Let’s look at your isolation points and permits.
We will go through how you isolate process media, the related permits and your documentation with you, then propose how to link them in a digital process.