Lock Out/Tag Out Procedures

Lock Out / Tag Out

• Provides procedures for locking out machinery during fire department on-scene operations.
• Procedures aim to prevent injuries or fatalities caused by unexpected start-ups or releases of stored energy.
• Establishes minimum requirements for lock out/tag out energy isolating devices.
• Seeks to prevent undesirable hazardous energy releases during:
  • Rescue operations
  • Station equipment repairs and maintenance
  • Scene operations designated by command
• Includes stored energy sources.
• Includes the introduction of hazardous materials into a work site and the automatic or accidental activation of equipment
• Procedures are important when crews remove/bypass safety devices or work in areas where a person's body is in the equipment's operational area or a danger zone during machine operation.
• Energy sources covered include electrical, steam, hydraulic, fluids/gases, pneumatic, chemical, mechanical, thermal, and gravity.
• The lock out/tag out system doesn't apply to minor tool changes or servicing during normal operations if alternative effective protective measures are used.
• The lock out/tag out system doesn't apply to work on cord and plug-connected electric equipment is unplugged, controlling exposure to energy hazards.
• The lock out/tag out system doesn't apply to electricity or substance transmission/distribution systems if continuity of service is essential and shutdown is impractical.
• Crews operating in affected areas must have adequate protection via PPE and safety procedures
• Personnel must survey the work area and identify all energy-isolating devices, potentially involving more than one energy source.
• Personnel unsure of energy sources or isolating devices should consult the equipment owner, operator, supervisor, or knowledgeable individuals.
• Personnel should determine if specific machine/system lock out/tag out procedures exist for it.
• Confirm understanding of the system and associated hazards with employees, operators, and supervisors.
• Shut down operating equipment/energy systems using normal stopping procedures.
• Operate and lock out/tag out necessary switches, valves, and energy-isolating devices to isolate systems from energy sources.
• Dissipate or restrain stored energy (springs, elevated members, rotating flywheels, pressure, electrical charge) through repositioning, blocking, bleeding down, or discharging.
• Cutting off high voltage power is unsafe and prohibited.
• Special Operations Personnel is to break a line (disconnecting or cutting the line).
• Special Operations Personnel will conduct the release of pressure on pressurized fluids or gasses.
• Safety tags should be used with any lock out device.
• Notify Command if unsure a lock out/tag out procedure ensures adequate safety.
• The Incident Commander will ensure control of all hazards before personnel operate in the hot zone.
• Only the Incident Commander can order the lock out/tag out system removed once a lock out/ tag out device has been put into operation.
• Rescuers are prohibited from removing a lock out device without the Incident Commander's order.
• Prior to ordering removal, the Incident Commander must verify:
  • Fire department operations are complete.
  • All tools and appliances are out and accounted for.
  • A PAR is conducted, and all personnel are accounted for and confirmed out of the hazard area.
  • All civilian personnel are out of the hot zone.
  • A visual survey confirms the above have been completed
• After removing a lock out device, Fire Rescue personnel will leave the control device in the lock out position.
• Device returns to standard operating conditions is the property owner/representative's responsibility.
• Follow these steps if energy-isolating devices can't be locked out:
  • If approved by the equipment supervisor and/or facility management, locate a lockable energy-isolating device that isolates the target device, and lock/tag it.
  • Have a qualified person open/close the energy-isolating device, disconnect wiring/piping and tag it.
  • Locate the energy-isolating device and secure a tag to it, using a zip tie or wire tie if possible on equipment/systems not designed for locks.
  • Must understand that a safety tag can become inadvertently detached.
• Command shall assign a rescuer to guard a tagged out item if tag out is the only way to secure an energy-isolating device.
• A rescuer with no other duty, cannot leave the area unless formally relieved by another rescuer.
• When mechanical failure occurs within a County Fire Station or facility is posing a personal injury risk, the following is required:
  • Company Officer will direct the company to lock out and tag out the affected equipment.
  • The keys for the lock out device will remain in the station officer's possession until repairs finish.
  • Proper notifications to facilities and the Battalion Chief.
• If a lock out device remains past shift change, the off going officer must brief the oncoming officer; key will be passed on to the oncoming officer.
• The oncoming officer will notify the personnel of the lock out / tag out procedure that is in place.

Hazardous Incidents

• Procedures for crews operating at the scene of hazardous materials incidents.
• HAZMAT is any substance that poses an unreasonable risk to safety, health, or property.
• Release is any spilling, leaking, pumping, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, or disposing into the environment.
• Response actions are any activities carried out in response to a threatened, discharge or discharge of any hazardous substance.
• The hot zone is the area immediately surrounding a hazardous materials incident extending far enough to prevent adverse effects to personnel outside the zone.
• The warm zone is the area where personnel and equipment decontamination and hot zone support take place.
• This includes control points for the access corridor, which assists reducing the spread of contamination.
• The cold zone contains the command post and other support functions to manage the incident.
• Level-A Protection is a total encapsulating, vapor proof suit constructed of resistant to chemical(s) involved with SCBA.
• Level-B Protection is non-encapsulating, splash proof suit constructed of resistant to chemical(s) involved, with SCBA.
• Level-C Protection is splash resistant suits constructed of resistant to the chemical(s) involved, with air purifying respirators.
• Level-D Protection is structural firefighting clothing, with SCBA.
• EMS/HM Level-1 Responders perform patient care activities in the cold zone at a hazardous materials incident to individuals who no longer pose a significant risk of secondary contamination.
• EMS/HM Level-2 Responders might be required to provide care to those individuals who still pose a significant risk of secondary contamination; coordinate EMS activities and medical support.
• NAERG is the North American Emergency Response Guide used by first responders to obtain information on how to deal with spills, fires, and exposures involving HAZMAT.
• Post Emergency Response is the portion of the emergency response performed after the immediate threat of a release have been stabilized or eliminated and clean-up of the site begins.
• Dispatch centers will attempt to obtain material information, amount, problem, dangerous properties, and the number of injured/exposed persons from the person reporting.
• Relay additional information to responding unites: include the safest approach or best access to the incident.
• Relay person's location and level of knowledge from the caller to direct the arriving units to meet.
• The dispatch center will dispatch the appropriate Hazardous Materials response assignment.
• Inform responding units of the prevailing wind speed and direction from the monitoring station nearby.
• Department Emergency Operating Procedures, unless superseded by a specific part of this plan, remain in effect for Hazardous Materials Incidents.
• The first unit must consciously avoid committing itself to a dangerous situation by assessing visible activity, wind, topography and route any other responding companies away from any hazards.
• Initial responding crews shall not enter a vapor cloud or contaminated area for hazardous position or situation.. Control Zones shall be accordance with the North American Emergency Response Guidebook (NAERG) for the material involved or 150' if unidentifiable.
• Personnel shall be committed to a hazardous atmosphere (of any nature) without appropriate PPE including SCBA and training.
• All personnel shall work in the “buddy system".
• When operating in potentially Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) environments, a back-up team (RIT) shall be established.
• The initial unit establishes Command and implements EOP sections 1.0 - 5.0 and announce the Command Post location.
• Command is not passed to the next arriving company officer.
• Begin size-up.
• Advise personnel of the appropriate NAERG Guide Page number which constitutes the “Initial Site Safety Plan" and is reviewed by all personnel prior to operating at the incident.
• A Safety Officer shall be assigned by Command at all Incidents involving a first alarm assignment or greater and at any incident involving hazardous materials or special operations.
• A technical HAZMAT Group Safety Officer is assigned at material incidents along with the incident scene Safety Officer.
• The Safety Officer(s) have the authority to alter, suspend or terminate any unsafe practice and must notify the command.
• A written Site Specific Safety Plan will be developed and enforced by the HAZMAT Group Safety Officer.
• The HAZMAT Group Safety Officer ensure that all personnel have safety plan review prior to hazardous atmosphere entry.
• Description of the site
• Physical hazards of the site
• Materials involved routes of exposure and signs or symptoms of over-exposure
• Required personal protective equipment for the specific task to be performed
• Medical and environmental monitoring requirements
• Radio communication frequency for intervention team and support operations
• Entry objectives
• Emergency procedures
• The size-up identifies the nature and severity of the immediate problem and sufficient information for a valid action plan.
• Hazardous materials incidents require a cautious and deliberate size-up.
• Command to take a careful size-up before making a commitment after immediate action to make potential rescue only after risk/benefit analysis completed.
• Command must avoid premature commitment of any personnel to potentially hazardous locations.
• Hazardous materials team before committing should be the safest and best approach.
• Identify hazardous area(s) based on potential danger, based on materials, time, wind, weather conditions, location.
• Look for labels, DOT Identification Numbers, NFPA stickers etc. For additional information contact plant management, responsible party, truck drivers, fire department specialists. Use reference materials carried on dispatch contact other sources.
• A Command Post (CP) is established in a safe location that best supports the command functions while allowing shielding from incident hazards.
• A Level-2 Staging location in a safe location while all units should report staging unless directed by command.
• Take immediate action to evacuate critical life danger.
• Establish a written site safety plan.
• Properly identify product type and quantity of product involved by using material safety data sheets.
• Communicate the hot, warm and cold zones along with notifying all members operating on the incident.
• Assign an evacuation zone if required along with assigning resources to manage.
• Ensure proper notifications with respective to the agencies.
• Utilize the Sheriff's Office or other law enforcement officers to establish evacuation to provide crowd control to escort equipment.
• The mitigation team will be limited to those crewmembers specially trained as HAZMAT Technicians.
• Other members will support like clean up or equipment set up.
• Must have at least two of mitigation trained in RIT team.
• All efforts shall be made to minimize the number of personnel, and the amount of equipment used in the Hot Zone.
• Command must cause a decontamination area to be established before entry into the area.
• Command will establish a decontamination Group anytime a decontamination process is established.
• The Decontamination Group Supervisor will determine the proper type of procedures.
• Mass Decontamination involved the use of copious qualities of water a rapid decontamination process.
• Technical Decontamination is a very methodical process involves one or more people to decontaminate each person.
• If on-scene decontamination is not possible, an alternative suitable area shall be designated for the decontamination of personnel, apparatus and equipment.
• Command shall establish a Medical/Rehab Group if members are engaged in any form of decontamination.
• The Medical/Rehab Supervisor ensure its perform all required functions include vitality.
• Establish a rapid transport utilizing and OCFRD Rescue unit with fluid replenishment capabilities for all members.
• EMS personnel (EMS/HM Level-2) will be allowed to treat patients in the warm while all other EMS personnel (EMS/HM Level-1) shall be assigned to treat patients in the Cold Zone.
• Command shall ensure adequate resources with groups to manage MCI needs as defined in Mass Casualty Incidents.
• Notify hospitals if there is a likelihood of contaminated patients showing up by POV.
• The hospitals shall be informed of the hazardous materials involved, the precautions and decontamination.
• All patients shall be properly decontaminated prior to being transported to the hospital after command approves of rescue arrival notification.
• Confirm the credentials of the responsible party conducting the post emergency response before released

Confined Space Rescue

• Provides procedures for Orange County Fire Rescue personnel while operating at a confined space incident.
• These procedures apply to all personnel assigned to Field Operations and Communications.
• Confined Space – an enclosed space large enough and so configured that a person can enter and perform assigned work.
• Has limited or restricted means for entry/exit (e.g., tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins, hoppers, vaults, pits.
• Is not designed for continuous human occupancy with the following characteristics:
  • Contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere
  • Contains a material that has the potential for engulfing an entrant
  • Internal configuration such that an entrant could be trapped or asphyxiated
  • Contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazard
• Entry – action by which a person passes into a confined space; includes ensuing work or rescue activities, and is considered to have occurred as soon as any part of the entrant's body breaks the plane of an opening into the space, trench, or excavation.
• Entry Permit is a written or printed document, established by an employer, for non-rescue entry into a confined space.
• Entry Team – the group of individuals, with established communications and leadership, assigned to perform work or rescue activities beyond the opening.
• Hazardous Atmosphere – any atmosphere that is oxygen deficient, contains a toxic or disease producing contaminant, or is potentially explosive; could be immediately dangerous to life and health, but not necessarily.
• The first arriving officer will establish Command and begin a size-up; Command shall not be passed to the next arriving officer.
• Identify the area is considered a confined space and request additional resources, including a Squad.
• Upon notification of a confined space rescue situation, the Communications Center will notify the on-duty Battalion and Assistant Chief as well as the Special Operations Battalion Chief.
• Command shall:
  • Ensure necessary resources have been requested.
  • Size-up the existing and potential conditions.
  • Initiate contact and communication with victims, where possible.
  • Recognize and identify hazards associated with non-entry confined space emergencies.
  • Recognize confined spaces.
  • Evaluate the ability to perform non-entry retrieval.
  • Implement all required functions and assignments to establish a confined space rescue plan.
  • Establish and maintain site control and scene management.
• Command shall establish a Rescue Group and staff it with the required resources to affect a safe rescue as defined by the Rescue Group Supervisor.
• Supervisor will be trained at confined space rescue technician level
• A Safety Officer for the Rescue Group that is trained at that technician level, or assign a technician as an aide to an uncertified Safety Officer.
• The rescue team is limited to crew members specially trained in handling confined space rescue incidents as defined in NFPA 1670.
• All other members will be assigned supporting functions that do not involve entry. Atmospheric monitoring shall occur prior to and during all entries into a confined space and not eliminate the requirement for proper respiratory protection,

Structural Collapse Rescue

• Guidelines for conducting building/structural collapse operations.
• The first arriving company officer will assume command
  • Begin size-up of the situation.
  • Place apparatus in a secondary collapse proof position.
• Manage emergency and civilian traffic is critical from onset.
• Determine need for additional resources, including outside heavy equipment (mobile cranes, front-end loaders, etc.).
• Perform an immediate hazard assessment, potential for secondary collapse, explosion with fire due to broken gas and electrical lines, falling debris, toxic atmosphere, etc.
• Secure hazards, including shutting off the utilities (i.e., gas, electrical, water).
• Rescue victims that can be seen on the surface. Rescuers must be aware of all the physical hazards present.
• Establish a perimeter around the whole collapse site and keep all incoming civilian personnel out of the area.
• Estimate possible victims and initiate the MCI plan.
• Establish Treatment and Transportation Sectors
• Establish an area away from the hazards of the collapse to account for, treat, and transport victims.
• Develop a specific action plan for search and rescue of the remaining trapped victims.
• Establish Building Triage Teams; may include structural engineers and/or firefighters specifically trained in the recognition of structural collapse.
• Each rescue team shall consist of at least two trained members of the Technical Rescue Team
  • If there is a possibility of hazardous materials involvement, each rescue team shall have at least one HAZMAT Technician with air monitoring equipment.
  • Rescue teams are not to attempt rescue in a building determined to be unsafe by and needs a radio designation.
  • The members specially trained in structural collapse will be limited by each rescue team.
• If search teams have a positive find, the building must be verified again if possible using search dogs or hailing method.
• If the building is known to have live victims trapped, rescue teams shall attempt to locate them.
• Confined Space Entry and Rescue and the rescue team leader shall designate the proper method of entry into the space, ensure the safety of the entry rescuers.
• Monitor all spaces for flammable, toxic, and an oxygen deficient atmosphere before entry is made.
• Members making entry shall be on SCBA with appropriate tender to rescuer ratio of 1:1.
• Once the rescue team has located the victim(s) an immediate assessment of the victim shall be done then he/she shall be transferred to the Treatment Sector for ALS assessment.
• If rescue teams have been able to locate victims through other methods, rescue teams must be very careful when removing debris to not cause to any secondary collapse.
• Consider Heat and crews need rotation as well as evaluate ambient conditions.
• Having proper lighting for scene for night time operations and its for time of day.

Trench Rescue

• Provides procedures for Orange County Fire Rescue personnel while operating at a trench rescue incident.
• These procedures apply to all personnel assigned to Field Operations and Communications.
• Cave-In – The separation of a mass of soil or rock material from the side of an excavation or trench, or the loss of soil from under a trench shield or support system.
• Entry- action by which a person passes into a trench.
• The Entry includes ensuring work or rescue activities in that environment and is considered to have occurred as soon as any part of the entrant's body breaks the plane of an opening into the space, trench, or excavation.
• Entry Team – the individuals with established communications assigned to perform work beyond the opening with leadership.
• Hazardous Atmosphere – any atmosphere that is oxygen deficient, contains a toxic or disease producing contaminant, or is potentially explosive; could be immediately dangerous to life and health, but not necessarily.
• Rescue Area (or Hot, Danger, or Collapse Zone) - area surrounding the incident site whose size is proportional to the hazards that exist.
• . Shoring (or Shoring System) A structure such as metal hydraulic, pneumatic/mechanical, or timber shoring system that supports excavation for cave-in prevention.
• Sloping System – A protection using excavating to form the sides inclined away from the excavation.
• Shoring Team – individuals with established communications, assigned to manage system in construction.
• The first arriving officer will establish Command and begin a size-up, Command is not passed to the next arriving officer.
• It is officer responsibility to presence or excavation.
• Identify the rescue area and remove all non-essential personnel from that area.
• Ensure the area directly adjacent is used to from secondary collapse from ground pads.
• Upon notification of the incident the Communications Center will notify
  • On-Duty Battalion and Shift Commander
  • Special Operations Battalion Chief
• The commander will insure size up, identify resources and carry out.
• Command shall ensure the Size-up the existing and potential conditions by identifying resources.
• Implement the procedures necessary to carry out a plan for the trench and excavation rescue operations
• To maintain the site control and scene management command ensure everything is accomplished
• Trench and excavation will be by a rescue group.
• The command will be a safety officer.
• By being a technician the command will side non members.
• Isolate handling, trench, excavation incidents, all members will fill in, there will be atmospheric monitoring is used.

Vehicle and Machinery Rescue

• Handling of vehicle extrication incidents.
• Vehicle Extrication is the procedure used to remove accident victims who are entrapped in wreckage by either the nature of their injuries.
• Rescue Action Plan designates milestones to be reached in sequence that directs different rescue emergency situations.
• It covers basic steps and action scenes.
• In all cases the life come first in case of the vehicle entrapment.
• Patient to a designated trauma center directly influence the traumatized patient's recovery.
• The IC and personnel must use means to accomplish in a timely manner
  • Establish communication that is best suited by an inner survey.
  • By accessing action frees patients
  • IC must determine to notify dispatch.
• A manned of hand line must me in reach if one- fourth hand line is done.
• The three levels of entrapment are.
  • Light
  • Moderate
  • Heavy
• When using the command procedures will have to address everything that might take place, or by proper placement.
• To control and contain and the patients and what may happen, if it needs to be done.