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Isolation of Plant and Machinery Risk Assessment

This risk assessment covers planning, isolating, proving, testing and reinstating plant and machinery.

Activities covered include

  • Plan the isolation scope and identify affected work areas
  • Prove isolation before beginning work
  • Reinstate plant, complete startup checks and hand over the work area

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Isolation of Plant and Machinery Risk Assessment
  • 100% Compliant with Australian WHS Acts & Regulations
  • Fully Editable MS Word & PDF Formats Included
  • Pre-filled Content - Ready to Deploy Immediately
  • Customisable - Easily Add Your Logo & Site Details
  • Includes 2 Years of Free Compliance Updates

Product Overview

This risk assessment covers planning, isolating, proving, testing and reinstating plant and machinery. It supports identifying hazards and managing risks from energy sources, stored energy, access, communication, lockout and startup activities.

Activities & Risks Covered

This assessment addresses activities and risks including:

  • Plan the isolation scope and identify affected work areas
  • Shut down plant and communicate isolation arrangements
  • Identify electrical, pressure, mechanical, thermal and other energy sources
  • Lock, tag and secure isolation points, including group arrangements
  • Release, restrain or control stored energy before access
  • Prove isolation before beginning work
  • Control access around isolated plant and work areas
  • Manage work near guards, interlocks and hazardous moving parts
  • Control temporary re-energisation for testing or fault-finding
  • Reinstate plant, complete startup checks and hand over the work area

Who is this for?

Suitable for contractors, workers, supervisors and businesses carrying out plant and machinery isolation activities.

Activities & Hazards Covered

Activity Potential Hazards
Planning and scope of isolation
  • Wrong plant or wrong section identified for isolation
  • Unclear work scope leading to missed hazards or isolation points
  • Simultaneous work by others causing unexpected restart or interference
  • Unauthorised persons entering the work area
Shutdown and communication
  • Unexpected plant movement during shutdown
  • Workers exposed to moving parts while plant is running down
  • Poor communication causing someone to start or use plant during isolation
  • Noise and distraction leading to misunderstanding
Identification of all energy sources
  • Electric shock or arc exposure from missed electrical supplies
  • Release of hydraulic, pneumatic, steam, fuel or process pressure
  • Stored mechanical energy from springs, counterweights, rotating parts or gravity
  • Thermal burns from hot surfaces or hot product
Lockout, tagging and securing isolation points
  • Isolation point not effectively secured
  • Tag used without a lock and isolation defeated
  • Another worker removing a lock or restoring energy early
  • Multiple workers exposed where group lockout is poorly controlled
Release and restraint of stored energy
  • Sudden movement from gravity, spring tension or mechanical load
  • Injection injury or crush injury from hydraulic or pneumatic pressure
  • Burns from heat, steam or hot fluids
  • Uncontrolled release of product, gas or pressure from lines and vessels
Proving isolation before access
  • Assuming the plant is safe when energy remains present
  • Unexpected start-up during testing
  • Exposure to live electrical parts during test activities
  • False confidence from testing only one source
Access to plant and work area control
  • Contact with moving parts if isolation is bypassed or incomplete
  • Slip, trip and fall hazards around the isolated plant
  • Dropped objects or tools in restricted areas
  • Other plant, vehicles or pedestrians entering the area
Work on or near guarded parts and interlocks
  • Exposure to nip points, blades, rollers or other hazardous moving parts
  • Bypassing guards or interlocks and leaving plant unsafe
  • Remote or automatic restart after guard removal
  • Hand injuries from sharp edges or trapped parts
Temporary re-energisation for testing or fault-finding
  • Unexpected movement or energisation during testing
  • Workers left inside the danger zone
  • Miscommunication between testing and work crews
  • Repeated energising and isolating increasing error risk
Reinstatement, startup and handover
  • Plant started with guards, tools or workers still in place
  • Isolation removed by the wrong person
  • Failure of plant on startup due to incomplete reassembly
  • Affected workers unaware that plant is returning to service

Need to tailor this risk assessment?

Use the BlueSafe Portal to add site-specific activities, hazards, controls, responsibilities and review details before the assessment is put into use.

Acceptance Guaranteed: If your client or principal requests changes during document review, BlueSafe will help revise the document at no extra cost and support resubmission until it is accepted.

Legislation & References

The template records model guidance used to inform the documented controls. Applicable WHS/OHS laws and adopted Codes vary by state or territory, so confirm the current local requirements when tailoring the assessment:

  • Model guidance: Model Code of Practice: Managing risks of plant in the workplace — 4.1 Guarding plant; p. 39.
  • Model guidance: Model Code of Practice: Managing electrical risks in the workplace — 5. Isolation, locking off and access; p. 34.
  • Model guidance: Model Code of Practice: Managing the work environment and facilities — 2. The work environment; p. 13.
  • Model guidance: Model Code of Practice: Managing noise and preventing hearing loss at work — 5. Controlling the risks; p. 29.
Standard Risk Assessment Features (Click to Expand)
  • Activity-specific hazard identification and control measures
  • Initial and residual risk ratings
  • Assigned responsible persons for each activity
  • Risk matrix and assessment classification
  • Review, monitoring and sign-off fields
  • Site-specific customisation before use

Suitable for Industries

Building and ConstructionManufacturing and ProductionWarehousing and DistributionCivil Construction and EarthworksMining and Resources

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