Product Overview

Summary: This Lockout and Tagout (LOTO) in Bricklaying SOP sets out clear, practical steps to isolate hazardous energy sources associated with bricklaying plant and equipment. It helps bricklaying businesses meet their WHS duties, prevent accidental start‑up of machinery, and protect workers from serious crush, amputation and electrocution injuries on Australian construction sites.

Bricklaying work increasingly relies on powered equipment such as brick elevators, mortar mixers, mobile plant, cutting tools and temporary electrical installations. Without a robust lockout and tagout process, routine tasks like clearing blockages, cleaning mixing blades, or adjusting conveyors can expose workers to sudden movement, stored energy release, and live electrical components. This Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, step‑by‑step method for isolating, locking and tagging all relevant energy sources before anyone works on, in, or around bricklaying plant and equipment.

Developed for Australian construction and bricklaying environments, the SOP clarifies who is authorised to perform isolations, what type of locks and tags must be used, and how to coordinate multiple workers and subcontractors on busy sites. It supports compliance with WHS legislation and principal contractor requirements, while giving supervisors a clear, defensible system they can use for inductions, toolbox talks and incident prevention. By implementing this procedure, businesses can significantly reduce the risk of serious injury, equipment damage, and costly project delays arising from uncontrolled energy in bricklaying operations.

Key Benefits

• Reduce the risk of crush, entanglement, amputation and electrocution injuries during bricklaying plant maintenance and cleaning.
• Ensure consistent, legally defensible lockout and tagout practices across all bricklaying teams and projects.
• Support compliance with WHS legislation, principal contractor procedures and client safety requirements on Australian construction sites.
• Improve communication and coordination between bricklayers, plant operators, electricians and maintenance personnel when isolations are in place.
• Streamline training and onboarding by providing a clear, practical reference for inductions and toolbox talks.

Who is this for?

• Bricklaying Contractors
• Site Supervisors
• Construction Project Managers
• WHS Managers and Advisors
• Leading Hands and Forepersons
• Plant Operators (e.g. brick elevators, mixers, hoists)
• Maintenance Technicians
• Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs)

Hazards Addressed

• Unexpected start-up of brick elevators, hoists, mixers and conveyors during cleaning or maintenance
• Release of stored mechanical energy (e.g. tensioned belts, elevated loads, springs)
• Exposure to live electrical components in temporary power supplies and powered tools
• Entanglement in moving parts such as mixer paddles, drive chains and conveyor rollers
• Crush and impact injuries from uncontrolled movement of bricks, pallets or mobile plant
• Contact with rotating or cutting equipment used for brick and block cutting
• Secondary incidents caused by bypassed guards or defeated interlock systems

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope – Application of LOTO to bricklaying plant and activities
• 2.0 Definitions – Lockout, tagout, isolation, authorised person, affected person, hazardous energy
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities – PCBU, site management, supervisors, bricklayers, maintenance staff, subcontractors
• 4.0 Applicable Plant and Energy Sources in Bricklaying – Mixers, elevators, hoists, cutting equipment, mobile plant, electrical supplies
• 5.0 Pre-Start Planning – Risk assessment, permits, consultation and coordination with principal contractor and other trades
• 6.0 Lockout and Tagout Equipment Requirements – Locks, tags, hasps, lock boxes, isolation devices and labelling
• 7.0 Step-by-Step Lockout and Tagout Procedure – Notification, shutdown, isolation, lock and tag application, verification of isolation, completion of work, removal of locks and tags, restart
• 8.0 Group Lockout Procedures – Managing multiple workers and contractors, lock boxes and sign-on/sign-off controls
• 9.0 Verification and Testing – Proving dead, try-start tests and confirmation of zero energy state
• 10.0 Special Situations – Temporary removal of locks, shift changes, lost keys, contractor work and emergency repairs
• 11.0 Integration with Bricklaying Tasks – Cleaning mixers, clearing blockages, servicing elevators/hoists, maintenance of cutting tools and mobile plant
• 12.0 Hazard Identification and Control Measures – Typical bricklaying plant hazards and risk controls linked to LOTO
• 13.0 Training, Competency and Authorisation – Induction content, refresher training and record keeping
• 14.0 Inspection, Audit and Continuous Improvement – Routine checks of LOTO practices and corrective actions
• 15.0 Incident and Near-Miss Reporting – Response, investigation and lessons learned related to isolation failures
• 16.0 Document Control and Review – Version control, review intervals and legislative updates

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth and corresponding state/territory Acts)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (and state/territory equivalents) – provisions relating to plant and isolation of energy sources
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace
• Safe Work Australia – Model Code of Practice: Construction Work
• AS/NZS 4024.1603: Safety of machinery – Design of controls, interlocks and guards
• AS/NZS 3012: Electrical installations – Construction and demolition sites
• AS/NZS 4801 / ISO 45001: Occupational health and safety management systems (guidance for systematic control of plant risks)