Courses / Module 1 / Planning

Permits, Isolation and Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)

Lesson 6 of 9Process step: PlanningAudience: Mechanical + I&EPrerequisites: Lesson 4Draft · unverified

You'll be able to

Put isolation and permit needs into the job plan
Recognize the permit and Work Clearance Management (WCM) transactions

Why it matters in the plant

Planners don't do the isolation, but the job plan has to make it impossible to miss. A SIF bypass is a safety risk and must be controlled.

In this lesson

Specify isolation and LOTO in the job plan
Control SIF bypasses
Record permits in the system IPMDIPM2IPM3WCTA

Common mistakes

Leaving isolation needs vague in the job plan: field supervisors can't coordinate LOTO [S17].
Leaving a SIF bypass in place after the test [S7].

Steps and transactions

Each step pairs the planning work with the transactions you'll use. Codes link to the reference.

1Specify isolation and LOTO in the job plan

OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147 requires documented, equipment-specific energy control procedures: shut down, isolate, apply locks and tags, relieve stored energy, and verify the equipment is de-energized. This is a US general-industry rule; other jurisdictions and offshore sites differ. Field supervisors coordinate LOTO during the week, so the planner states isolation needs clearly. Your site's procedures override this course.

Craft notes

Mechanical: motor electrical energy, plus process pressure and fluid in the pump casing.

Sources [S15] OSHA 1910.147; [S17] Palmer

2Control SIF bypasses

Testing often uses a bypass, override or inhibit, which defeats or disables part of the function. It must be controlled, coordinated with operations, and removed after the test.

Craft notes

I&E only.

Sources [S7] SINTEF

3Record permits in the system

Classic PM permits: IPMD, Maintain/Display Permits (sources: T3 sap-tcodes.org plus a T2 SAP Community blog on ECC 6.0 EHP6; no SAP Help page) Unverified. IPM2, Change Permit Unverified. IPM3, Display Permit Unverified. ECC WCM, from a third-party list (tcodesearch.com PM-WCM): WCTA, Create Work Approval (WAP); WCTK/WCTL/WCTM, Create/Change/Display Work Clearance Application (WCA); WCT6/WCT7/WCT8, Create/Change/Display Operational Work Clearance Document (WCD), the LOTO document; WCL9/WCLA, Change/Display Work Approvals list; WCLO/WCLP, Change/Display Work Permits Unverified. In the standard model, the WCA controls the order's 'Released for execution' status (SAP Help NW 7.0) Unverified. S/4HANA Permit to Work: PTWMASSGEN (Private Edition 2023 FPS02+); Fiori F6579, Manage Work Permits (S/4HANA only, not ECC Unverified).

Craft notes

Same transactions for both crafts. Which ones apply depends on whether your site runs classic permits, WCM, or S/4 Permit to Work.

Sources reference-library.md §1 to §3 (sap-tcodes.org; SAP Community permits-part1; tcodesearch.com PM-WCM; SAP Help NW 7.0 WCM; SAP Community 2023 FPS02 blog [map M])

Templates for this lesson

Templates coming.

Downloadable task list / plan templates for this lesson will appear here. [Owner to supply]

Check your understanding

Questions and answer key

Name three of the energy-control steps OSHA 1910.147 requires.
What is a bypass or inhibit, and what must happen after the test?
In WCM, which document is the LOTO document?

Answer key

Shut down, isolate, apply locks and tags, relieve stored energy, verify de-energization (any three) [S15]
An action that defeats or disables part of the function. It must be removed after the test [S7]
Operational WCD (WCT6/7/8) (reference-library §2) Unverified

Interactive scoring and certificate tracking come with student accounts (see the dashboard preview).

Discussion

Discussion is coming.

Questions and answers from other planners will appear here once student accounts exist. Moderation approach: [TBD by owner].