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Possessions, OLE isolation and earthing — lockout across a network.

What lockout looks like here

A possession is a lockout on infrastructure that stretches for kilometres, controlled by a person in charge whose authority is the safety system. Overhead line isolation and earthing follows its own discipline; track circuits and signalling are energy sources most industrial procedures never meet.

Multiple work groups enter one possession. Each has its own lock on the same isolation, and the possession cannot be given back until every one is off.

The record of who was in the possession and when is the thing an investigation reads first.

How it goes wrong
Work group still on track at give-back

The PICOP is told all groups are clear. One is not. The record was a phone call.

Earthing applied at one end only

OLE isolated and earthed at the up end; the down end feeds back. The procedure had one earthing point where the section needed two.

Adjacent line live, not marked

The worked possession is on the Down Main; the Up Main beside it is live, and nothing on the record says so.

Worked example

Real isolation-point structure, illustrative tags, equipment that does not exist. Free to read and download. An example to learn from — not a document to adopt.

Possession — Down Main MP12.4 to MP15.8

Absolute possession of the Down Main for engineering work. PICOP-controlled. Includes 25kV OLE isolation and earthing.

  • 10 isolation points

Also applies: 49 CFR 214 subpart C

Read the example
What Setyr does about it
Professional Plus
Group lockout with every worker's lock recorded

Each work group's lock on the possession is its own attested event. The give-back gate cannot pass while any remain.

Professional
Keep-energised for the adjacent line

The live adjacent line is on the procedure as KEEP ENERGISED with the reason, visible on the board.

Professional Plus
Person-in-charge custody

The PICOP role is a recorded custody with attested handover, not a name on a form.

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See it on your own equipment