In the food industry, protecting people and ensuring the continuity of production are two objectives that must always go hand in hand. However, the maintenance, cleaning or adjustment of machinery involves high risks if hazardous energies are not properly controlled.
In Europe, there is no standard that literally mentions LOTO, but the legal framework makes it mandatory to apply its principles. Directive 2009/104/EC requires that machines can be safely isolated, and EN ISO 14118:2018, as a harmonized standard, sets out how these procedures should be implemented: it defines the requirements to avoid unexpected start-ups and regulates the lockout and verification of energies. In practice, this means that implementing a LOTO system is not optional, but the recognized way to comply with the regulations.
That was precisely the challenge of one of our customers, a leading multinational in its sector within the food industry, which turned to Prodengroup to take a decisive step in implementing LOTO processes in its packaging lines.

The problem

The customer had complex machinery in its plants, such as high-speed vertical packaging machines, with multiple power sources (electric, pneumatic and even self-cleaning CIP fluids).

Before starting any intervention – be it cleaning, adjustment or maintenance – there was a risk of:

• Unexpected movements of rollers, blades or dosing systems.
• Accidental release of compressed air or cleaning fluids.
• Difficulty of control when several operators intervene at the same time.

Although emergency stop buttons and interlocked guards were available, they did not constitute a safe disconnection system, leaving an unacceptable margin of risk.

Prodengroup’s service

At Prodengroup we accompany the client in the integral implementation of the LOTO process, adapted to its productive reality:

1. Initial analysis of risks and energies present.
   • We identify the critical points in the machinery.
   • We classify interventions according to type (production, adjustment, maintenance, CIP).
2. Design of specific procedures.
   • We develop clear and visual work instructions for each mode of intervention.
   • We define the electrical, pneumatic and fluid consignment steps.
3. Implementation of locking devices.
   • Lockable switches and lockable valves were installed.
   • We incorporate multi-switching systems for team work.
4. Practical training for operators and technicians.
   • Training in the application of LOTO in real situations.
   • Reinforcement of the preventive culture and shared responsibility.

The results

After the implementation of the LOTO process, the benefits were immediate:

• Increased operator confidence when working on critical machines.
• Reduction of downtime through standardized procedures.
• Full regulatory compliance, avoiding legal risks and unfavorable audits.

Conclusion

The case of this multinational demonstrates that the implementation of a LOTO system is not only a regulatory requirement: it is an investment in safety, efficiency and trust.

At Prodengroup we help companies in the industrial sector to implement LOTO processes adapted to each machine and equipment, accompanying them from the initial analysis to the training of personnel.

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