Minor servicing refers to maintenance or servicing procedures that take place during normal production operations but do not necessitate a complete lockout tagout procedure. As a result, minor servicing is exempted from OSHA's lockout tagout standard and must be handled in a different approach.
Some examples of minor servicing exceptions include repetitive machine tasks like clearing a jam or a minor tool change that may need alternate precautions to safeguard personnel but do not require power sources to be entirely switched off as in lockout tagout.
To determine if you need minor servicing procedures, you must assess if the activity is:
Routine – performed as part of a regular, basic course of procedure;
Repetitive – repeated regularly as part of the production process or cycle; and
Integral – inherent to, and be performed as part of, the production process.
The exception applies only if the employer provides effective alternative protection from hazardous energy.