February 26, 2018
Car seals are one time use metallic color coded cable ties with unique numbers used for blocking valves in open or closed conditions. Car seals do not comply with OSHA directives 1910.147(e)(3) unlike cable lockouts which have a 3 layered system: device, padlock and tag clearly identifying the employee/s who locked out the valves.
The cost factor is one of the reasons for their popularity and are widely deployed during plant commissioning and maintenance.
Key Difference
Cable lockouts provide a 3-layered security system (device + padlock + tag) that complies with OSHA requirements, while car seals are single-use and do not provide the same level of worker identification and accountability.