Manufacturing / Industrial • Inspections

Control of Hazardous Energy Procedures (Lock Out/Tag Out)

This Lockout Tagout procedure is a planned safety maintenance that disables the energy supply of industrial machinery and equipment whilst servicing, maintenance work or repairs are in progress. The aim of this system is to effectively protect workers from the dangers created by live machinery or electricity, therefore lowering the overall level of risk when working with this equipment.

FlowCo Solutions

02/19/2025

Control of Hazardous Energy Procedures (Lock Out/Tag Out)

The eight steps to the Lock Out/ Tag Out procedure are as follows:

Prepare for the shutdown. An important part of preparedness is being appropriately trained and aware of the hazardous energy sources involved and how to control them.

Notify affected employees. Ensure that workers in the affected area are fully aware of the impending lockout.

Shut down the equipment. This should be done in a safe and orderly manner, in accordance with the equipment-specific procedure or operating manual.

Isolate energy sources. For example, a circuit breaker or valve that supplies energy to the equipment.

Apply LOTO devices to energy sources. This is a device, such as a padlock, that physically prevents the equipment from being energized. Each person involved in the lockout (OSHA defines them as authorized employees) will have their own lockout device, and it will feature a tag displaying who locked it out, when and why. Multiple lockout devices on one piece of equipment are common.

Release/control all stored energy. For example: compressed air, capacitors that hold an electrical charge or stored mechanical energy like compressed springs.

Verify the lockout. This is the most important step, and the one most easily overlooked. It is absolutely critical that personnel double-check that all hazardous energy has been isolated.

Maintain the lockout. Be certain that the equipment remains in a lockout state until service can be safely restored.

Source: FlowCo Solutions (Community Member)