Lockout/Tagout: Protecting Workers from Hidden Energy

Equipment often requires repairs and maintenance to stay in good working order. Just like working on a car's electrical components, a safe practice is to disconnect the battery terminals before repairing or removing a part to prevent electrical shock or device damage. Prior to replacing an electrical outlet, safety protocols require turning off the power at the electrical panel and placing a lock and a sign to prevent someone from unknowingly turning on the breaker switch while work is still underway. Have you ever turned off a network router to reset it? You wait a few seconds to allow any residual power to drain from the device.

These safety practices are part of an OSHA program called Lockout/Tagout (LOTO). Energy comes in various forms, not just electrical. Other energy sources include mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, and more. While servicing machines and equipment, unexpected startup or the unexpected release of stored energy can result in serious injury or death.

Proper LOTO practices protect workers from hazardous energy release. Whether in management or serving as an employee, everyone has specific responsibilities within a LOTO program. Employers are required to enforce the program and train employees who are exposed to equipment maintenance. For example, maintenance mechanics in a hotel not only need training on the devices used to lock out equipment, but they also must know the exact procedures required to safely release stored energy. Furthermore, staff who normally operate the equipment being repaired should be taught how to respond when they see lockout devices and tagout cautionary signs.

Consider the everyday task of changing a car tire. If you are on a road, you turn on hazard lights to warn other drivers. Whether on a flat surface or an incline, you engage the parking brake, put the car in PARK, and place wheel chocks against the tires to neutralize gravity and prevent forward or reverse movement. Before lifting the car, you check to ensure there are no surrounding hazards and warn anyone nearby. Once the vehicle is elevated, you lower it onto sturdy jack stands because hydraulic jacks can fail. These safety measures operate on the very same principles as Lockout/Tagout: before working on a device, you must neutralize any active energy source—in this case, gravity. Once these precautions are in place, the tire can be changed safely. Turning on hazard lights, putting the car in park, using wheel chocks, and deploying jack stands all mirror the foundational principles of LOTO.

Whether you are fixing equipment connected to a fuse box or maintaining a portable device, always follow Lockout/Tagout procedures to safeguard the technician and those nearby. Lockout refers to the physical procedures used to prevent accidental equipment startup or energy release, while Tagout utilizes warning tags to inform users that a machine must not be operated.

Source: Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) - Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration