The Control of Hazardous

Energy (Lockout/Tagout)

by Brian Zachetti

Before you begin

To prepare for the following discussion, please obtain a copy
of your companys lockout/tagout procedures for review
during your reading. We encourage you to share this information with applicable employees and discuss the details
of your specific program.

Introduction
Lockout/tagout refers to procedures that prevent the unexpected energization or startup of machinery. It also refers
to processes that prevent the release of hazardous energy
during service or maintenance activities. Approximately
3-million workers perform routine maintenance on equipment. These workers face the risk of injury if their employers do not implement lockout/tagout practices. Safety
experts estimate implementation of these procedures
could prevent 120 fatalities and 50,000 injuries each year.
The governing standards for the control of hazardous energy
(lockout/tagout) are 29 CFR 1910.147 and NFPA 70E , Standard for Electrical Safety Requirements for Employee
Workplaces. Both standards require the control of hazardous energy during service and maintenance activities.
This includes activities in which the unexpected energization or start up of the machines or equipment, or release of
stored energy could cause injury to employees.
OSHA 1910.147(b) defines maintenance activities as installation, setup, adjustment, inspection, modification and
routine maintenance or servicing of machines or equipment.
The lockout/tagout standard does not cover cord-andplug-connected machines and/or equipment if unplugged.
The plug is under the exclusive control of the operator,
and the electricity is the only form of hazardous energy. In
addition, the standard does not cover normal production
operations unless:
O An employee must remove or bypass a guard or other
safety device;
O An employee must place any part of his or her body
into an area on a machine or piece of equipment where
work is performed upon the material being processed
(point of operation) or where an associated danger
zone exists during a machine operating cycle.

Physical harm and possible death may occur when

employees perform service or maintenance activities on
energized equipment. You must isolate equipment from
the energy source and lock out the energy source to prevent uncontrolled hazardous energy. Energy isolating
devices do not include motor circuit control devices such
as emergency stops, light curtains, interlocking mechanisms on guards or presence sensing devices. Employees involved in the lockout/tagout process have different
levels of responsibility. Therefore, they must have different knowledge bases about the process. There are three
types of employees.
1. Authorized employee
This person locks out or tags out machines or equipment to perform servicing or maintenance. You must train authorized
employees on recognition of the types and magnitudes of
hazardous energy sources, the specific procedures developed for controlling those energy sources and knowledge
of the equipment used in the lockout/tagout process.
2. Affected employee
This person operates or uses a machine or equipment
on which servicing or maintenance is happening under
lockout or tagout. He or she also could work in an area
in which such servicing or maintenance is under way. You
must train affected employees on the purpose of the lockout/tagout program and to recognize when energy-control
procedures are in use. They should understand the importance of not tampering with lockout and tagout devices
and not starting or using locked or tagged-out equipment.
3. Other employee
This persons job responsibilities do not relate to the servicing or maintenance.These individuals must understand
what the program is about and not to tamper with lockout
devices. You must train other employees on the purpose
of the lockout/tagout program and to recognize when

BWCs Division of Safety & Hygiene

Safety Talk

energy-control procedures are in use. They should understand the importance of not tampering with lockout and
tagout devices and not starting or using locked or taggedout equipment.
Hazardous energy
Hazardous energy sources take place in many forms and
can be present in different quantities. It is important that
when conducting lockout/tagout on a particular piece of
equipment that you identify and quantify each energy
source. The following are examples of hazardous energy:
1. Electrical - electrical circuits, panel boards, capacitors, etc.;
2. Mechanical - moving parts, blades, conveyers,
springs;
3. Hydraulic - hydraulic presses, injection molding
machinery;
4. Pneumatic - compressed air;
5. Chemical - corrosive materials, acids, bases;
6. Thermal - steam, hot fluids, furnaces;
7. Gravity - press dies, overhead doors.
Lockout /tagout and energy isolating devices
An energy-isolating device physically prevents the transmission or release of hazardous energy. These devices
include, but are not limited to, the following: electrical circuit breaker, disconnect switch, a line valve, a block and
any similar device used to block or isolate energy.
A lockout device holds energy-isolation devices in a safe or
off position. They provide physical protection to employees by preventing them from operating the energy-isolating device. Thus, it prevents the energizing of equipment.
Lockout devices are durable equipment designed for this
purpose. They work by affixing an individual lock to each
device. You must standardize the lockout devices within
the facility in at least one of the following criteria: color;
shape; or size; and additionally, in the case of tagout
devices, print and format shall be standardized.
In rare occasions, it may not be possible for an energyisolating device to accept a lockout device. In these situations, you may use tagout devices in lieu of a lockout
device. Tagout devices are warning tags fastened to
energy-isolating devices. They warn employees not to reenergize equipment that an employee is servicing. Tagout
devices are easier to remove, and they provide employees
with less protection than lockout devices.
Tagout devices must be constructed and printed so that
exposure to weather conditions or wet and damp locations will not cause the tag to deteriorate or the message
on the tag to become illegible. Make sure repaired, modified or renovated machines or equipment accept a lockout device. Do the same when installing new machines or
equipment.

Energy-control procedures
Employers must develop procedures for the control of hazardous energy sources. Authorized employees who lockout
or tagout equipment during service and maintenance must
use these procedures. Lockout procedures must include the
following:
O The intended use of the procedure;
O Steps for shutting down, isolating, blocking and securing equipment;
O Steps for the placement, removal and transfer of lockout devices;
O Equipment-testing requirements to verify the effectiveness of the energy-control measures;
O Group lockout is permitted under 1910.147(f)(3) when
multiple persons (crew, craft, department, etc.) are
involved in the service or maintenance of equipment.
The standard also allows for the transfer of lockout or
tagout devices during shift changes when written procedures are in place.
Employer responsibilities
Employers must implement and enforce an energy control
program that consists of many different requirements.
O Develop, implement, and enforce an energy control program.
O Provide effective employee training about lockout/tagout
to all employees appropriate to their level of involvement.
O Develop specific procedural steps for shutting down
equipment to control hazardous energy.
O Provide durable, substantial, and standardized lockout
and tagout devices and hardware. Lockout and tagout
devices must identify who applied them. Employees
may not use them for other purposes.
O Provide lockout devices for equipment that you can
lock out. Keyed devices must be unique to the device
and under the control of each employee working on the
equipment.
O Ensure employees can lock out new or existing equipment undergoing major repairs, renovations or modifications.
O Establish written procedures that permit only the employee
who applied a lockout or tagout device to remove it.
These must include provisions for device removal
when the employee is not available.
O Inspect energy-control procedures at least annually.
O Develop specific procedures for handling shift changes
when lockout/tagout may extend beyond one shift to
ensure continuity of protection.
O Provide tagout devices instead of lockout devices only
if the tagout program provides employee protection
equivalent to that provided by a lockout program. You
cannot use tagout devices if you can lock out machines
or equipment.

Employee responsibilities
Employees play an integral part of the lockout/tagout process.
Involve them in the development of procedural components of the program and in routine inspections of energy
control procedures.
O Employees must comply with all applicable rules concerning lockout/tagout.
O Authorized employees must inform all affected employees of equipment shutdown.
O When shutting down equipment, employees must isolate or block hazardous energy, remove any potential
(stored) energy, lockout or tagout the energy source(s),
verify the isolation and de-energization of equipment.
O Before placing equipment back into service, employees must remove tools and replace machine components. This includes safety guards. Inform co-workers
about energy-control device removal, ensure all workers are clear of the work area, and verify machine or
equipment power controls are off or in a neutral position.
Periodic inspection
At least annually, employers must inspect and certify all
energy control procedures. They must also ensure compliance with 29 CFR 1910.147 Control of Hazardous Energy
(Lockout and Tagout). An authorized employee must perform the periodic inspection. He or she must not typically
use the energy control procedure under inspection. The
inspection documentation must identify the equipment,
date of the inspection, person performing the inspection
and all employees included in the inspection. Conduct the
periodic inspection to evaluate and correct any deficiencies
in the program. This includes the accuracy of procedural
steps for de-energizing equipment, employee knowledge
and accountability. Best practice suggests periodic inspections become a part of an ongoing quality process rather
than a once a year evaluation.
Training and re-training
Employers must provide training that employees understand. In addition, they must ensure employees retain the
skills to safely apply, use and remove lockout and tagout
devices in accordance with the specific energy control procedures.

Employers must train authorized employees on:

O Recognition of the types and magnitudes of hazardous energy sources;
O The specific procedures developed for controlling
those energy sources;
O Knowledge of the equipment used in the lockout/
tagout process.
In addition, they must keep records documenting employee
training, employee names and training dates. Employers must also train affected and other employees on the
purpose of the lockout/tagout program. They must be able
to recognize when energy-control procedures are in use.
They should understand the importance of not tampering
with lockout and tagout devices and not starting or using
locked or tagged-out equipment. Retraining is necessary
when there is a change in energy-control procedures,
machines, equipment or processes. You also must re-train
when an inspection reveals or an employer has reason to
believe that shortcomings exist in an employees knowledge about the energy-control procedure.

References
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147 The Control of Hazardous Energy
(Lockout and Tagout)
OSHA Lockout/Tagout Fact Sheet
NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety Requirements
for Employee Workplaces
Ohio BWC OCOSH Manual Lockout Tagout & Safety
Related Work Practices
Article submitted by:
Brian Zachetti, BWC Industrial Safety Consultant Specialist

BWCs Division of Safety & Hygiene

Safety Talk
From the 2012 Safety Leaders Discussion
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