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Chapter : Lockout Tagout (LOTO)

LOTO – Accidents Happen

Lockout/tagout refers to practices used to protect you from unexpected energization or startup of machinery, or the release of hazardous energy during service or maintenance.

• Utilizing lockout/tag out procedures and best practices prevents many fatalities and injuries each year.
• Workers injured from exposure to hazardous energy are typically serious causing weeks of recovery time.

Hazards to watch for:

• Working on unfamiliar equipment and/or energy sources.
• Failure to identify all energy sources involved.
• Not utilizing proper LO/TO procedure or device.
• Failure to verify energy isolation.

Forms of Hazardous Energy:

• Kinetic (mechanical) energy in the moving parts of mechanical systems.
• Potential energy stored in pressure vessels, gas tanks, hydraulic or pneumatic systems, and springs.
• Electrical energy from generated electrical power, static sources, or electrical storage devices (such as batteries or capacitors)
• Thermal energy (high or low temperature) resulting from mechanical work, radiation, chemical reaction, or electrical resistance.

Safe procedures:

• De-energize equipment:
• Notify all “affected employees” that the equipment will be shut down.
• Shut down the equipment by normal stopping procedures.
• “Isolate” all the equipment’s energy sources.
• Apply the appropriate Lockout/tagout device, using assigned, individual locks.
• Release or restrain any stored energy by grounding, blocking or bleeding down.
• Assure that no one is exposed. Then try out the equipment to make sure it won’t operate.

Restore equipment to service:

• Clear the equipment or machinery of all tools and materials.
• Make sure all employees are clear and notified.
• Remove lockout /tagout devices.
• Re-energize machine or equipment carefully
• Notify employees that servicing is complete and equipment is ready for use.

Lockout/tagout/tryout

What if someone didn’t know that another person were working on a machine, or electrical outlet, and turned on the power?

Lockout/tagout/tryout is a safety procedure used to ensure that dangerous machines, equipment, or services are properly shut off and not able to be started up again before maintenance is completed.


I know about lockout/tagout, but why tryout? Workers have died (even recently) because they didn’t check the machine after performing the lockout/tagout procedure. The equipment’s potentially stored or residual energy can power the machine long enough to injure or kill anyone that may be working on it’s electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, or tension components.

Employer have to get trained their employees to be trained in lockout/tagout/tryout procedures, and renew their training perodically. OSH standards require that employers establish energy controls procedures and a training program for employees. Employees must follow the established lockout/tagout procedure before performing maintenance.

What must workers do before they begin service or maintenance activities?

Before beginning service or maintenance, the following steps must be accomplished in sequence and according to the specific provisions of the employer’s energy-control procedure:

• Prepare for shutdown;
• Shut down the machine;
• Disconnect or isolate the machine from the energy source's;
• Apply the lockout or tagout device's to the energy-isolating device's;
• Release, restrain, or render safe all potential hazardous stored or residual energy. If a possibility exists for re-accumulation of hazardous energy, regularly verify during service and maintenance that such energy has not re-accumulated to hazardous levels;
• Verify the isolation and DE-energization of the machine.

Point To Remember:

Stay Safe—Lockout/tagout and try out! Your limbs or life may depend on it.