Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides a step-by-step process consisting of 6 steps for lockout tagout procedure. The procedure of OSHA is developed in order to control any hazardous energy.
These hazards include electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and mechanical energy sources.
This guide breaks down the six steps to ensure safety. It also presents a free downloadable checklist for daily plant operations.
What Is a Lockout Tagout Procedure Under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147?
The lockout-tagout process cuts off and locks a machine’s power source before anyone works on it.
This OSHA standard, 29 CFR 1910.147, was put in place to ensure protection from hazards during servicing and maintenance activities. The rule applies to any equipment that could start up, release stored energy, or move without warning. This may include electrical control panels, hydraulic and pneumatic lines, and even mechanical components such as springs and flywheels.
Employers must train workers, assign locks and tags, and verify isolation before any work starts.
OSHA’s 6 Lockout Tagout Steps
OSHA breaks the lockout tagout steps into six parts. Skipping any single step can leave a hidden energy source active.
OSHA requires that you follow these 6-steps consistently:
Step 1: Preparation and Notification
Preparation starts before anyone touches a switch or valve on the machine. The authorized worker identifies every energy source feeding the equipment first. This includes electrical circuits, compressed air, hydraulic fluid, and spring tension.
The worker then notifies every affected employee that service work is about to begin. Notification gives nearby workers time to step back from moving parts. Skipping this step shows up in many lockout tagout examples of recorded near-misses.
Step 2: Machine Shutdown
Shutdown means turning off the equipment through its normal operating controls, not a shortcut. The worker follows the manufacturer’s shutdown sequence in the correct order. Rushing this step can trigger fault codes or damage sensitive components. A calm, ordered shutdown sets up safe isolation in the next step.
Step 3: Energy Isolation
Isolation happens at the disconnect switch, valve, or breaker, not at the machine itself. The worker locates every isolation point identified during the preparation step. Each point then gets physically separated from its energy source. A missed isolation point defeats the entire safety process from this point forward.
Step 4: Apply Locks and Tags
Each authorized worker applies a personal lock to every isolation point on the job. The tag identifies the worker’s name, the date, and the reason for lockout. No one removes another worker’s lock, under any circumstance. This step turns a locked switch into a documented, traceable safety control.
Step 5: Stored Energy Check
Stored energy hides in springs, capacitors, elevated parts, and pressurized lines even after shutdown. The worker releases, blocks, or dissipates any energy still trapped in the system. Skipping this check is why some machines move even after full isolation. Bozzys’ block-out devices help secure elevated components safely during this step.
Step 6: Verify Isolation
Verification means testing the equipment before work begins. The worker presses the start button or activates the control to confirm zero response. A true zero-energy state confirms the machine is now safe to service.
Download this FREE LOTO Procedure Checklist to ensure your team safely handles every step from preparation to restart. Print it, laminate it, or load it onto a tablet for daily floor use. A written lockout tagout checklist keeps new employees consistent with your most experienced technicians.
How Do You Restore Equipment to Service?
Restoring equipment follows a five-step sequence, handled with the same care as shutdown.
Step 1: Inspection
The authorized worker inspects the machine and clears all tools from the work area.
Step 2: Verify Safety
An authorized inspector must confirm all guards and safety devices are back in place.
Step 3: Check the Vicinity
Check that every employee is safely clear of the machine.
Step 4: Inspect Safety Tags
Each worker removes only their own lock and tag, never someone else’s.
Step 5: Power Up Equipment
The equipment gets re-energized and tested under normal operating conditions. This sequence closes out the lockout tagout process safely and completely.
What Devices Does Each Step Require?
Different steps call for different lockout devices, matched to the type of energy involved. Step 3 often needs electrical lockout devices, like breaker locks or plug covers. Step 4 requires padlocks, hasps, and tags sized for group lockout situations. Step 5 may call for spring blocks, gate valve covers, or cable lockout devices.
Bozzys supplies devices for each of these steps, built for daily industrial use. See Bozzys’ full Lockout Tagout Device Guide for step-by-step matching.
Industrial lockout tagout safety tags – Do Not Operate
BD-P01 Industrial lockout safety tags – Do Not Operate are used to alert workers to safety hazards. They serve as both visual warnings and informational messages,
More DetailsConclusion
A strong lockout tagout checklist and a disciplined lockout tagout procedure protect workers from energy machines still held after shutdown. OSHA’s six steps give your team a repeatable, auditable path from prep to restart.
Bozzys has supplied lockout devices to industrial plants for over a decade, meeting OSHA and ANSI Z244.1 standards. Our catalog covers electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and mechanical isolation needs for any facility. Use the checklist above to standardize this procedure across every shift and site.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can two shifts share the same lockout point on a machine?
Yes, through a group lockout hasp where each worker applies their own lock. Never remove a coworker’s lock, even at shift change. The incoming shift applies locks before the outgoing shift removes theirs, keeping the machine isolated at all times.
What happens if a lock key gets lost during a long equipment shutdown?
Follow your site’s lock removal procedure, which usually requires supervisor verification that the area is clear. Never cut a lock without confirming the authorized worker is no longer on the equipment. Document the removal and reissue a new lock afterward.
Do contractors need to follow the same lockout process as in-house staff?
Yes. OSHA requires contractors to follow the host site’s energy control program or their own equivalent procedure, whichever is stricter. Contractors must also coordinate their isolation points with plant staff before starting any work.
