What is a 'lockout/tagout' procedure and when is it used?

• A. A method to isolate energy sources to prevent accidental startup during maintenance or repair.
• B. A tagging system for inventory control.
• C. A procedure for locking personnel in a room.
• D. A policy for access control to data systems.

Answer: (A)

Lockout/tagout is a safety procedure that prevents accidental energy release or startup of equipment while it’s being maintained or repaired. The core idea is to completely isolate all energy sources feeding the equipment and to secure that isolation with a lock and a warning tag. The lockout device physically prevents the energy source from being re-energized, and the tagout device warns workers that the equipment is locked out and identifies who applied it. This combination ensures that nobody inadvertently restarts the machine or releases stored energy while someone is working on it, protecting workers from serious injury.

Typical steps involve identifying all energy sources (electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical, thermal, etc.), shutting the equipment down, isolating those sources, applying the lockout and tagout devices, verifying that the energy is actually released or blocked, and then performing the maintenance. Once work is complete and the area is safe, the devices are removed only by the authorized person, and the equipment is re-energized in the proper sequence.

This approach is specifically about controlling hazardous energy during maintenance or repair. The other options describe systems or policies that are unrelated to preventing accidental energy releases—inventory tagging, locking people in a room, or IT data access controls.