What is Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) and what is its primary purpose in maintenance work?

• A. A system for reporting near misses after maintenance
• B. A process for scheduling annual equipment inspections
• C. A safety procedure that isolates energy sources and applies a lock and tag to devices; to prevent unexpected energization or start-up
• D. A method of testing equipment without de-energizing circuits

Answer: (C)

Lockout/Tagout is a safety procedure used whenever maintenance or repair work could be dangerous if machinery or systems were energized. Its main purpose is to isolate power sources and control energy flow, and to apply a lock and a tag to each energy-control device so the equipment cannot be energized or restarted while someone is working. This protects workers from unexpected startup and from the release of stored energy—whether electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical, gravity, or thermal. The lock physically prevents energizing, while the tag serves as a warning of who is working and who authorized the lock. Before work begins, energy sources are shut off or isolated, locks or tags are applied, and the equipment is verified to be at zero energy. Only the person who applied the lock or tag should remove it, after the work is finished and conditions are safe.