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812 OSHA Focus Four Hazards
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Follow Lockout/Tagout Procedures

Lockout/tagout is an essential safety procedure to protect workers from injury while working on or near electrical circuits and equipment.

Always follow formal lockout/tagout procedures.

In addition, lockout/tagout prevents contact with operating equipment parts such as blades, gears, shafts, etc. Also, lockout/tagout prevents the unexpected release of hazardous gases, fluids, or solid matter in areas where workers are present. You can learn more about using lockout/tagout procedures in course 710 Energy Control Program (Lockout/Tagout).

What Must Your Employer Do to Protect You?

Your employer must enforce LOTO safety-related work practices by ensuring:

  • controls that are to be deactivated during the course of work on energized or de-energized equipment or circuits are locked out, tagged or both;
  • equipment or circuits that are de-energized shall be rendered inoperative and post tags attached at all points where such equipment or circuits can be energized;
Electrical Panel Electrocution
  • tags are placed to plainly identify the equipment or circuits being worked on; and
  • all circuits used to energize equipment are locked out/tagged out if any worker is exposed to contact with parts of fixed electric equipment that has been de-energized.

Energized Circuits

Only qualified persons may work on electric circuit parts or equipment that has not been de-energized. Qualified persons must be capable of working safely on energized circuits and must be familiar with the proper use of special precautionary techniques, PPE, insulating and shielding materials, and insulated tools.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

8-9. Who is allowed to work on energized circuits?