Lockout Tagout Procedure: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide

A lockout tagout procedure exists for one reason: to make sure a machine can’t start, move, or release energy while someone has their hands inside it. That sounds straightforward. In practice, it’s also one of the most common ways employers end up in front of a health and safety inspector.

This guide walks through what an actual lockout tagout procedure has to include: when it applies, the six steps that make up the process, how equipment gets safely returned to service, and where U.S. and Canadian requirements differ. If you’re responsible for safety in a plant, shop, warehouse, or other workplace, this is the level of detail your program needs not just the six-step poster version.

What Is a Lockout Tagout Procedure?

A lockout tagout procedure frequently referred to as a LOTO procedure is the formal, documented sequence of steps a workplace follows to isolate a machine’s energy sources before anyone performs maintenance, cleaning, adjustments, or repairs. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that equipment cannot unexpectedly start up, move, or release stored energy while work is underway, a condition commonly known as achieving a zero energy state.

Lockout vs. Tagout: What’s the Difference?

Aspect	Lockout	Tagout
Meaning	Physically prevents an energy-isolating device from being operated.	Attaches a standardized warning tag to the energy-isolating device.
How It Works	Uses a padlock along with devices such as a hasp or breaker lockout.	Uses a warning tag to identify equipment as locked out or unsafe to operate.
Level of Control	Physically prevents operation.	Provides a warning but does not physically prevent operation.
Common Applications	Breakers, valves, disconnect switches, and other lockable energy-isolating devices.	Situations where an energy-isolating device cannot accommodate a lockout device.
Purpose	Prevents accidental or unauthorized operation during servicing or maintenance.	Warns workers not to operate the equipment.
Preferred Method	Generally preferred wherever a lock can be applied.	Typically used when lockout cannot be physically applied.

Why the Lockout Tagout Procedure Matters

Lockout/tagout primarily protects workers from two major hazards: unexpected equipment startup and the release of stored energy, which can exist in components like springs, raised loads, pressurized systems, charged capacitors, and hydraulic or pneumatic systems. If an unexpected startup or energy release occurs, it can result in severe workplace incidents such as crushing injuries, amputations, burns, and electrocution.

Common weaknesses in workplace LOTO programs include:

• Missing or outdated machine-specific procedures
• Employees who have not received appropriate training
• Missing training documentation
• Lockout equipment that does not match written procedures
• Failure to control stored energy
• Skipping the verification step
• Relying on assumptions instead of confirming zero energy

A strong lockout tagout procedure helps make sure workers follow a consistent and documented process every time.

When Does Lockout Tagout Apply?

Lockout tagout procedures are required whenever workers perform servicing, maintenance, setup, cleaning, or other activities that expose them to unexpected startup, energization, or the release of stored energy.

This can include:

• Repair work
• Equipment maintenance
• Clearing certain machine jams
• Removing or bypassing guards
• Adjustments that expose workers to hazardous energy
• Reaching into points of operation
• Maintenance shutdowns

Lockout/tagout can also be relevant to other high-hazard activities. For example, equipment that could introduce energy, movement, or other hazards into a confined space may need to be isolated before workers enter.

The Minor Servicing Exception

OSHA provides a narrow exception for certain minor servicing activities. The exception applies only when all three conditions are met:

1. The work takes place during normal production operations.
2. The task is routine, repetitive, and integral to the use of the equipment.
3. An alternative safeguard, such as a guard or interlock, provides effective protection for the worker.

If any one of these conditions is not met, full lockout/tagout may apply.

The fact that a task is quick or simple does not automatically mean it qualifies for the minor servicing exception.

The Types of Hazardous Energy a LOTO Procedure Must Control

A complete lockout tagout procedure must account for every hazardous energy source connected to the equipment—not just the main electrical power supply.

Common types include:

• Electrical energy — line voltage, capacitors, and backup power sources.
• Mechanical energy — springs, flywheels, moving parts, and mechanical components that may continue moving after power is removed.
• Hydraulic energy — pressurized fluid in cylinders, hoses, and accumulators.
• Pneumatic energy — compressed air trapped in lines, tanks, and other components.
• Chemical energy — hazardous or reactive substances that may be released during maintenance.
• Thermal energy — hot or cold surfaces, fluids, and components capable of causing injury.
• Gravitational or stored mechanical energy — raised loads, elevated machine components, press dies, and other objects that could fall or move unexpectedly.

A procedure that only addresses the main power switch may not provide complete protection if other hazardous energy sources remain.

The Lockout Tagout Procedure: 6 Steps

A proper LOTO procedure follows a consistent sequence. The six core steps are:

Step 1: Prepare for Shutdown

Before beginning the lockout process, the authorized employee identifies:

• The equipment involved
• Every energy source connected to the equipment
• The type and magnitude of each energy source
• The hazards associated with the equipment
• The appropriate isolation points

Affected employees should also be informed that the equipment will be shut down and that lockout/tagout will be performed.

Step 2: Shut Down the Equipment

The equipment should be shut down using its normal operating controls.

Workers should follow the manufacturer’s or employer’s established shutdown sequence. Simply cutting power without considering the equipment’s normal shutdown process can create additional hazards.

Step 3: Isolate the Energy Source

The authorized employee operates the appropriate energy-isolating devices.

These may include:

• Disconnect switches
• Circuit breakers
• Valves
• Other devices designed to physically prevent energy from reaching the equipment

A push button, selector switch, or similar operating control is not necessarily an energy-isolating device. The isolation device must physically prevent the transmission of hazardous energy.

Step 4: Apply Lockout and Tagout Devices

Each authorized employee should apply their own personal lock and tag to the appropriate energy-isolating devices.

When multiple workers are involved, a group lockout system can be used. A lock box, for example, can allow each worker to apply their own personal lock so that the equipment cannot be returned to service until every worker has removed their lock.

Step 5: Release or Control Stored Energy

After isolation, workers must identify and control any remaining stored or residual energy.

Depending on the equipment, this may involve:

• Releasing pressure
• Draining hydraulic or pneumatic systems
• Discharging capacitors
• Lowering elevated components
• Blocking or restraining moving parts
• Relieving stored mechanical energy

The equipment must be left in a condition where hazardous energy cannot injure the worker.

Step 6: Verify Isolation

Before work begins, the authorized employee must verify that the equipment has actually been isolated.

Verification may involve:

• Attempting a normal startup while ensuring everyone is clear
• Testing electrical circuits with appropriate instruments
• Checking pressure gauges
• Confirming mechanical components cannot move
• Confirming controls are returned to the appropriate position

The purpose of verification is to confirm the zero energy state rather than simply assuming the equipment is safe.

Restoring Equipment to Service

Lockout/tagout does not end when the repair or maintenance work is finished.

Equipment should be returned to service through a controlled process:

1. Inspect the work area and remove tools, materials, and other non-essential items.
2. Confirm that guards and safety devices have been properly reinstalled.
3. Make sure all employees are safely positioned away from the equipment.
4. Confirm that operating controls are in the appropriate position.
5. Each authorized employee removes their own lockout/tagout device.
6. Notify affected employees that the equipment is about to be re-energized.
7. Restore energy and return the equipment to normal operation.

Moving directly from “the work is finished” to “turn the machine back on” can create unnecessary risk.

Who Is Allowed to Remove a Lock?

As a general rule, the authorized employee who originally applied a lock or tag should always be the one to remove it. However, a narrow exception exists when that employee is genuinely unavailable, in which case the employer must follow a strictly documented procedure. This requires confirming the worker is off-site, making reasonable efforts to contact them, and ensuring they are informed of the lock’s removal before returning to work a protocol that must be pre-established in the workplace’s energy-control program rather than improvised during an emergency.

OSHA vs. CSA Z460: What’s Different for Canadian Employers?

Much of the information available online about lockout/tagout is based on OSHA requirements in the United States.

Canadian employers need to consider their applicable provincial or territorial occupational health and safety requirements. In Ontario, workplace requirements are established through applicable occupational health and safety legislation and regulations.

CSA Z460-20 is an important Canadian technical standard for hazardous energy control and provides detailed guidance for developing effective lockout programs.

Key Differences

Area	OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147	CSA Z460-20
Legal status	Federal regulation for covered U.S. employers	Technical consensus standard; legal duties come from applicable Canadian OHS legislation
Written procedures	Certain procedures can cover multiple machines with sufficiently similar energy sources and isolation steps	Emphasizes equipment-specific procedures
Core process	Six-step sequence covering preparation, shutdown, isolation, lock/tag, stored energy, and verification	Uses the same underlying hazardous-energy-control principles with more detailed phases
Periodic review	Requires periodic inspection, including at least annual inspection of procedures	Requires ongoing program review and verification

For Canadian employers, the practical takeaway is that a generic lockout policy is not necessarily enough. Procedures should reflect the specific equipment, energy sources, isolation points, and hazards present in the workplace.

What a Compliant Written LOTO Program Needs

A single lockout tagout procedure is only one part of a complete energy-control program.

A workplace program should generally include:

• A written energy-control policy
• Machine- or equipment-specific procedures
• Hazard assessments
• Clearly defined responsibilities
• Training for authorized and affected employees
• Training documentation
• Periodic inspections
• Procedures for group lockout
• Contractor coordination procedures
• Shift-change procedures
• Procedures for temporary removal of devices during testing
• Rules for returning equipment to service

Machine-specific procedures should be based on the actual equipment and its energy sources rather than copied from a generic template.

Regular review is also important to ensure written procedures continue to match what workers actually do in the workplace.

Common Lockout Tagout Mistakes That Lead to Injuries or Citations

Some of the most common LOTO problems are surprisingly basic.

No Machine-Specific Procedure

A generic policy may not identify the actual energy sources, isolation points, stored energy, or hazards associated with a specific machine.

Untrained or Undocumented Employees

Employees who perform lockout should receive appropriate training, and the employer should maintain documentation showing that required training has been completed.

Using Improvised Lockout Hardware

Using tape, zip ties, or other makeshift solutions instead of appropriate lockout devices can undermine the energy-control process.

Skipping Periodic Inspections

Procedures should be periodically reviewed and compared with actual workplace practices.

Skipping Verification

One of the most serious mistakes is assuming equipment is isolated without actually verifying it.

Treating Machine Guards as a Substitute for Lockout

Machine guarding can provide important protection, but it does not automatically replace hazardous energy isolation. The limited minor-servicing exception has specific requirements.

Is OSHA About to Update the Lockout Tagout Standard?

OSHA‘s 2026 regulatory agenda includes a planned proposal to modernize the hazardous energy control standard, 29 CFR 1910.147.

The proposed modernization is intended to address technological developments, including computer-based and other controls that were not part of the workplace environment when the existing standard was developed.

As of the time of this article, this remains part of the regulatory rulemaking process rather than a change to current compliance obligations.

Employers should continue following the requirements that currently apply to their workplaces while monitoring future regulatory developments.

Frequently Asked Questions