ELECTRICAL BASICS · DRILL 3 OF 3

Lockout tagout procedurePractice the steps in order until it’s automatic.

Eight lockout steps, five restore steps and three quick checks. Each step tells you why it comes where it does.

Free, no accountAbout 3 minutesWorks on a phone

A lockout tagout procedure only protects you if the steps happen in the right order. A lock can’t go on a handle that’s still ON. Stored energy can still move a machine after the power is off. And zero energy isn’t proven until you’ve tested with a meter you know works.

Prefer to watch first? See the lockout tagout steps in order, simulated walkthrough.

Lockout tagout procedure: quick reference

Lockout

  1. Tell everyone affected that the machine is being shut down.
  2. Stop the machine with its normal stop control.
  3. Turn the disconnect (or other energy-isolating device) OFF.
  4. Put your personal lock on it.
  5. Attach your danger tag.
  6. Release or block stored energy: capacitors, springs, compressed air, hydraulic pressure, raised loads.
  7. Verify zero energy: prove the meter, test every point, prove the meter again. Try the start control as your procedure says.
  8. Start the work. Your lock and tag stay on until you’re finished.

Restore

  1. Remove tools and put covers and guards back.
  2. Make sure everyone is clear and knows power is coming back.
  3. Remove your tag, then your lock. Only the person who applied a lock removes it.
  4. Turn the energy source back ON and check the machine.

This drill shows the general order. Your site’s written energy control procedure lists the exact sources, devices and checks for each machine, and it’s the one you follow.

Common questions

What are the steps of a lockout tagout procedure?

Notify everyone affected, stop the machine normally, turn the energy source OFF, apply your lock, attach your tag, release or block stored energy, then verify zero energy before work starts. Your site’s written procedure lists the exact steps for each machine.

Is a tag alone enough?

A tag is a warning; a lock physically stops someone from turning the machine back on. Use your lock unless your site’s written procedure says otherwise for that device.

Who can remove a lock?

Only the person who applied it. If someone leaves a lock on, follow your site’s written procedure for that case, which starts with making sure the person isn’t still working on the machine.

Why verify zero energy after locking out?

An OFF handle isn’t proof. Contacts can weld, the wrong disconnect may be locked, there can be a second source, and stored energy can remain. Test with a meter you’ve proven on a live source.

In what order do you remove a lock and tag?

Remove tools and close the guards, make sure everyone is clear, then remove your tag, then your lock, and only then restore the energy.

YOUR NEXT STEP

Try it on a real panel

Level 1 puts you at a motor starter panel: lock it out, prove zero energy with the meter, wire the control circuit and run the motor. It's free.

Try Level 1 free

Training practice only. Always follow your site's written energy control procedure, your employer's authorization rules and the meter maker's instructions on real equipment.