Lockout checks before equipment is opened: 6

• Notify affected people. The US rule requires notifying all affected employees that servicing is required and that the machine must be shut down and locked out. According to Legal Information Institute, this notification is the first step in the sequence.
• Shut down in an orderly way. Use an orderly shutdown to avoid any additional or increased hazard to employees as a result of the equipment stoppage. This requirement is stated in the US regulation for the control of hazardous energy.
• Place the assigned lock. Lock out the energy isolating device(s) with assigned individual lock(s).
• Verify it will not start. Ensure the equipment is disconnected by first checking that no personnel are exposed, then verify the isolation by operating the push button or other normal operating control(s) or by testing to make certain the equipment will not operate. This verification step is mandatory before work begins.
• One lock for each worker. If a maintenance job requires 3 workers, then 3 locks should be present, and each individual must place their OWN lock on the system. This example is provided by the Canadian source to illustrate the individual lock requirement. Only the placer removes the lock. ONLY the authorized individual who placed the lock and tag onto the system is the one who is permitted to remove them. No other person, including a supervisor, may remove a lock that they did not place themselves.

Before a technician opens a furnace, pump, or panel, the team must complete a sequence of six checks. These checks form the operational core of the lockout procedure for small service shops. The sequence ensures that the equipment cannot start or release energy while a worker is inside it.

The first check is to notify affected people. The second check is to shut the machine down in an orderly way. The third check is to place the assigned lock. The fourth check is to verify that the equipment will not start. The fifth check is to ensure one lock for each worker. The sixth check is to confirm that only the person who placed the lock removes it.

This sequence is an editorial recommendation for shop owners and team leads. It is not a form issued by a single publisher. Each step addresses a specific risk in the maintenance process. The risk of unexpected startup is the central hazard that lockout procedures are designed to control.

Equipment that is not de-energized and locked out can unexpectedly start when maintenance work is being done, which can result in serious injuries to workers, according to WorkSafeBC. The six checks provide a structured way to manage this risk. They guide the dispatcher and the tech through the necessary actions before the equipment is opened, and the handoff can follow the Field Service Work Order Checklist for Dispatch Handoffs.

The US regulation titled "29 CFR § 1910.147 - The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout)" outlines specific procedural steps for securing equipment. According to Legal Information Institute, the first requirement is to notify all affected employees that servicing or maintenance is required on a machine or equipment and that the machine or equipment must be shut down and locked out to perform the servicing or maintenance. This notification step ensures that everyone in the area is aware of the upcoming work and the associated safety measures.

Following notification, the regulation mandates an orderly shutdown. As stated by Legal Information Institute, an orderly shutdown must be utilized to avoid any additional or increased hazard(s) to employees as a result of the equipment stoppage. This step is critical for preventing sudden releases of energy or mechanical movements that could occur if the equipment were stopped abruptly.

Once the equipment is shut down, the next step is to lock out the energy isolating device(s). The text specifies that one must lock out the energy isolating device(s) with assigned individual lock(s), according to Legal Information Institute. This ensures that the specific individual performing the work has direct control over the isolation point, preventing unauthorized re-energization.

After the lock is placed, verification is required. The regulation states to ensure that the equipment is disconnected from the energy source(s) by first checking that no personnel are exposed, then verify the isolation of the equipment by operating the push button or other normal operating control(s) or by testing to make certain the equipment will not operate, according to Legal Information Institute. This verification step confirms that the lockout is effective and that the equipment cannot start unexpectedly.

For tagout devices, the regulation provides specific attachment requirements. Tagout device attachment means shall be of a non-reusable type, attachable by hand, self-locking, and non-releasable with a minimum unlocking strength of no less than 50 pounds and having the general design and basic characteristics of being at least equivalent to a one-piece, all-environment-tolerant nylon cable tie, according to Legal Information Institute. This standard ensures that the tag remains securely attached to the energy isolating device under normal working conditions.

The Canadian standard CSA Z460-20 defines lockout as the "placement of a lockout device on an energy-isolating device in accordance with an established procedure," according to CCOHS. A lockout device is described as a "mechanical means of locking that uses an individually keyed lock to secure an energy-isolating device in a position that prevents energization of a machine, equipment, or a process," according to CCOHS. This definition ties the physical lock to a specific procedure, meaning the lock is not just a hardware item but part of a documented sequence.

For shops with multiple technicians on a single job, the rule is explicit: if a maintenance job requires 3 workers, then 3 locks should be present, and each individual must place their OWN lock on the system, according to CCOHS. This is a Canadian example, not a universal headcount rule for every jurisdiction. Do not treat this three-lock scenario as a US headcount rule. The principle is that each person working on or near the isolated equipment has their own physical barrier. If a second tech joins the panel work, they do not share the first tech’s lock; they apply their own.

The removal rule is equally strict. ONLY the authorized individual who placed the lock and tag onto the system is the one who is permitted to remove them, according to CCOHS. A supervisor, dispatcher, or other team member cannot remove a lock placed by a technician, even if the technician is off-site or unavailable. The lock stays until the person who put it there takes it off. This prevents a situation where one person assumes another has finished their work and restores energy while the first person is still inside the machine.

In practice, this means writing down who placed each lock before the equipment is opened. If three techs are on the job, record three names. If only one tech is working, record one name. The name on the record is the only person who can remove that lock. This creates a clear audit trail and prevents accidental removal by someone who did not place the lock.

Each row names the publisher and states the specific requirement found on their page.

The page titled "The safe isolation of plant and equipment - HSE" describes a guidance book, not a list of the six checks used in this article. According to the Health and Safety Executive, the book is intended to enable duty holders to develop, review and enhance isolation standards and procedures. It examines principles and legal considerations while advising how to isolate plant and equipment safely. The text also notes how to reduce the risk of releasing hazardous substances during intrusive activities like maintenance and sampling.

This page does not print the specific sequence of notify, shut down, lock, verify, one lock for each person, and removal rules found elsewhere in this guide. It serves as a reference for creating standards rather than a step-by-step checklist for a single job. Do not treat the book’s description as a substitute for the specific lockout requirements cited from other publishers in this article.

A shop sends 3 workers to service one pump. Before anyone opens it, the crew walks the six checks. They notify the people nearby, then shut the pump down in an orderly way. Each worker places one assigned lock, so 3 locks are on the energy-isolating device. With nobody exposed, one worker operates the normal control and confirms the pump will not start. Only then does the crew open the equipment. At the end, each worker removes only the lock that same worker placed.

Write the name of the tech placing the lock, and write the same name as the remover, because the rule restricts removal to that specific person. Do not write a supervisor's name or a team lead's name as the remover unless that person placed the lock. If the tech leaves the site and returns later, the tech remains the only person who may take the lock off. Pair that record with the Work order statuses: 6 words to check at dispatch.

What does the US page say a tag attachment must hold?

The tagout device attachment means must be non-reusable, attachable by hand, self-locking, and non-releasable with a minimum unlocking strength of no less than 50 pounds according to Legal Information Institute. The design and basic characteristics must be at least equivalent to a one-piece, all-environment-tolerant nylon cable tie.

Who may remove a lock on the Canadian page?

Only the authorized individual who placed the lock and tag onto the system is the one who is permitted to remove them according to CCOHS. No other person may take the lock off the system.

Are push buttons an energy-isolating device?

Push buttons, selection switches, and other circuit control switches are not considered energy-isolating devices according to CCOHS. The energy-isolating device can be a manually operated disconnect switch, a circuit breaker, a line valve, or a block.

What does the British Columbia page say to do before maintenance?

Machinery or equipment must be de-energized and locked out when maintenance work is being done according to WorkSafeBC. This requirement also applies any time safeguarding is removed, bypassed, or circumvented.

Does the British page on this list give the six steps?

No, the page describes a guidance book that examines principles and legal considerations for isolating plant and equipment safely according to Health and Safety Executive.