WPR Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Procedures 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147, what is the primary purpose of a Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) program?
- To document all energy sources present at a facility
- To control hazardous energy during servicing and maintenance of machinery (Correct answer)
- To assign responsibility for equipment inspections to authorized employees
- To establish a permit system for all maintenance activities
Correct answer: To control hazardous energy during servicing and maintenance of machinery
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147 requires LOTO programs to control hazardous energy during servicing and maintenance to prevent unexpected energization, startup, or release of stored energy.
Question 2: Who is classified as an 'authorized employee' under a Lockout/Tagout program?
- Any employee who works in the vicinity of machinery being serviced
- A supervisor who oversees all maintenance activities on site
- An employee who locks out or tags out machines to perform service or maintenance (Correct answer)
- An employee who has completed a general safety orientation course
Correct answer: An employee who locks out or tags out machines to perform service or maintenance
An authorized employee is one who locks out or tags out equipment in order to perform servicing or maintenance, as defined by OSHA 1910.147.
Question 3: As a Work Permit Receiver, what must you verify BEFORE allowing work to begin under a LOTO-related permit?
- That the equipment has been inspected within the last 30 days
- That all affected employees have signed the work permit
- That all energy isolation devices are properly locked and/or tagged out (Correct answer)
- That a written risk assessment has been submitted to management
Correct answer: That all energy isolation devices are properly locked and/or tagged out
The Work Permit Receiver must confirm that all energy isolation points are locked and/or tagged out before authorizing work to begin, ensuring zero-energy state.
Question 4: What is 'stored energy' in the context of Lockout/Tagout, and why is it a concern?
- Electrical energy stored in a facility's backup generator that can power equipment remotely
- Residual energy such as compressed springs, pressurized fluids, or capacitor charge that can cause injury after isolation (Correct answer)
- Energy documented in equipment maintenance manuals as a theoretical hazard
- Chemical potential energy stored in raw materials used during production
Correct answer: Residual energy such as compressed springs, pressurized fluids, or capacitor charge that can cause injury after isolation
Stored (residual) energy—such as hydraulic pressure, compressed springs, or charged capacitors—can release unexpectedly even after isolation, posing serious injury risks if not relieved or restrained.
Question 5: When is tagout alone acceptable instead of lockout under OSHA 1910.147?
- Whenever the work is expected to be completed in less than one hour
- When the energy control program has been in place for more than five years
- Only when the energy isolation device cannot accept a lock and the employer demonstrates equivalent protection (Correct answer)
- When all workers in the area verbally agree that the equipment is isolated
Correct answer: Only when the energy isolation device cannot accept a lock and the employer demonstrates equivalent protection
Tagout alone is permitted only when the energy-isolating device cannot physically accept a lock, and the employer demonstrates that the tagout program provides full protection equivalent to lockout.
Question 6: How many locks should be applied to a single lockout device when multiple authorized employees are working on the same piece of equipment?
- One lock applied by the lead authorized employee on behalf of the entire crew
- One lock per crew, applied by the supervisor overseeing the job
- One lock for each authorized employee performing work on the equipment (Correct answer)
- Two locks minimum regardless of the number of employees involved
Correct answer: One lock for each authorized employee performing work on the equipment
Each authorized employee must apply their own personal lock to the energy isolation device (via a hasp if needed), ensuring no one can remove the lockout without every worker's knowledge.
Question 7: What step must be taken to verify that a machine is in a zero-energy state before work begins?
- Review the last maintenance log entry to confirm energy was isolated previously
- Attempt to operate or activate the equipment after lockout/tagout has been applied (Correct answer)
- Ask the equipment operator whether the machine has been shut down
- Check that the main electrical panel's circuit breaker indicator shows 'off'
Correct answer: Attempt to operate or activate the equipment after lockout/tagout has been applied
After applying LOTO, the authorized employee must attempt to start or operate the equipment to verify it will not energize, confirming zero-energy state before servicing.
WPR Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Procedures 1
Under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147, what is the primary purpose of a Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) program?