WPR Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Procedures 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An equipment-specific LOTO procedure (also called an energy control procedure) must include which of the following?
- A list of all employees authorized to perform maintenance on the equipment
- The steps to shut down, isolate, block, and dissipate energy for that specific machine (Correct answer)
- The production schedule and downtime cost estimate for each lockout event
- The contact information of the equipment manufacturer's technical support line
Correct answer: The steps to shut down, isolate, block, and dissipate energy for that specific machine
Equipment-specific LOTO procedures must document the steps required to shut down the machine, isolate all energy sources, and safely dissipate or restrain residual energy.
Question 2: What is the correct sequence of steps for removing a Lockout/Tagout before restoring energy to equipment?
- Remove LOTO devices, notify affected employees, then restore energy
- Restore energy, verify equipment operation, then remove LOTO devices
- Ensure work is complete and area is clear, notify all affected employees, then remove locks/tags and restore energy (Correct answer)
- Have a supervisor remove locks, test the equipment, then allow employees to return
Correct answer: Ensure work is complete and area is clear, notify all affected employees, then remove locks/tags and restore energy
The correct removal sequence requires confirming the job is complete, tools are removed, employees are clear, all affected employees are notified, and then locks/tags are removed before restoring energy.
Question 3: What should a Work Permit Receiver do if they discover that a worker has left the site but their personal lock remains on a LOTO device?
- Remove the absent worker's lock using bolt cutters to avoid production delays
- Ask the remaining crew members to vouch that the absent worker's area is clear
- Follow the facility's written procedure for removing an absent worker's lock, which typically requires management and safety authorization (Correct answer)
- Continue the work and remove the lock when the absent worker returns
Correct answer: Follow the facility's written procedure for removing an absent worker's lock, which typically requires management and safety authorization
Removing an absent worker's lock requires following a documented procedure that typically involves management authorization and verifying the worker's safety before the lock is cut or removed.
Question 4: Under OSHA 1910.147, how often must an employer conduct a periodic inspection of the energy control procedure?
- Every three years, or whenever the procedure is revised
- At least annually for each energy control procedure (Correct answer)
- Every six months for procedures involving electrical hazards only
- Only when a near-miss or incident related to LOTO occurs
Correct answer: At least annually for each energy control procedure
OSHA requires that each energy control procedure be inspected at least once per year by an authorized employee other than the one using the procedure.
Question 5: Which of the following is an example of a 'group lockout' situation?
- A single technician applies multiple locks to isolate several energy sources on one machine
- A crew of workers servicing one piece of equipment each applies their own lock to a shared hasp (Correct answer)
- A supervisor locks out all equipment in a department at the start of a shutdown
- Two maintenance teams working in adjacent areas using the same lockout station
Correct answer: A crew of workers servicing one piece of equipment each applies their own lock to a shared hasp
Group lockout occurs when multiple workers service the same equipment; each person applies their own lock to a shared hasp or lockout device, maintaining individual protection.
Question 6: A permit receiver notices that a LOTO tag is torn and unreadable on an energy isolation point. What is the correct action?
- Allow work to continue since the physical isolation is already in place
- Replace the tag with a new, legible one and document the replacement before allowing work (Correct answer)
- Remove the tag and replace it with a verbal warning to nearby workers
- Escalate to management and shut down all operations in the facility until the tag is replaced
Correct answer: Replace the tag with a new, legible one and document the replacement before allowing work
Tags must be legible to communicate the hazard; a damaged tag must be replaced immediately and the action documented to maintain a complete and enforceable LOTO record.
Question 7: What does 'complex lockout' (also called 'complex energy control') refer to in a permit-to-work environment?
- A lockout involving more than 10 energy isolation points requiring a written permit
- Lockout of equipment that has multiple energy types or interacting systems requiring a coordinated, sequenced isolation procedure (Correct answer)
- A situation where lockout must be performed without interrupting adjacent operations
- Lockout performed on equipment rated above 480 volts that requires an electrical permit
Correct answer: Lockout of equipment that has multiple energy types or interacting systems requiring a coordinated, sequenced isolation procedure
Complex lockout refers to situations where equipment has multiple energy types (e.g., electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic) or interacting systems requiring a carefully sequenced and coordinated isolation plan.
WPR Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Procedures 2
An equipment-specific LOTO procedure (also called an energy control procedure) must include which of the following?