Lockout Tagout (LOTO) plays and important role when working with electrical equipment, electrical circuits, and electrical conductors. For more details, visit now!

1. The Role of
Lockout Tagout in
Electrical Safety

2. For construction workers, working with and around electrical equipment, electrical conductors or circuit
parts, and power lines is a common occurrence. Therefore, safeguarding workers against electrical
hazards is a critical element of workplace safety and health procedures. Recognizing this need, OSHA has
put in place safety and health regulations 29 CFR 1910 Subpart S for the general industry and 29 CFR 1926
Subpart K construction industry related to electrical hazards to guide and support employers in
implementing adequate safety measures in the workplace.
Moreover, employees who undertake maintenance, repair, and service work for electrical equipment and
machinery are also exposed to electrical hazards. There is always the possibility of de-energized
equipment becoming suddenly energized while employees are inspecting, servicing, or repairing electrical
equipment, circuits, and conductors. Therefore, not only must employees fully understand the hazards
associated with electrical work (for example shocks, burns, fires, explosions, and arc flash) but must be
conversant with the lockout tagout procedures to operate within electrically safe work conditions.

3. OSHA’s standard for the Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout), Title 29 Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 1910.147, sets forth the work practices and controls employers
must implement to prevent accidents associated with hazardous energy. This standard is not
only for construction industry workers but workers across industries such as craft workers,
machine operators, electricians, laborers, etc., using electrical or other equipment that can
generate energy even when it is shut off.
The lockout tagout (LOTO) is a process whereby a lock and tag are added to any type of
industrial equipment or machinery when it is shut down for repair, servicing, or maintenance
as part of OSHA-recommended best practices. OSHA defines LOTO as “specific practices and
procedures to safeguard all workers from the unexpected startup of machinery and equipment
or the release of hazardous energy during service or maintenance”.
What is Lockout Tagout?

4. Importance of Lockout Tagout
Lockout Tagout supports the controlling of electrical hazards and facilitates an electrically safe
work condition.
According to Article 100 of the NFPA 70E, an “electrically safe work condition” is a state wherein
all energized electrical conductors or circuit parts that could potentially expose employees to
electrical hazards are maintained in a de-energized state.
This means putting electrical equipment, conductors, or circuits in an ‘electrically safe work
condition’, can temporarily eliminate electrical hazards for the duration of work activity on or
near energized electrical components. The process involves disconnecting from energized parts,
locking and tagging, testing to verify the absence of voltage, and when required, temporarily
grounding for worker protection.

5. The Lockout Tagout Procedure
The lockout tagout procedure can be broken into six steps. When employees begin repairing or
doing maintenance work on electrical equipment, they must ensure to follow these steps to
ensure their safety and the safety of other employees working in proximity to them.

6. Below are some general safety tips when working with electrical equipment, conductors, and
circuits.
•Wear all required personal protective equipment (PPE) when undertaking any electrical work.
•Ensure all electrical equipment is properly installed and used.
•Use proper insulation, guarding, and overcurrent protection devices.
•Grounding is an important aspect of reducing electrical hazards.
•Install Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) to disrupt the current flow to the electrical circuit
and act as a circuit breaker.
•Use the correct size fuse to reduce the possibility of excessive currents in the wiring that can cause
fires.
•Do not touch electrical outlets with wet hands.
•Wet and damp areas should be dried out before doing any electrical work, as water is a conductor
of electricity.
•Always check and know where circuit breakers, electrical panels, and fuse boxes are located to
switch-off power in emergencies.
•In case a co-worker is experiencing electrical shock, do not touch him with your bare hands, use a
non-conductive material like a plastic stick or wood to separate the worker from the electrical
equipment, wire, etc., that is causing the shock. If possible, shut off the power first!
Bonus: General Safety Tips!

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