What is the OSHA standard for

control of hazardous energy sources?

The OSHA standard for The Control of

Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout), Title 29

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)

Part 1910.147, addresses the practices and

procedures necessary to disable machinery or

equipment, thereby preventing the release of

hazardous energy while employees perform

servicing and maintenance activities. The

standard outlines measures for controlling

hazardous energies—electrical, mechanical,

hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, and

other energy sources.

In addition, 29 CFR 1910.333 sets forth

requirements to protect employees working on

electric circuits and equipment. This section

requires workers to use safe work practices,

including lockout and tagging procedures. These

provisions apply when employees are exposed to

electrical hazards while working on, near, or with

conductors or systems that use electric energy.

Why is controlling hazardous energy

sources important?

Employees servicing or maintaining machines

or equipment may be exposed to serious physical

harm or death if hazardous energy is not

properly controlled. Craft workers, machine

operators, and laborers are among the 3 million

workers who service equipment and face the

greatest risk. Compliance with the lockout/

tagout standard prevents an estimated 120

fatalities and 50,000 injuries each year. Workers

injured on the job from exposure to hazardous

energy lose an average of 24 workdays for

recuperation.

How can you protect workers?

The lockout/tagout standard establishes the

employer’s responsibility to protect employees

from hazardous energy sources on machines and

equipment during service and maintenance.

The standard gives each employer the flexibility

to develop an energy control program suited to

the needs of the particular workplace and the

types of machines and equipment being

maintained or serviced. This is generally done by

affixing the appropriate lockout or tagout devices

to energy-isolating devices and by deenergizing

machines and equipment. The standard outlines

the steps required to do this.

What do employees need to know?

Employees need to be trained to ensure that

they know, understand, and follow the applicable

provisions of the hazardous energy control

procedures. The training must cover at least

three areas: aspects of the employer’s energy

control program; elements of the energy control

procedure relevant to the employee’s duties or

assignment; and the various requirements of the

OSHA standards related to lockout/tagout.

What must employers do to protect

employees?

The standards establish requirements that

employers must follow when employees are

exposed to hazardous energy while servicing and

maintaining equipment and machinery. Some of

the most critical requirements from these

standards are outlined below:

■ Develop, implement, and enforce an energy

control program.

■ Use lockout devices for equipment that can

be locked out. Tagout devices may be used

in lieu of lockout devices only if the tagout

program provides employee protection

equivalent to that provided through a lockout

program.

■ Ensure that new or overhauled equipment is

capable of being locked out.

■ Develop, implement, and enforce an effective

tagout program if machines or equipment are

not capable of being locked out.
■ Develop, document, implement, and enforce

energy control procedures. [See the note to

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i) for an exception

to the documentation requirements.]

■ Use only lockout/tagout devices authorized

for the particular equipment or machinery

and ensure that they are durable,

standardized, and substantial.

■ Ensure that lockout/tagout devices identify

the individual users.

■ Establish a policy that permits only the

employee who applied a lockout/tagout

device to remove it. [See 29 CFR

1910.147(e)(3) for exception.]

■ Inspect energy control procedures at least

annually.

■ Provide effective training as mandated for all

employees covered by the standard.

■ Comply with the additional energy control

provisions in OSHA standards when

machines or equipment must be tested or

repositioned, when outside contractors work

at the site, in group lockout situations, and

during shift or personnel changes.

How can you get more information?

OSHA has various publications, standards,

technical assistance, and compliance tools to

help you, and offers extensive assistance through

its many safety and health programs: workplace

consultation, voluntary protection programs,

grants, strategic partnerships, state plans,

training, and education. Guidance such as

OSHA’s Safety and Health Management

Program Guidelines identify elements that are

critical to the development of a successful safety

and health management system. This and other

information are available on OSHA’s website at

www.osha.gov.

■ For a free copy of OSHA publications, send a

self-addressed mailing label to this address:

OSHA Publications Office, P.O. Box 37535,

Washington, DC 20013-7535; or send a

request to our fax at (202) 693-2498, or call

us at (202) 693-1888.

■ To file a complaint by phone, report an

emergency, or get OSHA advice, assistance,

or products, contact your nearest OSHA

office under the “U.S. Department of Labor”

listing in your phone book, or call us toll-free

at (800) 321-OSHA (6742). The teletypewriter (TTY) number is (877) 889-5627.

■ To file a complaint online or obtain more

information on OSHA federal and state

programs, visit OSHA’s website.

U.S. Department of Labor

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

2002

This is one in a series of informational fact sheets highlighting OSHA programs, policies, or standards. It does not impose

any new compliance requirements or carry the force of legal opinion. For compliance requirements of OSHA standards or

regulations, refer to Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations. This information will be made available to sensory-impaired

individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 693-1999. See also OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov.