Whenever crews work on equipment that could start up or release stored energy, lockout/tagout is what keeps them alive. Here is how to make it routine on the jobsite.
In this article
- Why lockout/tagout matters on construction sites
- Identify every energy source
- The basic sequence
- One person, one lock
- Coordinate between trades
- Write it down
- Restoring energy safely
- Make it routine
- Outside contractors and owners
- Train and refresh
- Frequently asked questions
- Frequently asked questions
Why lockout/tagout matters on construction sites
Lockout/tagout is often associated with factories, but construction crews face the same hazard whenever they work on equipment or systems that could start up or release energy unexpectedly. Electrical panels, HVAC units, conveyors, pumps and pressurized lines all store energy that can injure or kill.
Identify every energy source
- Electrical, including stored energy in capacitors.
- Mechanical, such as moving parts and springs.
- Hydraulic and pneumatic pressure.
- Thermal, chemical and gravity, like suspended loads.
A machine can be switched off and still hold dangerous energy.
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The basic sequence
Notify affected workers, shut down the equipment, isolate every energy source, apply locks and tags, release or block stored energy and verify that the equipment cannot start. Verification is the step most often skipped and the one that saves lives.
One person, one lock
Each worker who is exposed puts on their own lock and keeps the key. Nobody removes another person's lock. Group lockout boxes help when many workers are involved.
Coordinate between trades
On a jobsite, the electrician, the mechanical sub and the GC may all touch the same system. Agree on who controls the lockout and how shifts or trades hand it over.
Write it down
Written procedures for common equipment, training records and periodic checks are part of what regulators expect and what keeps the practice consistent from crew to crew.
Restoring energy safely
Before removing locks, check that tools are cleared, guards are back in place and everyone is out of the danger zone. Then notify the crew that the equipment is about to be energized.
Make it routine
Lockout only works if it is done every time, even for a five-minute fix. Supervisors who follow it themselves set the standard for everyone else.
Outside contractors and owners
On occupied buildings and tenant improvement jobs, the owner's maintenance staff may have their own lockout procedures. Coordinate before work starts so both sides know whose procedure applies and how locks will be handled during shared work.
Train and refresh
Train every worker who may be exposed, and refresh the training when equipment, procedures or crews change. A quick practical demonstration on the actual equipment teaches more than a slide deck.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the most skipped step in lockout/tagout?
Verification. After isolating energy and applying locks, workers must confirm the equipment cannot start or move before beginning work.