Lockout/Tagout: control the energy before it controls the outcome
Before anyone reaches into a machine to clean, unjam, adjust, or repair it, its hazardous energy has to be off, isolated, locked, and verified at zero. OSHA's Control of Hazardous Energy standard (29 CFR 1910.147) turns that into a written program, a six-step sequence, and an annual inspection. This hub gives you the exact requirement for each energy source, the lockout-vs-tagout rule, and the scope rule that trips up contractors: 1910.147 does not apply to construction, where 29 CFR 1926.417 and other Part 1926 rules govern.
Verified against eCFR 1910.147 and 1926.417 · October 2, 2026
At a glance
A written energy-control program
Establish a program of energy control procedures, employee training, and periodic inspections before servicing machines where unexpected energization could injure a worker
1910.147(c)(1)A machine-specific procedure
Each machine needs a documented procedure: its scope, the shutdown and isolation steps, how devices are applied and removed, and how to test that isolation worked
1910.147(c)(4)The six-step sequence
Prepare, shut down, isolate every energy source, apply lockout/tagout, release or restrain stored energy, then verify a zero-energy state before work begins
1910.147(d)Lockout is the default
Use a lock whenever the isolating device can accept one, unless the employer demonstrates that its tagout system gives full employee protection; use tagout where the device cannot be locked
1910.147(c)(2)/(c)(3)Annual periodic inspection
Inspect each energy-control procedure at least yearly, performed by an authorized employee other than the one(s) using it, with a certification record
1910.147(c)(6)It excludes construction
1910.147 expressly does NOT apply to construction: never brand a jobsite LOTO procedure '1910.147 compliant'; construction energy control comes from 1926.417, the other 1926 rules and the General Duty Clause
1910.147(a)(1)(ii)Control of Hazardous Energy (1910.147) ranked fourth on OSHA’s list of the most frequently cited standards for FY2025. OSHA estimates that compliance with it prevents about 120 fatalities and 50,000 injuries each year (fact sheet FS-3529). A serious violation carries a maximum of $16,550 (2026 amounts, 1903.15(d)).
What's the LOTO procedure for your energy source?
Pick your energy source and whether the work is general industry or construction, for the isolation steps, how to verify a zero-energy state, the lockout device, and the exact standard that applies. Runs on the same engine as our full LOTO Procedure Generator.
Isolate every source, lock it, then verify a zero-energy state before any servicing — the six steps of 1910.147(d).
Pick your energy source to see the isolation steps, how to verify zero energy, the lockout device, and the standard that applies — 1910.147 for general industry, or the 1926 construction citation.
The written energy-control program
1910.147 is a program standard, not a single rule. Three parts hold it together, and an inspector checks for all three.
Energy-control procedures
A documented, machine-specific procedure for each piece of equipment: scope, shutdown, isolation, device application, and how to test that isolation worked.
1910.147(c)(4)Employee training
Authorized employees trained to recognize energy types and isolate them; affected employees trained on the purpose and use; retraining when procedures change.
1910.147(c)(7)Periodic inspection
An annual inspection of each procedure by an authorized employee other than the user, with a certification identifying the machine, date, employees, and inspector.
1910.147(c)(6)The six-step shutdown sequence
OSHA sets the order in 1910.147(d). The last step, verification, confirms that the first five worked before anyone touches the machine.
- 1
Prepare for shutdown (d)(1)
Identify the energy types, magnitude, and hazards.
- 2
Shut down the machine (d)(2)
Use the normal stopping procedure.
- 3
Isolate the energy (d)(3)
Operate every energy-isolating device.
- 4
Apply lockout/tagout (d)(4)
Each authorized employee affixes their own lock/tag.
- 5
Control stored energy (d)(5)
Relieve, block, or restrain residual/stored energy.
- 6
Verify zero energy (d)(6)
Test the controls / meter the circuit before work.
Lockout vs tagout: lockout is the default
These are not interchangeable. OSHA sets a clear hierarchy: choosing tagout for a device that can be locked breaks 1910.147(c)(2)(ii) unless the employer can show full employee protection under (c)(3).
Lockout (the default)
A lock holds the energy-isolating device in the safe position. Required whenever the device is capable of being locked out, unless the employer demonstrates full employee protection with tagout.
1910.147(c)(2)(ii)Tagout (the exception)
A warning tag, allowed only when the device cannot be locked, or when the employer demonstrates the tagout system gives full employee protection with extra measures (removing a circuit element, blocking a switch).
1910.147(c)(2)(i)/(c)(3)Release: re-energizing safely (1910.147(e))
Getting the machine back on is its own regulated sequence, and a lock is removed by the authorized employee who applied it, or under the employer’s documented procedure when that employee is not available (1910.147(e)(3)).
- Inspect the work area and equipment to ensure tools are removed and components are intact.
- Confirm all employees are safely positioned and clear of the equipment.
- Remove each lockout/tagout device: the authorized employee who applied it removes it or, if that employee is not available, the employer's documented removal procedure applies (1910.147(e)(3)).
- Notify affected employees that the locks/tags have been removed before re-energizing.
- Re-energize and verify the equipment operates normally.
Recording it in HazComFast
- Only a designated employee can record a lockout. The form stays locked until the designation is confirmed, and it stays locked while the designation is still loading rather than opening and failing later. The designation is something an employer declares; it is not a certificate of training.
- Every removal starts from a blank form. The reason, the checks and the signature from the last one are never carried over, so a removal opened right after another is cancelled comes up empty. A removal the server refuses leaves the dialog open with your entry intact, and writes nothing.
- The direct removal belongs to whoever applied the lock. That is 1910.147(e)(3) in the rule and it is the button in the screen: a supervisor who did not apply the lock is sent down the documented exception path instead. What the product refuses is the RECORD of a removal by anyone else; no software stops a bolt cutter.
A record written with the network down is kept and sent when it returns. On a jobsite, read which standard applies first.
Every energy type: verify it, and cite it right
There is more than one kind of hazardous energy, and each verifies differently. Because 1910.147 excludes construction, the table also gives the 1926 citation that applies on a jobsite.
| Energy type | Verify zero energy | Construction citation (1910.147 excludes construction) |
|---|---|---|
| ⚡ Electrical | Use a calibrated voltage tester on all phases. Attempt normal start-up to confirm de-energization. | 29 CFR 1926.417 (Subpart K — Electrical: lockout/tagging of circuits); power transmission/distribution work also 29 CFR 1926 Subpart V (1926.961). |
| 💧 Hydraulic | Read pressure gauges — must show 0 PSI. Attempt to cycle hydraulic controls to confirm no movement. | 29 CFR 1926.20(b) / 1926.21(b)(2) (employer safety program & training) + General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1) — no construction-specific hydraulic LOTO standard; 1910.147 does not apply to construction. |
| 💨 Pneumatic | Check all pressure gauges read 0 PSI. Attempt to actuate pneumatic controls. | 29 CFR 1926.20(b) / 1926.21(b)(2) (employer safety program & training) + General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1) — no construction-specific pneumatic LOTO standard; 1910.147 does not apply to construction. |
| 🔥 Thermal | Use calibrated infrared thermometer. Temperature must be below the safe threshold for the specific material/surface. | 29 CFR 1926.20(b) / 1926.21(b)(2) (employer safety program & training) + General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1); electric-heater isolation also 29 CFR 1926.417 — 1910.147 does not apply to construction. |
| ⚗️ Chemical (Stored Energy) | Atmospheric monitoring with calibrated gas detector. Verify no flow at drainage points. | 29 CFR 1926.20(b) / 1926.21(b)(2) + General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1); covered processes also 29 CFR 1926.64 (PSM) — 1910.147 does not apply to construction. |
| ⬇️ Mechanical / Gravity (Stored Energy) | Physically attempt to move blocked components. Visual inspection of blocking/cribbing stability. | 29 CFR 1926.702(j) (Subpart Q — Concrete & Masonry: equipment lockout for bulk handling/mixing) where applicable; otherwise 29 CFR 1926.20(b) / 1926.21(b)(2) + General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1) — 1910.147 does not apply to construction. |
Source: 29 CFR 1910.147 (general industry) and 29 CFR 1926 per energy type. General industry = 1910.147 for all types.
Construction: what 1926.417 requires
1910.147 does not apply to construction
Construction, agriculture, maritime, and utility power generation are all outside 1910.147’s scope (1910.147(a)(1)(ii)). On a jobsite, energy control comes instead from 29 CFR 1926.417 (electrical, Subpart K), 1926.702(j) (Subpart Q), 1926 Subpart V + General Duty Clause. A tool or checklist branded “1910.147 compliant” for construction is citing the wrong standard: the duty to control hazardous energy is real, but its source is the 1926 rules and the General Duty Clause, not 1910.147. Use the industry toggle in the checker above to get the right citation for your work.
On a jobsite, the closest rule to a lockout/tagout standard is 29 CFR 1926.417, Lockout and tagging of circuits, in Subpart K (Electrical). The whole section is three sentences:
“Controls that are to be deactivated during the course of work on energized or deenergized equipment or circuits shall be tagged.”1926.417(a)
“Equipment or circuits that are deenergized shall be rendered inoperative and shall have tags attached at all points where such equipment or circuits can be energized.”1926.417(b)
“Tags shall be placed to identify plainly the equipment or circuits being worked on.”1926.417(c)
What 1910.147 requires and 1926.417 does not
| Element | General industry (1910.147) | On a construction site |
|---|---|---|
| Written, machine-specific procedures | Required (1910.147(c)(4)) | Not in 1926.417. The employer's accident-prevention programs (1926.20(b)(1)); a written procedure is good practice |
| Periodic inspection | At least annually, with a certification (1910.147(c)(6)) | Not in 1926.417. Frequent and regular inspections of the job site, materials and equipment by competent persons (1926.20(b)(2)) |
| Training by role | Authorized, affected and other employees (1910.147(c)(7)) | Each employee instructed in recognizing and avoiding unsafe conditions (1926.21(b)(2)) |
| Verifying isolation | Before work starts (1910.147(d)(6)) | Not written in 1926.417; testing before touching is good practice |
| Who removes the device | The employee who applied it, with a documented exception (1910.147(e)(3)) | Not written in 1926.417 |
| Group lockout | Required procedure (1910.147(f)(3)) | Not written in 1926.417 |
The other construction rules
Concrete and masonry equipment
“No employee shall be permitted to perform maintenance or repair activity on equipment (such as compressors, mixers, screens or pumps used for concrete and masonry construction activities) where the inadvertent operation of the equipment could occur and cause injury, unless all potentially hazardous energy sources have been locked out and tagged.”
The tags read “Do Not Start” or similar language (1926.702(j)(2)).
1926.702(j)Work near energized parts
No employee works close enough to contact an electric power circuit unless it is de-energized and grounded, or guarded by insulation or other means (1926.416(a)(1)).
1926.416(a)(1)Power transmission and distribution
De-energizing lines and equipment for employee protection, with its own clearance procedure, under Subpart V.
1926.961Programs, training and the General Duty Clause
Accident-prevention programs with inspections by competent persons (1926.20(b)), instruction of each employee (1926.21(b)(2)), and Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act where no specific rule fits.
1926.20 · 1926.21 · 5(a)(1)
What OSHA cites
In fiscal year 2025, federal OSHA cited 1926.417 7 times in inspections of construction employers: 5 under (b), equipment and circuits rendered inoperative and tagged, and 2 under (a), tagging the controls. In the same inspections it cited 1910.147 31 times, most often (c)(1), the energy control program (6). A construction industry code does not settle which rule applies; the task does: 1910.12(b) defines construction work as work for construction, alteration and/or repair, including painting and decorating.
Count: Citations issued October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025, deleted citations excluded, federal OSHA inspections of employers classified in NAICS 23 (construction); HazComFast count from the U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data (OSHA inspection and violation tables, apiprod.dol.gov, extracted 2026-09-26).
Key facts
- In general industry, LOTO is required for servicing and maintenance (cleaning, unjamming, adjusting, or repairing) where the unexpected start-up or release of stored energy could injure a worker (1910.147(a)(1)(i), (a)(2)).
- The last step is verification: after locking out, the authorized employee confirms isolation and de-energization (try the controls, meter the circuit) before work starts (1910.147(d)(6)).
- A lockable device gets a lock unless the employer demonstrates that tagout gives full employee protection, with extra measures such as removing a circuit element or blocking a switch (1910.147(c)(2)(ii), (c)(3)).
- Each energy-control procedure gets a periodic inspection at least annually by an authorized employee other than its users (1910.147(c)(6)), and the employer certifies it.
- The employee who applied a lock removes it; when that employee is not available, only the employer's documented removal procedure applies (1910.147(e)(3)). Group lockout (f)(3) and shift change (f)(4) have their own continuity rules.
- 1910.147 does not cover construction, agriculture, maritime, or utility power generation, transmission and distribution (1910.147(a)(1)(ii)); on a jobsite, electrical lockout and tagging is 29 CFR 1926.417.
Tools, guides and the standard
Free tools
- LOTO Procedure Generator
Machine-specific energy-control procedure, bilingual EN/ES field PDF.
- Weekly Site Safety Inspection
Document the inspections OSHA expects, including LOTO.
- Job Hazard Analysis Builder
Find the energy hazards in a task before servicing it.
In-depth guides
Lockout/Tagout FAQ
What OSHA standard covers Lockout/Tagout?
For general industry, 29 CFR 1910.147, The Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout), requires employers to establish procedures for isolating energy sources before servicing or maintenance. 1910.147 expressly EXCLUDES construction (1910.147(a)(1)(ii)). Construction work is instead governed by 29 CFR 1926.417 (electrical, Subpart K), 1926.702(j) (Subpart Q), 1926 Subpart V + General Duty Clause: electrical energy control is 29 CFR 1926.417, concrete/masonry equipment is 1926.702(j), power transmission/distribution is Subpart V, and other energy sources fall under the employer's safety program (1926.20/1926.21) and the General Duty Clause. Do not represent a construction LOTO procedure as "1910.147 compliant."
When is LOTO required?
In general industry, 29 CFR 1910.147 applies to the servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment where unexpected energization, start-up, or release of stored energy could injure employees (1910.147(a)(1)(i)). Servicing includes setting up, adjusting, lubricating, cleaning, unjamming and tool changes (1910.147(b)). During normal production operations it applies only when an employee removes or bypasses a guard, or places a body part in the point of operation or a danger zone (1910.147(a)(2)(ii)).
What is the difference between lockout and tagout?
Lockout uses a lock to hold an energy-isolating device in a safe or off position; tagout uses a prominent warning tag (29 CFR 1910.147(b)). If the device can be locked out, the program must use lockout unless the employer demonstrates that its tagout system gives full employee protection, with additional measures such as removing a circuit element or blocking a switch (1910.147(c)(2)(ii) and (c)(3)). Where the device cannot be locked, tagout is used (1910.147(c)(2)(i)).
Who is an 'authorized employee' under LOTO?
Under 29 CFR 1910.147(b), an authorized employee is someone who locks out or tags out machines or equipment to perform servicing or maintenance. They must be trained in the recognition of applicable hazardous energy sources, the type and magnitude of energy, and the methods and means of isolation and control (1910.147(c)(7)(i)(A)).
How often must LOTO procedures be reviewed?
OSHA requires a periodic inspection of each energy control procedure at least annually (29 CFR 1910.147(c)(6)), performed by an authorized employee other than the ones using the procedure. Where lockout is used, it includes a review with each authorized employee; where tagout is used, with each authorized and affected employee (1910.147(c)(6)(i)(C) and (D)). The employer certifies each inspection (1910.147(c)(6)(ii)).
What does this generator produce?
A machine-specific energy control procedure, the document 1910.147(c)(4) requires for each piece of equipment. The rest of an energy control program is your written policy, authorized and affected employee training and records, the annual periodic inspection, and procedures for group lockout, shift change, and contractor coordination. Have a qualified person review the procedure against the actual equipment before use.
Sources
- ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-1910.147
- ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-1926.417
- ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-1926.702
- osha.gov/control-hazardous-energy
- osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/OSHAFS3529.pdf
- osha.gov/top10citedstandards
The written-program, six-step sequence, lockout-vs-tagout, release, periodic-inspection, and construction-exclusion requirements of 29 CFR 1910.147 (a)–(f), and 29 CFR 1926.417 and 1926.702(j), were read on the eCFR (title 29 current as of September 25, 2026) on October 2, 2026. General guidance, not legal advice; construction energy control is governed by 29 CFR 1926, not 1910.147, and State Plans may add requirements.
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