General Industry (29 CFR 1910)

The Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout)

Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05

29 CFR 1910.147

29 CFR 1910.147, the Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout), requires an energy-control program (machine-specific written procedures, employee training, and at-least-annual periodic inspections) so machines are isolated and their stored energy released and verified before servicing. It covers every energy form, not just electricity, and excludes construction.

#4 Most-Cited Standard

29 CFR 1910.147 at a glance

What it requires: Control hazardous energy during servicing/maintenance so machines can't start unexpectedly
Who it covers: General-industry employers servicing machines with hazardous energy (NOT construction)
Key duty: An energy control program: written procedures, employee training, and annual periodic inspections
Enforcement rank: #4 most-cited OSHA standard
Max penalty (2026): $16,550 per serious violation; $165,514 per willful
The #1 confusion: LOTO covers ALL energy forms (not just electrical), and 1910.147 EXCLUDES construction

What 29 CFR 1910.147 requires (plain English)

29 CFR 1910.147 (the Control of Hazardous Energy, universally known as Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)) protects general-industry workers from the unexpected energization, start-up, or release of stored energy during the servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment. Uncontrolled hazardous energy causes amputations, crushing injuries and deaths, and lockout/tagout was fourth on OSHA's list of most-cited standards for FY2025.

The standard requires an energy control program with three components: documented, machine-specific energy control procedures; training for three categories of employees (authorized, affected, and other); and periodic inspections of the procedures at least annually. The core sequence is to prepare for shutdown, shut the machine down, isolate every energy source, apply lockout or tagout devices, release or restrain all stored energy, and then verify a zero-energy state before work begins.

Critically, 1910.147 covers hazardous energy in ALL its forms (electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, and gravitational) not just electricity. It applies to servicing and maintenance, not to normal production operations (with a narrow exception when guards must be bypassed or a body part enters the danger zone). And it does NOT apply to construction, which OSHA regulates for hazardous energy through separate provisions (1910.147(a)(1)(ii) excludes construction; see 1926.417 and related Part 1926 rules).

The regulatory text

“The employer shall establish a program consisting of energy control procedures, employee training and periodic inspections to ensure that before any employee performs any servicing or maintenance on a machine or equipment where the unexpected energizing, start up or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, the machine or equipment shall be isolated from the energy source, and rendered inoperative.”

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(1)

Key facts about 29 CFR 1910.147

Covers ALL hazardous energy forms: electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, gravitational, and stored/residual.
Requires an energy control program: machine-specific procedures + training + at-least-annual periodic inspection.
Verification of a zero-energy state is mandatory before servicing begins (1910.147(d)(6)).
Three employee roles: authorized (applies the lock), affected (operates the machine), and other.
Applies to servicing/maintenance, not normal production (narrow exception for guard removal / danger-zone entry).
1910.147 EXCLUDES construction: construction hazardous-energy control is governed by Part 1926 provisions.
OSHA estimates LOTO compliance prevents roughly 120 fatalities and 50,000 injuries per year.

Scope: who 29 CFR 1910.147 applies to

Regulatory framework: General Industry (29 CFR 1910)
Citation reference: 29 CFR 1910.147
Enforcement status: In force and enforced
Jurisdiction: Federal OSHA (29 State-Plan jurisdictions may be stricter)

State-Plan states (e.g. California, Washington, Michigan) operate OSHA-approved programs that must be at least as effective as federal OSHA and frequently impose higher penalties or additional requirements. Confirm the rule as adopted in your state.

Key requirements of 29 CFR 1910.147

#	Employer obligation
1	Develop machine-specific energy control procedures
2	Train authorized, affected, and other employees
3	Use standardized lockout/tagout devices
4	Follow the 6-step LOTO sequence
5	Conduct annual periodic inspections of procedures
6	Coordinate group lockout for multi-employee servicing

Summarized from the text of 29 CFR 1910.147. Always read the full regulation for the binding language.

Common Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) violations

Deficiencies OSHA cites under 29 CFR 1910.147 include the ones below, in no particular order. Distinct deficiencies can be cited as separate items, and each serious item carries up to $16,550 (2026). Broader per-instance stacking exists but is a discretionary, case-by-case OSHA enforcement policy, not an automatic multiplier.

No documented, machine-specific energy control procedures (1910.147(c)(4)).
Failure to conduct the required at-least-annual periodic inspection of procedures (1910.147(c)(6)).
Authorized/affected employees not trained (or retrained after changes) (1910.147(c)(7)).
Stored or residual energy not released or restrained before servicing (1910.147(d)(5)).
No verification of de-energization/isolation before work begins (1910.147(d)(6)).

LOTO is not just 'shut off the power', and it doesn't cover construction

Two errors recur. First, workers equate lockout/tagout with cutting the electricity. But 1910.147 covers every form of hazardous energy: a machine can be electrically dead while still holding lethal hydraulic pressure, a compressed spring, a raised gravity load, or residual heat, each of which must be separately isolated and its stored energy released and verified. Second, employers assume 1910.147 governs their construction work. It does not: 1910.147(a)(1)(ii) explicitly excludes construction, which OSHA addresses through Part 1926 (e.g., 1926.417 for electrical) plus the General Duty Clause. Branding a construction LOTO program as '1910.147-compliant' without that caveat is inaccurate.

What OSHA inspectors look for

A compliance officer looks for documented, machine-specific energy-control procedures, proof of the annual periodic inspection, and trained authorized employees, then watches whether workers actually verify a zero-energy state before reaching into equipment.

Example: how a violation is cited

A maintenance worker clears a jam on a conveyor without locking out the drive, and a co-worker restarts it. With no energy control procedure for that conveyor and no check that the drive was isolated, OSHA can cite 1910.147(c)(4) and (d)(6).

Illustrative example, not a specific OSHA case.

Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) compliance checklist

Use this to evaluate your compliance with 29 CFR 1910.147. Each item is a key requirement OSHA may verify during an inspection.

Develop written, machine-specific energy control procedures for each piece of equipment serviced.
Identify and isolate every energy source (electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical, thermal, gravitational).
Apply lockout (preferred) or tagout devices to each energy-isolating device.
Release, disconnect, or restrain all stored and residual energy.
Verify a zero-energy state before starting work (try the controls; test; gauge to zero).
Train authorized, affected, and other employees on the program and their roles.
Conduct the periodic inspection of each procedure at least annually, by an authorized employee not using it.

2026 penalties for 29 CFR 1910.147

Maximums set by 29 CFR 1903.15(d). 2026 amounts unchanged from 2025 (no CPI adjustment; OMB M-26-11). Not an increase. The 2025 OSHA penalty levels remain in effect for 2026; OSHA made no inflation adjustment for 2026. 29 CFR 1903.15 identifies January 15, 2025 as the effective reference for these amounts, while OSHA's public penalties page currently references penalties assessed after Jan. 15, 2026.

Violation type	Minimum	Maximum	When it applies
Serious	$1,085	$16,550	Substantial probability of death or serious physical harm.
Other-Than-Serious	$0	$16,550	Relates to safety/health but unlikely to cause death or serious harm.
Willful	$11,823	$165,514	Intentional, knowing, or voluntary disregard of the requirement.
Repeated	$4,256	$165,514	A substantially similar violation cited within the last 5 years.
Failure to Abate	None	$16,550/day	up to $16,550 per day; total capped at 30x the daily amount (FOM Ch.6)

Lockout/tagout was fourth on OSHA's list of most-cited standards for FY2025, across all industries. A serious violation carries up to $16,550 and a willful or repeat violation up to $165,514, per violation, not per exposed employee. Missing procedures ((c)(4)), a skipped periodic inspection ((c)(6)) and untrained employees ((c)(7)) fall under different paragraphs, so each can be its own item.

Maximums and the willful minimum are set by 29 CFR 1903.15(d); the serious and repeated minimums are OSHA policy floors from its annual penalty adjustment memo. OSHA applies gravity-based and size, good-faith and history reductions (FOM CPL 02-00-164 Ch.6). Estimates only, not legal advice.

The business case for Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) compliance

OSHA estimates that compliance with the lockout/tagout standard prevents roughly 120 fatalities and 50,000 injuries each year. Uncontrolled hazardous energy (electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical, or a raised load) releases in seconds and causes amputations and crushing injuries, which is why LOTO is a perennial enforcement priority after a servicing incident.

Free compliance tools for 29 CFR 1910.147

LOTO Procedure Generator

Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) penalties by state

Penalties and enforcement vary by state. State-Plan states may impose higher penalties and additional requirements beyond federal 29 CFR 1910.147.

Alabama Arkansas Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia

View all 50 states + DC →

Frequently asked questions about 29 CFR 1910.147

What does the lockout/tagout standard require?

1910.147 requires an energy control program with three parts: written, machine-specific energy control procedures; training for authorized, affected, and other employees; and periodic inspections of the procedures at least annually. Before servicing or maintenance, the machine must be shut down, every energy source isolated, lockout/tagout devices applied, all stored energy released or restrained, and the zero-energy state verified.

Does lockout/tagout cover more than electrical energy?

Yes. 1910.147 covers all forms of hazardous energy (electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, and gravitational) plus stored or residual energy. A machine can be disconnected from electricity yet still hold lethal hydraulic pressure, a compressed spring, a raised load, or residual heat. Each source must be separately isolated and its stored energy released and verified before work begins.

Does 1910.147 apply to construction?

No. 1910.147(a)(1)(ii) explicitly excludes construction work. OSHA regulates the control of hazardous energy in construction through Part 1926 provisions, such as 1926.417 for electrical equipment: together with the General Duty Clause. A construction lockout/tagout program should be built on the applicable 1926 requirements, not branded as '1910.147 compliant.'

How often must lockout/tagout procedures be inspected?

At least annually. Under 1910.147(c)(6), the employer must conduct a periodic inspection of each energy control procedure at least once a year, performed by an authorized employee other than the one(s) using the procedure being inspected. The inspection must verify that employees understand and follow the procedure, and any deviations or inadequacies must be corrected.

What is the difference between lockout and tagout?

Lockout uses a physical lock to hold an energy-isolating device in the safe position; tagout uses only a warning tag. OSHA prefers lockout because it physically prevents re-energization, whereas a tag is only a warning that can be ignored or removed. When an energy-isolating device cannot accept a lock, tagout may be used, but the employer must provide additional means to achieve a level of safety equivalent to lockout.

Regulatory history of 29 CFR 1910.147

OSHA promulgated the Control of Hazardous Energy standard in 1989 (54 FR 36644), effective in 1990, in response to the high toll of servicing-and-maintenance injuries. It has remained substantially stable since, and is paired in practice with the machine-guarding standard (1910.212) that governs the same equipment during normal production.

Related glossary terms

Key terms that appear in 29 CFR 1910.147, each with a full plain-English explainer.

LOTO (Lockout/Tagout)Hazardous Energy Zero Energy State Authorized Employee Affected Employee

Related guides & articles

Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Complete Guide 2026

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Primary sources

OSHA figures on this page are imported from HazComFast's verified regulatory module (verified 2026-10-05 against eCFR, OSHA.gov, and the Federal Register).

This page is an educational summary, not legal advice. OSHA standards and penalty amounts change; confirm requirements against the current regulation and your applicable State-Plan before acting.

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