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OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147 Control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout)

This OSHA regulation establishes minimum performance requirements for controlling hazardous energy during the servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment. It requires employers to establish energy control procedures, train employees, conduct periodic inspections, and use lockout or tagout to prevent unexpected energization, startup, or release of stored energy that could injure employees.

Source checked4/4 values · 2026-10-25

Specification

1 source
BodyOSHA
Reference29 CFR 1910.147
Edition year2024

Study notes

  • Applies to servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment where unexpected energization or startup, or release of stored energy, could cause injury.
  • Does not cover construction and agriculture employment; employment covered by 29 CFR parts 1915, 1917, and 1918; certain electric utility installations; electrical hazards covered by subpart S; or oil and gas well drilling and servicing.
  • Normal production operations are not covered unless an employee must remove or bypass a guard or safety device, or place any body part into a point of operation or associated danger zone during a machine operating cycle.
  • Minor tool changes, adjustments, and other minor servicing activities during normal production are excepted if they are routine, repetitive, integral to production, and performed using alternative measures that provide effective protection.
  • Does not apply to cord-and-plug connected electric equipment when unplugging controls the hazard and the plug is under the exclusive control of the employee performing servicing or maintenance.
  • Does not apply to specified hot tap operations on pressurized pipelines when continuity of service is essential, shutdown is impractical, documented procedures are followed, and special equipment provides proven effective protection.
  • The employer must establish an energy control program consisting of energy control procedures, employee training, and periodic inspections.
  • If an energy isolating device can be locked out, lockout must be used unless the employer demonstrates that tagout provides full employee protection equivalent to lockout.
  • Energy control procedures must outline scope, purpose, authorization, rules, techniques, shutdown and isolation steps, device placement and removal, and verification testing.
  • Periodic inspection of the energy control procedure must be conducted at least annually by an authorized employee other than the one using the procedure being inspected, and must be certified.
  • Training is required for authorized employees, affected employees, and other employees whose work may be in an area where energy control procedures are used; retraining is required for specified changes or deficiencies.
  • The application sequence is preparation for shutdown, machine or equipment shutdown, isolation, lockout or tagout device application, relief of stored energy, and verification of isolation.

Safety

  • Unexpected energization or startup of machines or equipment, or release of stored energy, can cause injury to employees.
  • Stored or residual energy must be relieved, disconnected, restrained, or otherwise rendered safe after lockout or tagout devices are applied.
  • If stored energy can reaccumulate to a hazardous level, verification of isolation must continue until servicing or maintenance is completed or the possibility of accumulation no longer exists.
  • Lockout devices hold energy isolating devices in a safe or off position; tagout devices indicate that operation or movement from the safe or off position is prohibited.
  • Tags do not provide the physical restraint provided by a lock and must not be bypassed, ignored, or otherwise defeated.
  • Tagout device attachment means must be non-reusable, attachable by hand, self-locking, and non-releasable with a minimum unlocking strength of no less than 50 pounds.
  • Before work begins on locked-out or tagged-out machines or equipment, the authorized employee must verify that isolation and deenergization have been accomplished.
  • Lockout or tagout must be performed only by authorized employees who are performing the servicing or maintenance.
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