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Standards & Metrics

Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)

Safety procedures to ensure that dangerous machines are properly shut off and cannot be started up again before maintenance or servicing work is completed.

What It Means

The Control of Hazardous Energy standard (29 CFR 1910.147), commonly known as Lockout/Tagout or LOTO, establishes requirements for isolating machines and equipment from energy sources during servicing and maintenance activities. The standard requires employers to develop an energy control program with written procedures for each piece of equipment, train employees on the procedures, and conduct periodic inspections at least annually. Energy sources covered include electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, and other forms of energy that could cause injury. The lockout procedure involves shutting down the machine, isolating it from its energy source, applying a lock and tag to the energy-isolating device, and verifying that the equipment cannot be restarted. Only the authorized employee who applied the lock may remove it. Lockout/Tagout violations are consistently among OSHA's top 10 most-cited standards, and failures in energy control are a leading cause of workplace fatalities, accounting for roughly 120 deaths and 50,000 injuries per year according to OSHA estimates.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "Lockout/Tagout" mean in OSHA context?

Safety procedures to ensure that dangerous machines are properly shut off and cannot be started up again before maintenance or servicing work is completed.

Why does Lockout/Tagout matter for workplace safety?

The Control of Hazardous Energy standard (29 CFR 1910.147), commonly known as Lockout/Tagout or LOTO, establishes requirements for isolating machines and equipment from energy sources during servicing and maintenance activities. The standard requires employers to develop an energy control program wi...

Related Terms

Serious Violation
A violation where a workplace hazard could cause death or serious physical harm and the employer knew or should have known about it.
Workplace Fatality
A death that occurs as a result of a work-related incident, which employers must report to OSHA within eight hours.
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
The federal agency responsible for enforcing workplace safety and health standards across the United States.
Citation
A formal written notice issued by OSHA to an employer describing the specific violation, the standard violated, the proposed penalty, and the deadline for correction.

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About This Data

Definitions based on OSHA standards, the OSH Act of 1970, and federal enforcement guidance. Penalty amounts reflect 2026 inflation-adjusted maximums. See our methodology.