Lockout Tagout Checklist
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About this lockout tagout checklist
Lockout tagout (LOTO) only works when it is repeatable. This lockout tagout checklist gives operations teams a clear, step-by-step way to isolate equipment, verify a zero-energy state, and restart safely — without relying on memory or local workarounds.
Use it for planned maintenance, breakdown repairs, cleaning, and inspections. It includes preparation checks, in-process verification, escalation criteria, and close-out actions so teams stop guessing and start knowing the isolation is secure.
What this lockout tagout checklist covers
- Preparation: correct procedure, risk assessment, PPE, and the right lockout kit
- Isolation: identify energy sources, apply locks and tags, and control the work area
- Verification: try-start and zero-energy checks to prove isolation
- In-process control: key control, scope changes, and shift handovers
- Escalation: clear stop points when something is missing, unclear, or unsafe
- Close-out: guards back on, area clear, safe re-energisation, and sign-off
When to use it
If someone could be injured by unexpected start-up, movement, pressure release, heat, or stored energy, you need a consistent lockout tagout process. This checklist is especially useful when work is time-pressured, multi-person, or spans shifts — the exact moments when steps get missed.
Escalation criteria you should not ignore
Most LOTO failures come down to uncertainty: the procedure is out of date, an isolation point is hard to access, or someone is not sure whether an energy source exists. This checklist makes the stop points explicit. If you cannot isolate and verify all energy sources, pause the job and escalate through the site’s safety process.
How teams run this checklist in Ocasta
Put the checklist on the devices your frontline already uses. Capture consistent evidence, record close-out notes, and spot patterns across sites — like repeated issues with the same isolation point or missing procedures. That turns LOTO from a one-off compliance exercise into operational knowledge you can act on.
Disclaimer: This checklist is for general guidance only and does not constitute legal, regulatory, health and safety, or professional advice. You are responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable laws, standards, and internal policies.
Included questions
Here's what's included in this lockout tagout checklist:
Job and equipment details (5)
Capture the basics so everyone knows what is being isolated, why, and who is responsible.
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Text
Site and exact location
Example: Warehouse A — bay 3 — conveyor line 2.
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Text
Equipment name and asset ID
Use the label on the machine or the asset register.
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Dropdown
Reason for lockout tagout
Choose the closest match.
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Yes/No
Is a permit to work required for this job?
If yes, do not start until the permit is issued and briefed.
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Person
Person in charge for this lockout tagout
One named person accountable for the isolation and release.
Preparation checks (6)
Confirm you have the right information, the right kit, and the right people before you isolate anything.
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Yes/No
Risk assessment completed and understood
Include stored energy risks, access constraints, and nearby operations.
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Yes/No
Correct isolation procedure available at point of work
Use the approved procedure for this exact equipment and configuration.
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Yes/No
All energy sources identified
Electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, thermal, gravity, chemical, steam, stored energy.
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Yes/No
Affected colleagues and nearby teams notified
Tell people what is being isolated, for how long, and what changes to expect.
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Yes/No
Lockout kit is available and suitable
Correct locks, hasps, tags, and any required devices for valves or breakers.
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Yes/No
Correct PPE is worn and in good condition
Match PPE to the job risk assessment and site rules.
Isolation steps (6)
Apply lockout tagout in a controlled, repeatable order.
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Yes/No
Equipment shut down using the normal stop procedure
Avoid creating additional hazards by stopping in the wrong way.
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Yes/No
All isolation points operated to the safe position
Example: open disconnect, close valve, block and bleed, remove fuse — as per procedure.
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Yes/No
Personal locks applied to every required isolation point
If multiple people are working, use a group lockout method as required.
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Yes/No
Tags applied and clearly completed
Include name, date, contact details, and reason for lockout.
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Yes/No
Stored energy released or restrained
Discharge capacitors, bleed pressure, lower suspended loads, block moving parts, allow cooling, secure springs.
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Yes/No
Work area is controlled and signed
Barriers and signage in place to prevent accidental interaction with the equipment.
Verification and in-process checks (6)
Prove the isolation works, then keep control of it while work is underway.
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Yes/No
Try-start test completed (where safe and permitted)
Attempt to start the equipment to confirm it cannot energise. Follow the procedure and site rules.
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Yes/No
Zero energy state verified
Use appropriate test equipment for the energy type and record results if required.
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Yes/No
Test equipment proved before and after testing (where applicable)
Example: live-dead-live check for electrical testing.
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Yes/No
Lock keys are controlled by the lock owner(s)
No shared keys. No keys left in drawers, panels, or vehicles.
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Yes/No
If the job scope changes, isolation is reviewed before continuing
Stop and reassess if you discover additional energy sources or need access beyond the plan.
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Yes/No
If work spans shifts, handover and lock control are managed
Use a formal handover and group lockout method so isolation remains continuous and accountable.
Escalation criteria (5)
Clear stop points. If any apply, pause the job and escalate immediately.
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Yes/No
Stop and escalate if the isolation procedure is missing, outdated, or unclear
Do not rely on memory or local workarounds.
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Yes/No
Stop and escalate if you cannot isolate or verify all energy sources
Includes inaccessible isolation points or unknown secondary supplies.
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Yes/No
Stop and escalate if any lockout device, breaker, valve, or hasp is damaged or unreliable
If it cannot be secured, it is not isolated.
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Yes/No
Stop and escalate if there is any unexpected movement, pressure, heat, or energisation
Treat as a near miss and secure the area.
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Yes/No
Stop and escalate if a lock needs removing and the owner is not available
Only follow the site’s formal exceptional removal process.
Close-out and re-energisation (9)
Bring the equipment back safely and avoid ‘it should be fine’ restarts.
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Yes/No
Tools, spare parts, and temporary fixings removed
Account for all items and remove any temporary blocks not required for safe operation.
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Yes/No
Guards, covers, and safety devices reinstated and secure
Do not bypass interlocks or operate with guards removed.
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Yes/No
Area is clear and people are accounted for
Confirm everyone is safely positioned before re-energising.
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Yes/No
Affected colleagues informed that equipment is about to be re-energised
Include nearby teams and anyone impacted by the restart.
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Yes/No
Locks and tags removed by their owners (or via formal exception process)
Never remove someone else’s lock outside the documented process.
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Yes/No
Equipment re-energised following the approved start-up procedure
Restore energy sources in the correct order and check for abnormal conditions.
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Yes/No
Post-restart checks completed and recorded
Confirm normal operation, alarms cleared, and any required sign-offs completed.
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Text
Close-out notes and follow-ups
Record defects found, parts used, and any actions handed over.
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Signature
Completion sign-off
Confirms the lockout tagout has been completed and the equipment status is understood.