A lockout tagout checklist walks the six steps that de-energize a machine — — notify, shut down, isolate, lock, dissipate, verify — per OSHA 1910.147. The hardware lives on lockout tagout devices, safety padlocks and hasps. The scope rules and exceptions are decoded in what is lockout tagout, and the full six-step procedure in how to perform lockout tagout.
What does the lockout tagout checklist verify?
Short answer: the authorized-employee sequence in order — notification, shutdown, isolation, lock and tag application, stored-energy dissipation and try-out verification — with the annual-audit view 1910.147 requires.
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Lockout/Tagout (OSHA 1910.147) protects workers from the unexpected release of hazardous energy during service and maintenance. Work this checklist for the authorized-employee procedure — missing any step is a common cause of serious machinery injuries.
Lockout / tagout equipment
FAQ
One lock per person?
Yes. Each authorized employee applies their own uniquely keyed lock and tag, and only that person removes it. Group lockout uses a hasp so every worker’s lock must come off before energization.
Is a tag alone enough?
No. A tag is a warning, not a physical restraint. Where an energy-isolating device can accept a lock, it must be locked out; tagout-only is allowed only when lockout is not possible and with additional safeguards.
Educational summary of OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147. It does not replace a written, machine-specific energy-control procedure, authorized-employee training, or periodic inspections.
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Built and reviewed by Steven Eaton, WC Safety. We curate and review industrial PPE against ANSI, NIOSH and OSHA standards.
Our methodology
The checklist mirrors OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147 energy-control sequencing including the periodic inspection duty; your written program and machine-specific procedures remain the instruments. Authoritative duties live at OSHA regulations and exposure science at NIOSH. We hold no safety certification, and this tool is not a substitute for professional judgment.
Why trust this page
WC Safety is an independent review site with no products of its own — nothing here is stocked, warehoused or shipped by us. Purchase links go to Amazon and earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. This free tool is informational — it supports, and never replaces, a written program, a hazard assessment, or evaluation by a qualified safety professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as stored energy?
Everything that can still move after the switch — capacitors, springs, air, hydraulics, gravity, thermal. Dissipation is its own step because isolation alone is not zero energy.
What is try-out verification?
Attempting normal startup after locking — the proof step. A lock on the wrong disconnect passes every step but this one.
One lock or one per worker?
One per authorized worker, always — group lockout uses hasps and boxes so nobody’s protection depends on someone else’s key.
Tag without a lock — ever acceptable?
Only where a device physically cannot accept a lock, with extra measures — tagout alone is the exception 1910.147 grudgingly permits, not a convenience.
How often must LOTO be audited?
At least annually per procedure, by an authorized employee not using the procedure at the time — the audit view in this tool mirrors that duty.
Does this replace machine-specific procedures?
No — every machine needs its own written energy-control procedure; this checklist sequences the walkthrough.
Researched and written by Steven Eaton, editor of WC Safety. Steven holds no safety certification and does not test products; this page compares what manufacturers publish, with the gaps in that record marked. Last reviewed July 2026.