Introduction

People conducting maintenance/repair operations on machinery and equipment are exposed to possible injury from the unexpected start-up of the equipment, or the release of stored energy in the equipment. The purpose of a Lockout/Tagout program is to prevent injury to individuals performing repair and maintenance tasks.

The Lockout/Tagout program at the University of South Carolina requires the use of specific maintenance safety procedures to shut down, isolate, prevent the release of stored energy, and to bring the equipment back on-line. In addition, employees will receive training to ensure that they fully understand the concepts of lockout/tagout and the methods by which safety procedures are implemented.

This training module covers general concept of lockout/tagout and associated energy control procedures.

Now, let's review some definitions you'll need to know.