Lockout Tagout Checklist

What this checklist is for

A lockout tagout checklist is a structured prompt for controlling hazardous energy before maintenance or servicing work. It should not be vague. The form needs to identify the machine, energy sources, shutdown steps, isolation points, locks, tags, verification method, and restart controls.

Unexpected startup or release of stored energy can injure workers even when the task feels routine. Small shops often rely on memory because the same people work on the same machines. A written checklist reduces skipped steps when the task is rushed, interrupted, or handed off.

Suggested checklist items

• Machine or equipment ID and work task are recorded.
• Electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, thermal, gravity, and stored energy sources are identified.
• Shutdown sequence is completed according to the procedure.
• Energy isolation devices are locked or tagged by authorized employees.
• Stored energy is relieved, restrained, blocked, or otherwise controlled.
• Zero-energy verification is completed before work begins.
• Restart steps confirm tools removed, guards replaced, and people clear.

How to use this form

Use the sheet as a pre-task prompt and record. The most useful forms are specific enough to guide the worker but short enough to complete during a normal shift. Keep the completed record with maintenance, inspection, or supervisor files according to your company's procedure.

• Use only with a real employer energy control procedure and trained authorized employees.
• Identify all energy sources before shutdown.
• Record lock/tag placement and verification before work starts.
• Require a controlled restart and sign-off after guards and people are clear.

Recommended frequency

Before servicing or maintenance that requires energy control; periodic review by program owner.

Frequency should increase when equipment is shared, conditions change quickly, or a finding repeats. A small business can start with one routine form and then split it into area-specific forms once patterns become obvious.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Treating a checklist as the written energy control procedure.
• Only locking electrical power while ignoring gravity, pressure, or stored motion.
• Not verifying zero energy after placing locks.
• Using shared locks without clear authorized-employee control.

Who should use it

Maintenance supervisors, shop owners, machine operators, and safety coordinators.

Supervisors should review completed forms for repeated defects, missing signatures, and findings that are marked but not corrected. A checklist becomes more valuable when it triggers follow-up instead of only filling a folder.

Source notes

The links below point to public safety resources used to shape the checklist topic. Requirements may vary by industry, state plan, equipment, and task. Review official sources and qualified guidance for your exact workplace.

• OSHA Control of Hazardous Energy
• OSHA Top 10 cited standards

FAQ