Energy sources including electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, or other sources in machines and equipment can be hazardous to workers. During the servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment, the unexpected startup or release of stored energy can result in serious injury or death to workers.
Workers servicing or maintaining machines or equipment may be seriously injured or killed if hazardous energy is not properly controlled. Injuries resulting from the failure to control hazardous energy during maintenance activities can be serious or fatal and may include electrocution, burns, crushing, cutting, lacerating, amputating, fracturing body parts and others.
The OSHA standard for The Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) establishes the employer’s responsibility to protect workers from hazardous energy. Employers are also required to train workers to ensure they know, understand and can follow hazardous energy control procedures. Learn More