Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Program Template: OSHA 1910.147 Compliant

Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) is consistently one of the top 10 most cited OSHA violations year after year. It is also a standard ISNetworld RAVS question — reviewers ask about your company's LOTO program, and they expect to see a written, operational program that covers all the required elements.

If you don't have a written LOTO program, you need one before you can answer the RAVS question credibly. If you do have one, it may be missing required elements that cause ISN reviewers to score it poorly.

This page provides a complete, OSHA 1910.147-compliant Lockout/Tagout program template you can edit to match your operation.

What OSHA 1910.147 Requires

OSHA's Control of Hazardous Energy standard (29 CFR 1910.147) requires a written energy control program that includes 8 specific elements:

1. A statement of the intended use of the procedure (purpose and scope)
2. The steps for shutting down, isolating, blocking, and securing machines
3. Steps for the placement, removal, and transfer of lockout or tagout devices
4. Requirements for testing a machine to determine the effectiveness of lockout/tagout
5. Designation of authorized and affected employees
6. Hardware requirements (locks, tags, hasp, etc.)
7. Periodic inspection procedures (annual, documented)
8. Employee training requirements for authorized, affected, and other employees

What ISN RAVS Reviewers Look For

When ISN reviewers score your LOTO RAVS answer, they are looking for evidence that your written program is operational — not just that a document exists. Specifically:

• Named authorized employees or positions responsible for LOTO
• Specific hardware described (individually keyed padlocks, no master keys)
• Annual inspection requirement and documentation
• Training requirements for all three categories: authorized, affected, and other employees
• Machine-specific procedures referenced (or the process for developing them)

A written program that covers these elements specifically — not in vague, generic language — scores 3. A program that says "we follow OSHA 1910.147" without specifics scores 0–1.

LOTO Program Template

Copy and edit the following template. Replace all bracketed placeholders with your company-specific information before submitting.

1. Purpose and Scope

This program establishes requirements for the control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout) in accordance with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147. It applies to all [Company Name] employees who service or maintain equipment where the unexpected energization, startup, or release of stored energy could cause injury. This program covers all energy sources including electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, mechanical, chemical, and thermal energy.

2. Authorized Employees

Authorized employees are those who perform service or maintenance on equipment and must be trained in energy control procedures before performing any lockout/tagout operations. Authorized employees at [Company Name] include: [list names or positions, e.g., Lead Electrician, Maintenance Technician, Field Service Supervisor].

Only authorized employees may apply or remove lockout/tagout devices. Authorized employees are responsible for understanding the energy sources on the equipment they service and following the applicable machine-specific energy control procedure.

3. Affected Employees

Affected employees are those who operate equipment that is locked or tagged out during servicing or maintenance, or who work in areas where lockout/tagout is in use. Affected employees must understand that they cannot attempt to restart or re-energize equipment that is locked or tagged out under any circumstances. Affected employees will be trained to recognize LOTO devices and understand their prohibition from interfering with the energy control procedure.

4. Energy Control Procedures

Machine-specific energy control procedures will be developed for all equipment with complex or multiple energy sources. Each procedure includes:

• Steps to shut down the equipment safely
• Location of each energy isolating device
• Type and magnitude of energy (voltage, psi, weight, etc.)
• Method for isolating and locking out each energy source
• Method for verifying de-energization (testing or visual confirmation)

For equipment where a single energy source can be locked out by a single authorized employee with a single lock, a machine-specific written procedure may not be required if the equipment design makes the energy source immediately identifiable and lockable. All other equipment requires a written procedure posted at or near the equipment.

5. Lockout/Tagout Hardware

Each authorized employee will be provided their own individually keyed padlock bearing their name or employee ID. No master keys are maintained — each lock has only one key, assigned to the authorized employee. Hardware provided at [Company Name] includes:

• Individually keyed padlocks (one per authorized employee)
• Hasps for multi-lock applications (where multiple authorized employees are servicing the same equipment simultaneously)
• Lockout station stocked with extra padlocks, hasps, and tags for complex or multi-energy equipment
• Danger tags that state "Do Not Operate — Do Not Energize" for tagout applications

Tagout devices (tags without locks) will not be used in place of locks unless the equipment design physically does not allow for a lockout device. When tagout is used instead of lockout, additional protective measures will be implemented and documented.

6. Periodic Inspection

An annual certification of energy control procedures is required by OSHA. An authorized employee other than the one using the procedure will conduct the review. The inspection verifies that the procedure is current, accurate, and that the employee using it understands its requirements.

Records of inspections will be maintained and will include: date of inspection, machine or equipment inspected, employees involved in the inspection, and name of the person performing the inspection. Inspection records are retained for a minimum of one year.

7. Training Requirements

All employees covered by this program will be trained before first exposure. Training requirements by category:

• Authorized employees: Trained before performing any lockout/tagout operation. Training covers recognition of applicable hazardous energy sources, the type and magnitude of energy present in the workplace, and the means and methods necessary for energy isolation and control. Includes hands-on practice with applicable procedures.
• Affected employees: Trained to recognize when LOTO is in use, understand the purpose of the energy control procedure, and know that they are prohibited from attempting to restart or re-energize locked or tagged equipment.
• Other employees (those in areas where LOTO may be used): Informed that lockout/tagout may be in use in their work area and instructed not to attempt to restart equipment bearing lockout/tagout devices.

Retraining is required when: there is reason to believe an employee does not have the required knowledge or skills, when a new hazard is introduced, when there is a change in the energy control procedures, or after a LOTO-related incident or near-miss. Training records are maintained for each employee showing date and scope of training.

8. Program Review

This program will be reviewed annually by [Safety Coordinator Name/Position] and updated as needed to reflect changes in equipment, procedures, or regulations. The annual review date and reviewer name will be documented on this program.

Last reviewed: [Date] | Reviewed by: [Name/Title]

How to Customize This Template

Before using this template, replace all bracketed placeholders:

• [Company Name] — your legal company name throughout the document
• [list names or positions] — actual names or job titles of your authorized employees
• [Safety Coordinator Name/Position] — the person responsible for annual review
• [Date] — the date you complete and sign off on this program

Add machine-specific energy control procedures as appendices if you have equipment with multiple or complex energy sources. The main program document establishes the rules; the machine-specific procedures tell employees how to isolate each specific piece of equipment.

How to Submit to ISNetworld

Upload your completed LOTO program as a PDF to ISNetworld under the RAVS safety programs section. When answering the RAVS question about your LOTO program, reference the written program by name and date, and include the key specifics — authorized employee designation, individually keyed locks, annual inspection requirement, and training categories covered. The written document you upload confirms what your RAVS answer describes.

Common RAVS LOTO Questions

ISNetworld RAVS questions about LOTO typically ask about:

• Whether you have a written LOTO program — answer references this document
• How you verify de-energization — your answer should describe the specific verification step in your machine procedures (test the start button, use a voltmeter, check pressure gauge, etc.)
• Training: who is trained and how often — reference your three-category training structure and annual retraining trigger conditions
• Hardware: what lockout devices you use — describe your individually keyed padlocks, hasps, and no-master-key policy specifically

The strength of your RAVS answers comes from being specific about what is in your written program. Answering "yes we have a LOTO program" without elaborating on the specifics scores poorly. Answering with the specific elements — individually keyed locks, three-category training, annual inspection by a separate authorized employee — scores well because it matches what reviewers look for.