Lockout/Tagout: Authorized Employee Knowledge

A conveyor stops when its operator presses the stop button. A maintenance task still exposes the crew to a powered drive, an air cylinder and a raised component. A stopped machine is not necessarily isolated, and it may still contain hazardous stored energy.

The energy-control program protects against unexpected energization, startup or release of stored energy during covered servicing and maintenance. The employer’s program combines procedures, employee training and periodic inspections. Cleaning, unjamming, adjustments and tool changes can be servicing tasks when the defined exposure exists. Routine production work and servicing during production need the applicability review described in the standard.

The employer assigns roles from the work being done. Authorized employees apply energy controls for covered servicing or maintenance. Affected employees operate or use equipment being serviced under energy control, or work in that servicing area. Other employees in areas where energy control may be used need instruction about the procedure and the prohibition on restart or reenergization attempts. A production worker who is assigned covered servicing duties needs authorized-employee training and the associated knowledge and skills.

This track addresses general-industry machine servicing under 29 CFR 1910.147. It is not a construction, agriculture, maritime, electric-utility, or oil-and-gas-well servicing qualification. Electrical shock exposure from work on conductors or electric-utilization installations is addressed under Subpart S. Other standards and procedures may apply to the same job.

Online passing does not authorize a worker to apply energy controls. The employer must provide task- and equipment-specific instruction, verify acquired knowledge and skills, and make the role assignment. When the task or role is unclear, pause and resolve it with the responsible person.