Lockout Tagout Procedure Template (Free Download)

Last updated: April 2026

An OSHA inspector asks to see your lockout tagout procedures. You pull out a one-page generic policy that says "lock out equipment before servicing." The inspector writes you a citation. That scenario plays out constantly because a lockout tagout procedure template is a written, machine-specific document that identifies every energy source, every isolation point, and the exact steps to safely shut down, isolate, lock out, verify, and restore a piece of equipment. OSHA 1910.147(c)(4) requires documented procedures for each machine. The most-cited gap? Employers who have a policy but not machine-specific procedures. This guide shows you exactly what a compliant LOTO procedure must contain, with a free template you can adapt to your equipment.

What Must a LOTO Procedure Include?

Under OSHA 1910.147(c)(4)(ii), every energy control procedure must include these elements. If your procedures are missing any of them, they do not meet the standard.

1. Statement of intended use: A clear description of what the procedure is for, including the specific machine or equipment it covers
2. Procedural steps for shutting down, isolating, blocking, and securing machines: The exact sequence for de-energising and locking out each energy source
3. Procedural steps for placement, removal, and transfer of lockout/tagout devices: Who applies locks, how, and the process for lock removal
4. Testing requirements: How the authorised employee verifies that the equipment is de-energised after lockout (try the start controls, check gauges, test with a voltage meter)

In addition to these required elements, a practical, audit-ready procedure should document:

• Equipment identification: Machine name, ID number, location, manufacturer, model
• All energy sources: Electrical (voltage, phase, amperage), hydraulic (PSI), pneumatic (PSI), mechanical (springs, flywheels), chemical, thermal, gravitational
• Energy-isolating devices: Each disconnect switch, valve, breaker, or block, with its specific location
• Residual energy dissipation: How to bleed pressure, discharge capacitors, block gravity-fed components, or relieve spring tension
• Special conditions: Group lockout requirements, shift change procedures, contractor coordination

When Can You Skip Written Procedures?

OSHA provides a narrow exception in the 1910.147(c)(4)(i) Note. An employer does not need to document a procedure for a specific machine if ALL eight of these conditions exist:

1. The machine has no potential for stored or residual energy after shutdown
2. The machine has a single energy source that can be readily identified and isolated
3. Isolation completely de-energises and deactivates the machine
4. The machine is isolated from the energy source and locked out during servicing
5. A single lockout device achieves the locked-out condition
6. The lockout device is under the exclusive control of the authorised employee
7. Servicing does not create hazards for other employees
8. There have been no accidents involving unexpected activation during servicing

If any one of these conditions is not met, a written procedure is required. In practice, this exception applies to very simple equipment. A machine with multiple energy sources, stored energy potential, or more than one isolation point always needs a written procedure.

OSHA has also explicitly stated that generic procedures covering several pieces of equipment are unacceptable unless the equipment hazards, shutdown procedures, and controls are identical for each piece.

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing LOTO Procedures

Here is a practical framework for writing lockout tagout procedures that meet regulatory requirements and survive audit.

Step 1: Conduct the energy survey. Walk the machine. Identify every energy source: electrical circuits, hydraulic lines, pneumatic connections, mechanical energy storage (springs, flywheels), chemical feeds, thermal systems, and gravity-fed components. Document the type and magnitude (480V 3-phase, 3000 PSI hydraulic, etc.). This is the foundation. Skip it and everything that follows is incomplete.

Step 2: Identify every energy-isolating device. For each energy source, locate the specific disconnect switch, circuit breaker, valve, or blocking device that isolates it. Document the location (Panel B, Row 3, Breaker #7). Take photos if possible.

Step 3: Write the shutdown sequence. Document the exact steps to bring the machine to a safe stopped condition before isolation. This follows the manufacturer's shutdown procedure. Include control positions (all switches to OFF, all valves closed) and any sequencing requirements.

Step 4: Write the isolation and lockout steps. For each energy-isolating device: open/close/disconnect it, apply a personal lock, attach a tag. If residual energy must be dissipated (bleed pressure lines, discharge capacitors, lower suspended loads), document those steps with the specific method.

Step 5: Write the verification procedure. Describe exactly how the authorised employee confirms the machine is de-energised. Try the start controls. Check pressure gauges. Test circuits with a voltage tester. For each energy source, there should be a specific verification method.

Step 6: Write the restoration procedure. Steps to safely return the machine to service: remove tools and materials, verify workers are clear, remove locks in sequence (each worker removes their own), notify affected employees, restore energy in the correct sequence.

Step 7: Add special conditions. Group lockout procedures for multi-worker jobs. Shift change protocols. Contractor coordination requirements. Emergency lock removal procedure (with the conditions that must be met before a supervisor can remove another worker's lock).

Step 8: Review and approve. Have the procedure reviewed by someone who operates the equipment, someone who maintains it, and someone with authority to approve it. In Alberta, complex group control procedures must be certified by a professional engineer (OHS Code s. 215.1).

LOTO Procedure Template Example

Below is a sample lockout tagout procedure for a hydraulic press. Adapt this format to each machine in your workplace.

Canadian Requirements for LOTO Procedures

CSA Z460-20 requires documented energy control procedures that are company-specific. The standard specifies that procedures must be developed based on manufacturer documentation, industry best practices, OHS requirements, and input from authorised persons.

Provincial enforcement adds specific requirements:

• Alberta (OHS Code Part 15): Written procedures required for energy isolation. Complex group control procedures (s. 215.1) must be certified by a professional engineer. Personal lock assignment lists (s. 214) must be maintained in writing.
• British Columbia (Part 10): WorkSafeBC requires written lockout procedures and records of personal lock assignments.
• Ontario (Reg 851): Sections 42, 75, and 76 require written lockout procedures for machines and equipment in industrial establishments.

For contractors pursuing COR certification, LOTO procedures are a standard audit element. Auditors will ask to see your written procedures and check that they are machine-specific, current, and accessible to the workers who use them.

Annual Inspection of LOTO Procedures

Writing the procedure is not the end. OSHA 1910.147(c)(6) requires a periodic inspection of each energy control procedure at least once per year. The inspection must:

• Be performed by an authorised employee who is not using the procedure being inspected
• Verify that the procedure is adequate and that employees understand their responsibilities
• Include a review between the inspector and each authorised employee (and each tagout user, if tagout is used)
• Be documented with the inspector's name, date, the machines or equipment covered, and the employees included

When the inspection reveals that a procedure is outdated (equipment modified, energy sources changed, isolation devices replaced), update the procedure immediately and retrain the affected authorised employees. LOTO training and procedure documentation are two halves of the same compliance requirement. If you are evaluating EHS software to manage your safety program, confirm it includes procedure version control and annual inspection tracking.

Frequently Asked Questions