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ENGINEERING STANDARD DATE JUN 2001
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Electrical Lockout / Tagout Requirements

This document is issued by Engineering Standards Section, SABIC R&D Complex, PO Box 42503, Riyadh 11551, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The information contained in this document is the confidential property of SABIC. It can not be disclosed, copied or used for any purpose
without prior approval from SABIC. If you are not authorized to possess this document, please destroy it immediately.
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Electrical Lockout / Tagout REV. NO. 1
Requirements DATE JUN 2001
ENGINEERING STANDARD PAGE 2 OF 5

CONTENTS

1. SCOPE ................................................................................................ 3
2. REMOVING ENERGY SOURCES 3
3. LOCKOUT PROCEDURE 3
3. LOCKOUT (SAFETY) LOCKS ............................................................ 4
5. DANGER TAGS 4
6. EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND DOCUMENTATION 4
7. PROCEDURE AUDIT .......................................................................... 5
8. REFERENCES 5
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1. Scope
1.1 This standard specifies minimum requirements for control of hazardous energy including locking,
tagging, clearing, trying, and testing. It establishes minimum procedural requirements necessary to
prevent injury from accidental closing of circuit breakers and operating of motor starters.

2. Removing Energy Sources

2.1 All lockout or tagout requires an understanding of the type of energy supply, the type and location of
the disconnecting/isolating device, the mechanics of operating the disconnecting/isolating device, and the
mechanics of installing a lockout device. A method must be established to verify that the energy source
has been removed and that the energy isolation is complete. In some instances, the "try" step is sufficient,
while in other instances, testing for absence of energy is required.
2.2 Where the lockout procedure requires that the equipment be "tried" (the control device operated), the
area surrounding the equipment shall be cleared of people and equipment that could be injured or
damaged prior to attempting to start the equipment.
2.3 Tagout is not considered an acceptable method of controlling exposure to sources of hazardous
energy.
2.4 An energy source is considered to be energized when the source is removed; locks and installed; and
the energy isolation verified.
2.5 Where energy can re-accumulate due to system design, configuration, or installation, a means must
be employed to prevent the energy from re-accumulating. An example of possible re-accumulation of
energy is in a long electrical cable having a high capacitance.
2.6 Where the system or equipment contains a source of stored energy, such as capacitors, the stored
energy must be relieved or otherwise blocked with components of sufficient capacity to remove the
potential hazard.
2.7 In complex or high energy electrical systems, the need to install protective grounds must be
considered.
2.8 All electrical energy lockouts must include assurance of a complete physical break in the power
conductors, either by visual inspection or by testing for absence of voltage with an acceptable voltage
detecting device or both.

3. Lockout Procedure
3.1 Each site must establish an energy control procedure for the site.
3.2 The equipment proprietor is responsible to shutdown the equipment and remove the energy source.
Where the installation includes electrical circuit interlocks, particular attention and care must prevail in
order to ensure that the energy source is isolated. Up-to-date drawings, tags, and other identification
should be consulted to ensure that all energy sources are removed. The equipment proprietor’s lock and
tag shall be installed first and removed last.
3.3 The person performing the lockout shall be a qualified person.
3.4 The procedure must identify the method and person responsible to ensure that all energy sources
remain under control when the work extends beyond one shift.
3.5 Lockout may be accomplished by either:
a. Individual control (individual locks and tags-this is the preferred method)
b. Complex lockout (by lock boxes where the work involves many different individuals, a large
number of lockout points and lockout devices, or multiple employers or crafts)
c. Where lock boxes are used at a site, the procedure shall fully define the process, ensure that all
persons involved in the work understand the procedure, and identify the person with overall
responsibility to ensure that all energy remains under lockout.
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3.5.1 Equipment under the immediate control of an employee may not need lockout. For example, cord and
plug connected electrical equipment within three feet, immediately and continuously accessible to the
employee, do not require locks and tags.
3.5.2 A complex lockout involves multiple crews, multiple crafts, multiple employers, or many lockout points
(more than three).
3.6 Where multiple employers are working on the same process (contractors for instance), all persons
involved in the work must understand and observe the requirements of all lockout procedures of all
employers. The lockout process shall cover all issues identified in all employer procedures.
3.7 The procedure shall require that stored energy sources be under control and identify the desired
method to accomplish the control.
3.8 Where the lockout is complex, the procedure shall require that a Person-In-Charge be identified who
has overall responsibility to ensure that all energy source(s) remain under control as the work progresses.
3.9 The person installing a lock shall remove it when the work is complete, or otherwise stopped, unless
he/she is unavailable. The procedure shall establish the process to confirm that the installing person is
unavailable, prior to authorizing the lock removal. If a lock is removed by someone other than the installing
individual, he/she shall be informed that the lock(s) were removed in their absence prior to resuming work.
3.10 Where work extends over multiple days, a lockout device may be permitted to remain in place for the
duration of the work period. However, at the beginning of each subsequent shift, continued control of the
hazardous energy shall be verified.
3.11 The procedure shall require that the lockout process include:
a. Removing the source(s) of energy
b. Installing lockout devices
c. Verifying that the energy source has been removed
d. Trying the equipment (testing) to ensure that the energy is under control
3.12 The procedure shall establish measures to be taken to enforce the procedure requirements.
3.13 The procedure shall require both locks and tags where it is possible to install a lockout device. Tagout
alone should not be used.

3. Lockout (Safety) Locks

4.1 Safety lockout locks shall only be used to control hazardous energy and for no other purpose. Lockout
locks shall be individually keyed. Of course, where the situation requires it, multiple locks keyed to one key
may be applied by an individual employee.
4.2 Locks are an essential element of a lockout device. However, the lockout device may include other
components provided the assembly effectively ensures containment of the source of hazardous energy.
Locks used for control of hazardous energy must always be used in conjunction with a (danger) tag.

5. Danger Tags
Tag design shall be unique from all other tags available at the site. A single site should use a single design
for all lockout applications. The tag must provide space to identify the name of the employee and the date
the tag is installed. The tag may also contain other information such as craft or reason for the tag. The tag
must be capable of withstanding the environment in which it is used for the duration of the lockout. Danger
tags shall contain site standardized verbiage such as "Danger-Do Not Operate."

6. Employee Training and Documentation

6.1 All employees exposed to sources of hazardous energy shall be trained to the degree warranted by
their job assignment.
6.2 All personnel shall be retrained whenever their job assignment changes or whenever the energy control
procedure changes. Note that a job may change by reassignment of modification of the equipment.
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6.3 Documentation (records) shall exist for each employee who has been trained as authorized employees
or affected employees. The documentation shall include:
a. Employee’s name
b. Date of the training
c. Content of the training received
d. Name of the person conducting the training
6.4 The documentation shall be maintained as long as the person maintains the role of affected or
authorized employee.
6.5 Documentation (records) may be maintained in a computer-based system but should be made
available in hard copy form for inspection.

7. Procedure Audit
7.1 Each site shall audit to determine:
a. If the procedure was followed.
b. If there are deficiencies in the established procedure.
c. If there are deficiencies in understanding the procedure.
d. If deficiencies are identified in the audit, steps shall be taken to correct any identified deficiency.
e. If the deficiency is in the procedure, the procedure shall be corrected and employees retrained
accordingly.
f. If the deficiency is in employee understanding, the employees shall be retrained accordingly.
7.2 The audit shall be performed by an authorized employee other than the procedure author.

8. References
The following NFPA and OSHA standards are listed for information only.
a. NFPA 70E, Electrical Safety Requirement for Employee Workplace
b. OSHA 1910.147, Subpart J.
c. OSHA 1910.332, Subpart S.
d. OSHA 1926.417, Subpart K.