The Energy Control Sequence
Each module follows one stage of a lockout, in the order you perform it.
Prepare and notify
Review the machine-specific procedure, identify every energy source and tell affected employees what's happening.
Shut down
Stop the equipment using its normal controls so isolation doesn't create a new hazard.
Isolate
Operate every energy-isolating device: disconnects, valves, blocks.
Apply locks and tags
Each authorized worker applies a personal lock; tags identify who and why.
Release or restrain stored energy
Bleed hydraulic and pneumatic pressure, discharge capacitors, block raised parts and relieve spring tension.
Verify
Try the start controls and test with appropriate instruments to confirm zero energy before work begins.
Restore
Clear tools, account for people, notify affected employees and remove devices in the right order.
Competencies Covered
Carry out the full LOTO sequence: notify, shut down, isolate, lock, release stored energy, verify
Identify all energy sources on equipment, including stored and residual energy
Apply group lockout, shift-change and contractor coordination procedures
Restore equipment to service and remove devices in the correct order
Stored Energy on Lifting Equipment
Cranes and hoists are full of energy that stays put after the engine stops or the disconnect opens. A boom held up by hydraulic cylinders, a hook block hanging on the rope, a counterweight that can shift, and a drum under rope tension all need to be lowered, blocked or relieved before a mechanic works on them.
Overhead cranes add runway conductors and multiple disconnects. Mechanics who service them — and the operators preparing for overhead crane certification — should understand which isolation point controls what.
- Lower or block suspended loads and booms
- Bleed hydraulic accumulators
- Relieve wire rope and spring tension
- Lock every disconnect, not just the main one
Group Lockout and Shift Changes
Big jobs — a plant outage, a crane overhaul — often involve several crafts on one machine across more than one shift. The course explains group lockout devices and lockboxes, how each worker keeps personal control with their own lock, and how protection is handed from the outgoing to the incoming crew without a gap. It also covers coordination when outside contractors work under a host employer's program.
OSHA's 1910.147 requires authorized employees to be trained in recognizing hazardous energy sources, the type and magnitude of energy, and the methods for isolation and control, with retraining when jobs, equipment or procedures change. Employers must also inspect each energy control procedure at least annually.
Who Should Enroll
- Maintenance mechanics
- Crane and hoist technicians
- Industrial electricians
- Millwrights
- Maintenance supervisors
- Contractors working in plants
Online knowledge, on-site authorization
This course teaches the procedure. Becoming an authorized employee also requires hands-on training on your employer's machine-specific procedures and devices, and the employer remains responsible for certifying that training.