Safety tags communicate a warning; they do not isolate hazardous energy. Select the tag, attachment and lockout hardware for the equipment, work environment and employer's energy-control procedures. This guide is an overview for product selection, not a replacement for equipment-specific procedures or employee training.
Choose the message and material
Use a warning that matches the prohibited action and is understandable to the employees who may encounter it. Examples in OSHA's lockout/tagout standard include Do Not Operate and Do Not Energize. Identify the employee applying the device. Choose a material and writing method that keep the warning and identification legible for the expected exposure.
Browse Do Not Operate lockout tags or electrical safety tags. Each product lists its available material options; use the listed specifications for the selected option rather than assuming every material has the same construction.
Check the attachment and hardware
For tagout use, 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(5)(ii)(C)(2) requires an attachment that is not reusable, can be attached by hand, locks itself, cannot be released, and has an unlocking strength of at least 50 pounds. The attachment must also have the general design and basic characteristics of a one-piece nylon cable tie tolerant of the relevant environment. A tag-body pull rating alone does not establish compliance, and the presence of a tie in a kit is not proof that it meets these requirements.
Compare nylon cable ties and padlocks against the application and documented requirements. Tags provide a warning, not the physical restraint of a lock. OSHA places conditions on using tagout where lockout is possible; consult 1910.147(c)(3).
Use the employer's energy-control procedure
Under 1910.147(d), the authorized employee follows the established sequence for preparation, shutdown, isolation, device application, control of stored energy and verification of isolation before work begins. Notify affected employees as required by the procedure. Attaching a warning tag by itself does not complete this process.
Removal and return to service
Follow the checks and notification requirements in 1910.147(e) before energy is restored. Normally the employee who applied a device removes it. If that employee is unavailable, removal is allowed only under the employer-directed exception with documented procedures and training: the employer verifies absence from the facility, makes reasonable efforts to contact the employee, and ensures the employee knows about removal before returning to work. Do not bypass a tag or treat this overview as authorization to remove another person's device.
Inspection records and hazard warnings
A general equipment-inspection record is not automatically a lockout/tagout device. For accident-prevention tags identifying hazardous conditions, consult 29 CFR 1910.145(f) and the applicable equipment and industry requirements. The general-industry paragraph 1910.145(f) excludes construction and agriculture.
See all safety tags and review the full OSHA control of hazardous energy standard with your safety program administrator.
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