Free inspection template
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Program Audit
Audit your lockout/tagout program from written procedures and hardware through annual inspection and training. Walk the floor, verify the actual LOTO application practice, and finish with a signed PDF ready for your safety committee.
Overview
What is an OSHA 1910.147 LOTO program audit?
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147, the Control of Hazardous Energy standard, requires employers to establish a written energy-control program, document machine-specific lockout/tagout procedures, provide and maintain protective hardware, train authorized and affected employees, and conduct an annual periodic inspection of each energy-control procedure. LOTO violations consistently rank among OSHA's top 10 most-cited standards, and LOTO failures are responsible for approximately 3% of all workplace fatalities and a higher share of severe amputations and electrical injuries.
This audit covers the eight major compliance areas of 1910.147: the written program, machine-specific procedures, protective hardware, the mandatory annual periodic inspection, training and communication, the application and release sequence, and group lockout and contractor coordination. A critical finding on any of the six most-serious items (written program, machine procedures, annual inspection, authorized-employee training, residual-energy dissipation, or zero-energy verification) requires immediate corrective action before affected equipment returns to service.
The checklist
Every checkpoint, in full
A read-only preview of the live template. Clone it to run the inspection on mobile, where each item records Pass, Fail or N·A with optional photos and notes.
NOTENote on Usage
This audit is based on OSHA's Control of Hazardous Energy standard, 29 CFR 1910.147 (lockout/tagout). Completing it does not guarantee OSHA compliance or that hazardous energy is fully controlled. It does not replace the annual periodic inspection required by 1910.147(c)(6). The employer remains responsible for establishing and maintaining a compliant energy-control program and for protecting employees during servicing and maintenance.
Written Energy Control Program
4 checksWritten energy control (lockout/tagout) program in placeCritical
A documented program covering procedures, training, and periodic inspection — required by 1910.147(c)(1).
Program covers servicing and maintenance where unexpected start-up could injure
Scope should include set-up, clearing jams, cleaning, lubricating, and any task requiring bypass of a guard or placement into a danger zone.
Program is current and reviewed when equipment or processes change
Program is available to affected employees
Energy Control Procedures
6 checksDocumented procedures exist for each machine requiring lockout/tagoutCritical
Procedures contain a specific statement of their intended use
Required by 1910.147(c)(4)(ii)(A) and a frequent citation for generic procedures. The procedure should name the machine or task it covers, not read as a generic template that could apply to anything.
Procedures state the steps to shut down, isolate, block, and secure the equipment
Procedures identify the type and magnitude of every energy source
Electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical, thermal, chemical, and gravity / stored energy.
Procedures specify placement, removal, and transfer of lockout/tagout devices
Procedures specify how to verify the energy is controlled (zero-energy test)
Protective Hardware — Locks & Tags
6 checksLocks, tags, and blocking hardware are provided by the employer
Devices are durable and substantial enough to prevent removal without excessive force
Tags must be non-reusable, attachable by hand, self-locking, and not removable inadvertently.
Devices are standardized by color, shape, or size
Each device identifies the employee who applied it
Lockout/tagout devices are used only for controlling energy
Not used as toolbox or locker locks or for any other purpose.
Where tagout is used instead of lockout, equivalent protection is provided
Mark N/A if all energy-isolating devices are locked out. Tagout-only requires additional measures (e.g., removing an isolating element, blocking a control switch).
Periodic Inspection
6 checksA periodic inspection of energy control procedures is conducted at least annuallyCritical
Inspection is performed by an authorized employee not using the procedure inspected
Inspection reviews each authorized employee's responsibilities under the procedure
Where tagout is used, the periodic inspection also reviews responsibilities with affected employees
Mark N/A if your facility uses lockout exclusively. Required by 1910.147(c)(6)(i)(D) whenever tagout is used in place of lockout — affected employees are pulled into the inspection review because tagout depends more on the broader workforce understanding the warning.
The employer certifies the inspection
Certification must identify the machine, the date, the employees included, and the person who performed the inspection.
Deviations or inadequacies found in inspection are corrected
Training & Communication
5 checksAuthorized employees are trained to recognize and control hazardous energyCritical
Authorized employees are the ones who lock out and perform the servicing.
Affected employees are trained on the purpose and use of the procedures
Affected employees operate the equipment or work nearby but do not perform the lockout.
Other employees are instructed not to restart locked-out equipment
Retraining is provided when jobs, equipment, or procedures change
Also required when a periodic inspection reveals deviations or inadequate knowledge.
Training is documented and certification is current
Certification includes each employee's name and the date of the most recent training.
Application & Release of LOTO
8 checksAffected employees are notified before controls are applied and after they are removed
Equipment is shut down using an orderly procedure
All energy-isolating devices are operated to isolate the equipment
Each authorized employee applies their own lockout/tagout device
Stored or residual energy is relieved, disconnected, or restrainedCritical
Capacitors, springs, hydraulic/pneumatic pressure, elevated parts, steam, and rotating flywheels must be rendered safe.
Zero-energy state is verified before work beginsCritical
Try-to-start at the controls and/or test for voltage. Return controls to neutral/off afterward.
Procedures require re-verification of zero-energy state when the machine is left unattended
Common fatality scenario: a worker returns from a break, lunch, or shift change and resumes work without re-testing isolation. The written procedure should require try-to-start and/or voltage test again before re-entering the danger zone.
On release, the area is checked, employees are clear, and devices are removed by the applier
Tools removed, guards reinstalled, employees safely positioned, affected employees notified before energy is restored.
Group Lockout, Shift Change & Contractors
5 checksIs group lockout/tagout used?
Group lockout applies when more than one authorized employee services the same equipment.
Group lockout gives each authorized employee protection equivalent to individual lockout
e.g., a group lockbox where each worker applies a personal lock and holds the key while exposed.
Energy control continuity is maintained across shift or personnel changes
An orderly transfer of devices between off-going and on-coming authorized employees, with no gap in protection.
Are outside contractors used for servicing or maintenance?
The on-site employer and the contractor inform each other of their LOTO procedures
Audit Sign-off
5 checksAreas, lines, or equipment covered by this audit
Notes, corrective actions, and follow-up items
Auditor signature
Reviewed by (manager name and title)
Audit date
Yours to edit
Every facility has its own energy-control footprint.
Clone the template and open it in the builder. Add machine-specific sections for your most complex equipment, remove sections that don't apply to your process, and flag the items that represent your highest-energy hazards as critical. No code, no spreadsheets.
Field procedure
How to run this inspection
Walk each area of the facility in the order the standard groups requirements. Review documents first, then verify hardware in the field, and close with an observation of an actual LOTO application if one is available.
STEP 01
Written program and machine procedures
Confirm that a written energy-control program exists, is accessible, and covers servicing and maintenance tasks where unexpected startup could cause injury. Verify that documented procedures exist for each machine requiring lockout. A single generic procedure does not satisfy the standard unless the narrow 1910.147 exception applies. Check that each procedure names the machine, lists energy sources and magnitudes, and specifies the zero-energy verification step.
STEP 02
Protective hardware
Inspect the lockout/tagout hardware inventory. Locks, tags, and blocking devices should be employer-provided, durable, standardized by color or shape, and individually identified to the employee who applies them. Confirm devices are used only for energy control, not borrowed for lockers or toolboxes.
STEP 03
Annual periodic inspection
Verify that at least one periodic inspection of each energy-control procedure has been conducted in the past 12 months by an authorized employee who was not using that procedure. Confirm the employer has certified the inspection. The certification must identify the machine, date, employees involved, and the person performing the inspection. Check that any deviations found were corrected.
STEP 04
Training and communication
Review training records for authorized employees (those who perform the lockout) and affected employees (those who operate the equipment or work nearby). Confirm that other employees have been instructed not to restart locked-out equipment. Check whether retraining has been triggered by any process, equipment, or procedure changes since the last audit.
STEP 05
LOTO application and release
If a lockout is in progress, observe or reconstruct the sequence: shutdown, isolation, lock/tag application, residual-energy dissipation, and zero-energy verification (try-to-start or voltage test). Confirm that procedures require re-verification when the machine is left unattended. Verify the release sequence requires tools removed, guards reinstalled, employees clear, and affected employees notified before energy is restored.
FAQ
Common questions
Is this LOTO audit template free?+
Does completing this audit satisfy the annual periodic inspection requirement?+
What is the difference between an authorized employee and an affected employee?+
When should tagout-only be allowed instead of lockout?+
Does this work offline?+
What does this audit not cover?+
Run your next LOTO program audit from your phone
Walk the floor, verify the documents, and check the hardware, all from the same checklist. When you finish, you'll have a signed PDF audit record ready for your safety files and your safety committee.