In Lockout/Tagout, which statement about the lock and tag is true?

In Lockout/Tagout, which statement about the lock and tag is true?

• A. The lock prevents others from reenergizing equipment while you are working on it.
• B. The tag prevents others from reenergizing equipment.
• C. The lock and tag both prevent physical access to the equipment.
• D. The tag blocks the energy source from energizing the equipment.

Answer: (A)

In Lockout/Tagout, the essential idea is to isolate the energy source so equipment cannot be reenergized while maintenance is performed. The lock is the physical means that actually prevents reenergization—when a lock is applied to the energy-isolating device, others cannot operate it to restore power until the lock is removed by the person who applied it. The tag, on the other hand, is a warning that communicates who applied the control, why, and for how long, but it does not by itself stop the energy from being supplied. So the statement that the lock prevents others from reenergizing equipment while you are working on it is the true one. A tag alone doesn’t prevent energization, and neither the lock nor the tag inherently blocks all physical access to the equipment.

In Lockout/Tagout, the essential idea is to isolate the energy source so equipment cannot be reenergized while maintenance is performed. The lock is the physical means that actually prevents reenergization—when a lock is applied to the energy-isolating device, others cannot operate it to restore power until the lock is removed by the person who applied it. The tag, on the other hand, is a warning that communicates who applied the control, why, and for how long, but it does not by itself stop the energy from being supplied. So the statement that the lock prevents others from reenergizing equipment while you are working on it is the true one. A tag alone doesn’t prevent energization, and neither the lock nor the tag inherently blocks all physical access to the equipment.