What is the main focus of lockout/tagout procedures?

The main focus of lockout/tagout procedures is to prevent accidental machine start-up during maintenance. These procedures are critical in ensuring the safety of workers who are servicing or maintaining machinery and equipment. By locking and tagging equipment, workers ensure that machines cannot be unintentionally energized or started up while they are working on them. This prevents potential injuries or fatalities that could occur from unexpected machine operation.

Lockout/tagout procedures involve specific steps to isolate energy sources and verify the equipment is in a safe state before maintenance begins. This is especially important in environments where machines are used frequently, as a lack of proper procedures can lead to serious accidents.

In contrast, increasing production levels, ensuring employee supervision, and aiding in employee training, while valuable goals, are not the primary focus of lockout/tagout. Instead, the procedures are aimed specifically at worker safety during maintenance activities, highlighting the critical importance of these safety protocols in the workplace.