To disconnect from electrical power, and work on electrical equipment requires such disconnection, which term applies?

• A. Deenergize
• B. Ground
• C. Lockout
• D. Disconnect

Answer: (A)

Deenergize is the act of removing electrical power from a circuit or piece of equipment so there is no energy available for work. This is the first step in safety procedures because it ensures the equipment cannot be energized while you’re servicing it. In practice, you would deenergize the circuit and then typically apply lockout/tagout to prevent re-energizing, ensuring a zero-energy state remains until work is complete.

Grounding is about creating a safe path for fault currents and reducing shock hazards, not about removing power itself. A disconnect refers to the device or action that interrupts power, but the term that specifically describes the process of removing energy from the system is deenergize. Lockout is the safety procedure used to maintain that state, often in conjunction with deenergizing.