What does LOTO stand for and what is its purpose?

• A. Lockout/Tagout; isolates energy sources before maintenance.
• B. Ladder On The Operation; organizes ladder usage.
• C. Lock On The Object; secures equipment during transport.
• D. Limited Operational Time Of Use; schedules maintenance.

Answer: (A)

Lockout/Tagout is a safety procedure used to ensure that machines and energy sources are completely isolated and cannot start up while maintenance or repair work is being performed. The lockout part uses a physical lock to secure the energy source (like a switch, breaker, or valve) so it cannot be operated. The tagout part places a warning tag that identifies who is working on the equipment and why it’s locked out, signaling others not to energize it. The purpose is to protect workers from unexpected energization, startup, or the release of stored energy that could cause injury. In practice, you identify all energy sources, de-energize and lock or tag them, verify there is no energy present, perform the work, then remove the lockout/tagout devices in reverse order after the work is finished. The other options describe ladder use, securing objects, or scheduling maintenance, which are not about isolating energy sources for safe servicing.