Knowledge Center

In-depth, engineer-grade guides on Lockout/Tagout, hazardous energy control, OSHA 1910.147, NR-10, NR-12, energy isolation and group lockout.

Lockout/Tagout

Lockout/Tagout•8 min read

The Six Steps of a Lockout/Tagout Procedure

Every compliant lockout/tagout follows the same six-step sequence. The order is not arbitrary — each step neutralizes a specific failure mode, and skipping or reordering them is exactly how energy-control incidents happen. This guide walks through all six, with the practical mistakes that defeat each one.

Jun 15, 2026

Lockout/Tagout•7 min read

Lockout vs. Tagout: When Each Applies

Lockout and tagout are often spoken of as one thing — "LOTO" — but they are different controls with different protective value. Lockout physically prevents energization; tagout only warns against it. Understanding when each is allowed is central to compliance, because using tagout where lockout is required is a frequent and serious violation.

Jun 15, 2026

Lockout/Tagout•9 min read

Logical Lockout via OPC DA/UA Control-System Integration

Physical isolation is the foundation of lockout/tagout, but it is not the only barrier available. Logical lockout adds a software-enforced layer: by integrating the LOTO platform with the plant control system through OPC DA/UA, equipment can be blocked and interlocked in the control logic itself the instant a lockout is applied — and automatically prevented from re-energizing while the procedure is active.

Jun 15, 2026

OSHA 1910.147

OSHA 1910.147•10 min read

OSHA 1910.147: The Control of Hazardous Energy

OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147 — the Control of Hazardous Energy standard — governs how the unexpected energization, start-up or release of stored energy must be prevented during servicing and maintenance. This guide breaks the standard down into the parts that actually drive compliance: scope, the written energy control program, the procedure itself, verification, periodic inspection and training.

Jun 15, 2026

NR-10

NR-10•8 min read

NR-10 and the Lockout of Electrical Energy

NR-10 is the Brazilian regulatory standard governing safety in electrical installations and services. At its core sits a strict de-energization and re-energization sequence designed to guarantee that no one works on a circuit that can become live unexpectedly. For multinational operations, NR-10 maps closely onto the same principles as OSHA 1910.147, with Brazil-specific documentation and authorization requirements.

Jun 15, 2026

NR-12

NR-12•8 min read

NR-12 and the Lockout of Machines

NR-12 is the Brazilian regulatory standard for safety in the use of machinery and equipment. It addresses the full lifecycle — design, protection devices, operation and maintenance — but maintenance is where energy control becomes critical: servicing a machine demands that every hazardous energy source be isolated and that the machine cannot restart while a worker is exposed.

Jun 15, 2026

Energy Isolation

Energy Isolation•9 min read

Energy Isolation Management: Building an Energy Control Program

Lockout/tagout at a single machine is a procedure; doing it consistently across an entire plant — or an entire enterprise — is a program. Energy isolation management is the discipline of standardizing how hazardous energy is identified, isolated, verified and released across every asset, so that safety does not depend on which technician happens to be on shift.

Jun 15, 2026

Group Lockout

Group Lockout•7 min read

Group Lockout: Multi-Worker Energy Isolation

When several workers — often across multiple crafts — service the same equipment at once, individual locks on every isolation point quickly become unmanageable. Group lockout solves this: the energy isolation is established once and protected by a group device, while each worker retains a personal lock that guarantees the equipment cannot be re-energized until every last person is clear.

Jun 15, 2026