By Pat O’Shea. Director of Consultancy, EHS International
Lockout Tagout (LOTO) is one of the most familiar safety practices in industry. You see the padlocks, the tags, the warnings.
But here is the hard question too many struggle to answer honestly:
After you lock out and tag out, do you actually try it out?
The Forgotten Step! Locking and tagging a machine is essential. But unless you verify the isolation works, you may still have people in harm’s way.
“Try Out” means attempting to start or operate the machine in a controlled fashion after LOTO is applied.
- Press the start button
- Turn the control switch
- Check that nothing moves or energises
If nothing happens, you can proceed with confidence. If it moves, you have just caught a critical oversight.
This step is far from trivial. In 2022, Eurostat recorded more than 3,200 fatal workplace accidents and almost 3 million non-fatal ones across the EU. Over a quarter of these fatalities were linked to losing control of machinery or equipment. Each one of those incidents is a reminder that isolation must be proven, not assumed.
The Seven Key Stages of a Lockout-Tagout-Tryout Process
Step 1: Plan and Coordinate
Every LOTOTO process begins with planning. Before work starts, gather your team to review the task, its duration, and the specific equipment and energy sources involved. Everyone must understand their role and the isolation points to be used.
Step 2: Power Down the Equipment
Follow proper shutdown procedures to bring the machine to a complete stop. This prevents unexpected movement and reduces the risk of residual energy release.
Step 3: Isolate All Energy Sources
Do not rely on emergency stops or control switches. Physically isolate every source of energy – electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, thermal or chemical – and always verify that residual energy has been released or contained.
Step 4: Apply Lockout Devices
Secure each isolation point with a safety padlock. This ensures that energy cannot be restored while the work is in progress. Remember: your personal padlock key should never be shared. It represents your safety.
Step 5: Attach Identification Tags
Each locked-out device must display a clear tag showing who applied it, the date, and the reason for the isolation. These visual warnings are essential in preventing accidental start-up or interference.
Step 6: Test and Verify – the ‘Tryout’
Never assume isolation is complete until you prove it. Attempt a controlled start-up, observe that nothing reactivates, and use appropriate test equipment to confirm the absence of voltage, pressure or flow. Verification is what makes a lockout effective.
Step 7: Carry Out the Work
Only once full isolation is confirmed should maintenance, cleaning or inspection proceed. Continue to monitor for any unexpected energy release and maintain clear communication throughout.
Why So Many Sites Skip “Try Out”
Across sectors including pharma, food and beverage, utilities and construction, we see the locks and tags but not the test. Why?
- False confidence: “The lock is on, so it must work.”
- Time pressure: Verification feels like delay in tight schedules.
- Training gaps: Procedures often say “Lock and Tag” but omit “Try.”
- Organisational culture: Habits inherited without challenge.
The danger is real. EU-OSHA notes that 10 to 15 per cent of fatal workplace accidents in Europe are linked to poor equipment maintenance or failures. Many of these are tied to inadequate isolation during servicing. In one audit we carried out, operators relied on locking out a single main switch. When asked to “try out” the panel, the machine powered on immediately due to a hidden backfeed. Nobody had ever discovered it because verification was never part of their routine.
The Real Cost of Assumption
Skipping Try Out is not a paperwork issue. It is the kind of gap that leads directly to injury or death. In Ireland, the HSA has repeatedly highlighted accidental start-up during maintenance as a preventable cause of fatalities. In the UK, the HSE continues to cite inadequate isolation as a recurring factor in machinery deaths.
We saw another example at a pharmaceutical site with excellent written LOTO procedures. Yet without “Try Out” built in, workers were unknowingly depending on luck. Once verification was introduced, the safety team admitted: “We did not realise how often we were one step away from an incident.”
These cases mirror what the statistics already tell us. Across Europe, 10 to 20 per cent of all fatal industrial accidents occur during maintenance operations. A five-second test could have prevented many of them.
LOTO is not just about ticking a regulatory box. When done properly, it:
- Saves lives and prevents disabling injuries
- Reduces downtime, insurance costs, and reputation risk
- Builds trust. Employees know you care
- Embeds the mindset that verification is non-negotiable
Next time you walk past a lock and a tag on your site, ask your team:
But did you try it out?
That five second check might be the difference between a safe shift and tragedy.
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EHS International’s Lockout Tagout Services;
EHS International delivers complete, end-to-end Lockout Tagout solutions, including:
- LOTO Risk Assessments: Identification of hazardous energy sources and evaluation of control requirements.
- Custom LOTO Procedures: Development of clear, step-by-step written procedures specific to your equipment and operations.
- Energy Control Programmes: Creation of company-wide LOTO policies that meet Irish, UK, EU and international compliance standards.
- LOTO Devices and Systems: Specification and provision of locks, tags, hasps, valve covers, breaker lockouts, plug lockouts, lock boxes and shadow boards.
- LOTO Training: Competency-based training for authorised and affected employees, delivered on-site or at our training centres.
- Supervisor and Manager Awareness Training: Helping leaders enforce and sustain LOTO practices.
- LOTO Auditing and Gap Analysis: Independent checks to ensure your system is not only compliant but effective.
- Implementation Support: Hands-on help embedding LOTO into your organisation’s day-to-day operations.
- Refresher Training and Toolbox Talks: Ongoing reinforcement to build and sustain a strong safety culture.
With decades of experience across manufacturing, pharma, construction, energy and utilities, our team brings both regulatory expertise and practical solutions that work in the real world.
For support in closing the LOTO gap in your organisation, contact EHS International’s safety team at: [email protected] | +353 (0)21 206 6006 | ehsinternational.com
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About the Author: Pat O’Shea. Director of Consultancy, EHS International
Pat O’Shea is an experienced EHS consultant, trainer, and safety advocate with over 25 years of multi-industry experience across several countries. As Director of Consultancy at EHS International in County Cork, he leads a team dedicated to delivering practical, high-impact health, safety, and environmental solutions.
Pat is passionate about safeguarding people and organisations. His specialities include safety management systems, compliance auditing, energy control programmes, high-risk operations, and training. He is widely respected as a thought leader in workplace safety.
