Title: Authorized vs. Affected Employees
Type: Lesson
Not all workers perform lockout procedures — but everyone around equipment has responsibilities. OSHA breaks LOTO workers into two categories: authorized and affected.
These workers are trained to perform the full LOTO procedure — meaning they apply locks, isolate energy, verify shutdown, and remove locks when the job is complete.
Examples:
Maintenance technicians
Electricians
HVAC specialists
Any worker who services or repairs equipment
These workers do not perform LOTO themselves but work near machines or equipment that may be locked out. They must understand the purpose of lockout and never try to remove locks or start equipment.
Examples:
Machine operators
Line workers
Helpers and assistants
Cleaning crews
| Role | Main Duty | Can apply/remove locks? |
|---|---|---|
| Authorized Employee | Performs LOTO steps, isolates energy | Yes |
| Affected Employee | Works near equipment, must stay clear | No |
Before any LOTO procedure begins, authorized employees must notify all affected employees. When work is done, affected employees must be told when it’s safe to resume operations.
Just because you’re near equipment doesn’t mean you’re trained to lock it out. Only authorized employees perform LOTO — but affected workers must still know what those locks and tags mean.
Click “Mark Complete” to continue to Lesson 4: LOTO Devices and Equipment, where we’ll explore the tools used in lockout/tagout procedures.