Before beginning service or maintenance, the following steps must be accomplished in sequence and according to the specific provisions of the employer’s energy-control procedure:

1. Prepare for shutdown.
2. Shut down the machine.
3. Disconnect or isolate the machine from the energy source(s).
4. Apply the lockout or tagout device(s) to the energy-isolating device(s)
5. Release, restrain, or otherwise render safe all potential hazardous stored or residual energy. If a possibility exists for reaccumulation of hazardous energy, regularly verify during the service and maintenance that such energy has not reaccumulated to hazardous levels.
6. Verify the isolation and deenergization of the machine.

The energy-control procedures must outline the scope, purpose, authorization, rules, and techniques that employees will use to control hazardous energy sources, as well as the means that will be used to enforce compliance. These procedures must provide employees at least the following information:

• A statement on how to use the procedures.
• Specific procedural steps to shut down, isolate, block, and secure machines.
• Specific steps designating the safe placement, removal, and transfer of lockout/tagout devices and identifying who has responsibility for the lockout/tagout devices.
• Specific requirements for testing machines to determine and verify the effectiveness of lockout devices, tagout devices, and other energy-control measures.