OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor) requires that where the unexpected energization or start-up of the machine or equipment or release of stored energy could cause injury to operators, the machine or equipment is stopped, isolated from all potentially hazardous energy sources and locked out before employees perform any servicing or maintenance. ISO 12100-2: 2003 also requires that risks be reduced to the lowest allowable level by taking protective measures in order of inherently safe design, safeguarding, and complementary protective measures. Locking out the energy isolation devices is one of complementary protective measures. Inspired by the lockout concept, IDEC’s XN series emergency stop switches have been developed to prevent unauthorized reset of the latched emergency stop switches.

Note: OSHA 29CFR 1910.147 – The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout) ANSI Z244.1-2003 Control of Hazardous Energy - Lockout/Tagout and Alternative Methods.

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