Lockout/Tagout Rules in Canada — Hazardous Energy & the Law

Lockout/tagout (LOTO) is how Canadian workplaces make sure a machine cannot start, move, or release stored energy while someone is working on it. It is not optional. In federally regulated workplaces, the law requires machines to be locked out under a written procedure before any repair or maintenance work that means removing a machine guard, and every province and territory has its own hazardous-energy provisions. 1,2

Six jurisdictions give lockout or hazardous-energy control a dedicated part or subdivision of their own. This guide covers the rules at both levels: the federal requirement, each jurisdiction's lockout provisions with sources, the CSA Z460 standard behind most workplace programs, and what lockout/tagout training needs to cover.

What is lockout/tagout?

Lockout/Tagout is a safety procedure used in industrial and maintenance settings to ensure the safe isolation of energy sources during maintenance, repair, or servicing of equipment or machinery. The primary goal of lockout/tagout is to prevent the unexpected startup of machinery or equipment, which could pose a serious risk to the safety of workers performing maintenance tasks.

Lockout, as defined in CSA Z460-20 and cited by CCOHS, means placing a lockout device on an energy-isolating device in accordance with an established procedure. Tagout means attaching an information tag to that device, stating why the lockout is required, the time and date it was applied, and the name of the authorized person who applied it. 3

In short, lockout/tagout is a set of workplace safety requirements designed to protect workers from the unexpected release of hazardous energy.

What types of hazardous energy does lockout/tagout control?

Lockout/tagout controls electrical, mechanical, thermal, chemical, radiation, and gravitational or stored energy. Servicing and maintenance work exposes people to energy that is normally contained by the machine itself. When energy sources are not properly identified and isolated, workers can face: 3

• Electrical hazards — stored or live electrical energy that has not been isolated can cause electric shock, burns or electrocution.
• Mechanical hazards — machinery or equipment that is not properly isolated can start or move, causing crushing, cutting or amputation injuries.
• Thermal hazards — workers can be exposed to high temperatures or extreme cold from lines, vessels and surfaces during maintenance or servicing.
• Chemical hazards — residual product in pipes, tanks or lines can expose workers to hazardous chemicals during maintenance or servicing.
• Radiation hazards — some machinery and equipment can expose workers to radiation during maintenance or servicing.
• Gravitational and stored energy hazards — raised or suspended parts can fall when a machine is de-energized, and springs, hydraulics and pneumatics can hold pressure after shutdown.

What are the steps of a lockout/tagout procedure?

The main steps of a lockout/tagout procedure are identifying all energy sources, isolating them, locking and tagging the machine or equipment, releasing stored energy, and verifying isolation. Workers must follow each of these practices to ensure their safety:

• Identifying all energy sources: Before maintenance or servicing activities begin, workers must identify all energy sources that may cause injury or death.
• Isolating energy sources: Workers must isolate energy sources by turning off and disconnecting machines or equipment from their energy sources.
• Locking and tagging machines or equipment: After isolating energy sources, workers must lock and tag machines or equipment to prevent accidental startup.
• Releasing stored energy: Workers must release stored energy from machines or equipment before starting maintenance or servicing activities.
• Verifying energy isolation: Workers must verify that energy sources have been properly isolated before work begins.

What is the purpose of a lockout/tagout program?

The purpose of a lockout/tagout program is to control hazardous energy. A lockout program should: 3

• Identify the types of:

  • Hazardous energy in the workplace
  • Energy-isolating devices
  • De-energizing devices
• Guide the selection and maintenance of protective devices, hardware, and personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Assign duties and responsibilities
• Describe lockout procedures for all machines, equipment, and processes
• Determine shutdown, de-energizing, energizing, and start-up sequences
• Describe training requirements for authorized and affected workers
• Be audited for effectiveness

An effective lockout/tagout program will help prevent:

• Contact with a hazard while performing tasks that require the removal, by-passing, or deactivation of safeguarding devices.
• The unintended release of hazardous energy (including stored energy).
• The unintended start-up or motion of machinery, equipment, or processes.

Is lockout/tagout required by law in Canada?

Yes, lockout is required by law in Canada. For federally regulated workplaces, the Canada Labour Code, Part II provides the occupational health and safety framework. The specific federal machine-lockout rule sits in Part XIII (Tools and Machinery) of the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations. Every province and territory has its own lockout or hazardous-energy provisions, listed in the table below. 1,2

“13.16 (1) Subject to subsection (2), where it is necessary to remove a machine guard from a machine in order to perform repair or maintenance work on the machine, no person shall perform the repair or maintenance work unless the machine has been locked out in accordance with a written lock out procedure provided by the employer.”

Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (SOR/86-304), s. 13.16(1)2

Subsection 13.16(2) carries the only exception, for cases where locking out the machine is not feasible. The work may then go ahead only under three conditions: 2

• written employer instructions that keep any hazard to that person not significantly greater than it would be if the machine had been locked out;
• a written authorization from the employer each time the work is performed;
• the direct supervision of a qualified person.

The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) also publishes standards that many workplace hazardous-energy programs use alongside the applicable legislation:

• CSA Z460:20 (R2025), Control of Hazardous Energy — Lockout and Other Methods. Covers program development, implementation and maintenance, employer and worker responsibilities, training and verification. 4
• CSA Z432:23, Safeguarding of machinery. Covers the machine-guarding requirements that lockout works alongside. 5

What are the lockout rules in each province and territory?

Six jurisdictions give lockout or hazardous-energy control its own dedicated part or subdivision of the law: Alberta, British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Quebec and Yukon.

Quebec also renumbered its lockout provisions in 2023, so older references to those sections no longer match the current regulation. 18,16 The table shows where the main hazardous-energy or lockout provisions sit in each Canadian jurisdiction; the instrument name links to the legislation text and the authority name links to the regulator.

What training do workers need on lockout/tagout?

Lockout/tagout training teaches workers about hazardous energy sources and the procedures used to control them during maintenance or servicing activities. Training typically covers the identification of hazardous energy sources, written lockout/tagout procedures, the use of lockout and tagout devices, and the roles of authorized workers, affected workers and the person responsible for the energy-control program.

Who is responsible for training workers on lockout/tagout?

In Canada, employers are required by law to ensure a safe work environment for their employees — federally under the Canada Labour Code, and in every province and territory under its own occupational health and safety act. 1 As such, they are also responsible for providing and implementing adequate lockout/tagout training.

Employees must take part in the training program and apply what they have learned to keep themselves safe at work. Many people in specific industries also complete the training on their own to improve their hiring odds.

Who must be trained on lockout/tagout?

Lockout/tagout training is required for workers who are exposed to hazardous energy during maintenance or servicing activities. Two groups need it. Authorized workers are those assigned to control hazardous energy, qualified for it by knowledge, training and experience. Affected workers are not directly involved in that work but are, or may be, in the work area. 3 Workers in the following industries may benefit from it:

• Manufacturing: workers who operate or maintain machinery and equipment in manufacturing facilities may be exposed to hazardous energy sources such as electricity, hydraulic pressure or compressed air.
• Construction: workers in construction may be exposed to hazardous energy sources when installing, repairing or servicing heavy equipment such as cranes, bulldozers or excavators.
• Transportation: workers in transportation may be exposed to hazardous energy sources when working on engines, transmissions or other mechanical components of vehicles.
• Mining: workers in mining may be exposed to hazardous energy sources when working on mining equipment such as conveyor belts, crushers or drills.

Can the training be done online?

Yes — the theory part of lockout/tagout training can be completed online.

Lockout is always workplace-specific, so pair the training with your employer's written procedures for the actual machines you lock out. Online training gives workers the foundation; the workplace adds its own written procedures, equipment list and the person responsible.

What should workers be taught about hazardous energy control?

A lockout/tagout training program should cover: 3,6

• The hazards associated with hazardous energy sources
• The purpose and use of lockout and tagout devices
• Developing and implementing written lockout/tagout procedures
• The roles and responsibilities of authorized workers, affected workers and the person responsible for the program
• The requirements of the relevant legislation and standards

Does the law set an expiry date for the training?

No Canadian statute or regulation sets a fixed expiry for lockout/tagout training certificates — validity comes from the training program and your employer's energy-control program. 4,6

Retraining is required whenever procedures, machinery or energy-control methods change — reviews that CSA Z460-based programs include. 4,6

Key takeaways

Lockout/tagout is a critical component of workplace safety in Canada. It is essential for protecting workers from hazardous energy and for making sure machinery and equipment are properly maintained. Effective lockout/tagout procedures prevent accidents, injuries and fatalities, and they keep employers compliant with federal, provincial and territorial regulations.

Employers must review and update their lockout/tagout procedures regularly so those procedures stay effective and keep pace with changing equipment and processes. By making lockout/tagout a priority, we can make sure Canadian workers are protected from hazardous energy and workplace accidents, and can return home safely.