What does the acronym "LOTO" stand for?

The acronym "LOTO" stands for "Lockout/Tagout," which is a safety procedure used in various industries to ensure that hazardous machines are properly shut off and not able to be started up again prior to the completion of maintenance or servicing work.

Lockout refers to the practice of physically locking the energy-isolating devices in a safe or off position, effectively preventing the machine or equipment from being operated. Tagout complements this by using a tag to indicate that the equipment should not be operated until the tag is removed. The combination of these two practices helps to protect workers from the accidental release of hazardous energy during maintenance activities.

The focused terminology of Lockout/Tagout is critical in safety training and compliance because it is directly tied to regulations provided by agencies such as OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration). Understanding these procedures is essential for ensuring the safety of workers who may be exposed to dangerous machinery during maintenance or servicing tasks.