Who is authorized to remove the warning tag on a locked-out switch?

Who is authorized to remove the warning tag on a locked-out switch?

• A. The person who locked out the switch.
• B. A supervisor.
• C. The safety officer.
• D. Any employee on site.

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that lockout/tagout controls hazardous energy by giving the person who applies the energy-control device the authority to remove it. When a switch is locked out, the energy source is physically blocked from being energized, and the lock is the guarantee that no one else can energize it until the person who placed the lock is ready. Because that person is the one who verified the work area is safe and all workers are clear, they are the only one who should remove the lock and restore power. This is why the correct choice is the person who locked out the switch. A supervisor or safety officer isn’t automatically empowered to remove someone else’s lock unless the program explicitly grants that authority, and allowing any employee to remove the lock could create a dangerous situation where energy is restored while a worker is still at risk. The tag alone is just a warning, not a physical barrier, so removing it isn’t sufficient to re-energize the system.

The main idea is that lockout/tagout controls hazardous energy by giving the person who applies the energy-control device the authority to remove it. When a switch is locked out, the energy source is physically blocked from being energized, and the lock is the guarantee that no one else can energize it until the person who placed the lock is ready. Because that person is the one who verified the work area is safe and all workers are clear, they are the only one who should remove the lock and restore power.

This is why the correct choice is the person who locked out the switch. A supervisor or safety officer isn’t automatically empowered to remove someone else’s lock unless the program explicitly grants that authority, and allowing any employee to remove the lock could create a dangerous situation where energy is restored while a worker is still at risk. The tag alone is just a warning, not a physical barrier, so removing it isn’t sufficient to re-energize the system.