Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) Safety Assessment Practice Test

What does a lockout/tagout system primarily ensure during maintenance?

1. Prevents a piece of machinery from being energized

2. Allows unauthorized use

3. Utilizes important machinery

4. Permits use only by trained personnel

The correct answer is: Prevents a piece of machinery from being energized

A lockout/tagout system is primarily implemented to ensure that a piece of machinery is not accidentally energized during maintenance or repair work. This is a critical safety practice designed to protect employees who are performing maintenance tasks by physically isolating the machinery from its energy sources. By using lockout devices to secure energy sources and tagout devices to provide warning, the risk of accidental activation is significantly reduced, minimizing potential hazards such as electrical shocks, moving parts, or other dangerous conditions. The other options do not accurately reflect the purpose of a lockout/tagout system. Allowing unauthorized use contradicts the essence of the system, which emphasizes safety and accountability. While it is essential for machinery to be utilized effectively, the focus of lockout/tagout is not on utilization but safety during maintenance. Furthermore, permitting use only by trained personnel relates to operational procedures but does not define the core function of lockout/tagout, which is specifically about ensuring equipment safety during maintenance activities.