Stop Lockout Tagout Violations Before They Happen

Lockout tagout sits at #4 on OSHA's Top 10. 2,177 facilities were cited in FY2025 alone. Most of those citations hit on three failures: no written procedure for the machine, operators not trained, or the annual audit was never run. LOTO Compliance closes those three gaps with machine-specific placards, on-site gap analysis, and documented annual audits that meet 1910.147(c)(6).

OSHA 1910.147 Compliant ANSI Z244.1 Compliant ISO Compliant 200-Year Material Lifespan
Request a Free LOTO Assessment See Our Products

Free, no-obligation assessment. Not sure where you stand? That is exactly who we built this for.

Industrial motor station with E3.1 through E5.1 lockout points and multi-point isolation, the kind of complete LOTO setup we install
Custom Machine-Specific Placards
Full-Service Installation
Annual OSHA-Required Audits
Robotics and Automation Access Placards
Centralized Compliance Documentation

The Problem

If Your LOTO Program Isn't Where You Want It to Be, You're Not Alone

29 CFR 1910.147 requires a written, machine-specific energy control procedure for every piece of equipment with hazardous energy. Most facilities have at least one gap on that list. Usually more. Knowing where the gaps are is the first step to closing them.

  • Placards are on paper or laminated, not durable enough for industrial environments
  • LOTO procedures are not standardized across the facility
  • Robotics and automated interlock systems lack compliant access placards
  • Documentation is scattered, making audits a high-stress scramble
  • No centralized system for annual procedure reviews
  • New equipment gets installed without updated LOTO documentation

Common Audit Finding: Facilities using generic placards or paper procedures are consistently cited for failing to meet the machine-specific written procedure requirement of 1910.147(c)(4). In FY2025, 1910.147 ranked #4 on OSHA's Top 10 with 2,177 citations. Source: OSHA Top 10 cited standards.

Industrial piping with a W3 lockout point clearly identified, the kind of point-of-use placard 1910.147(c)(4) requires

What a Compliant LOTO Program Looks Like

  • Machine-specific placards on every piece of equipment with energy sources
  • Durable, industrial-grade materials that stay legible for years
  • Standardized procedures across all shifts and departments
  • Compliant access placards for all robotic and automated systems
  • Centralized, auditable documentation in a single system
  • Annual procedure reviews documented and on file under 1910.147(c)(6)
  • Authorized employees trained on the current procedure for their equipment

Products & Services

Everything Your Facility Needs for Full LOTO Compliance

Placards, gap analysis, annual audits. Every deliverable meets OSHA 1910.147, ANSI Z244.1, and the ISO standards that apply to your equipment.

Industrial high voltage electrical panel with installed DANGER lockout tagout signage and E1, E2 lockout points, machine-specific LOTO at point of use

Custom LOTO Placards

Machine-specific lockout tagout placards built for your exact equipment. High-color coated aluminum with industrial adhesive. Rated for 200-plus years.

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Access control placard installed at the gated entry of an industrial robotic cell, OSHA-compliant signage for interlock systems

Robotics Access Placards

OSHA-compliant access control placards for interlock gated entry systems. Plants routinely overlook these, then get cited during audits when a compliance officer walks the cell.

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Process line LOTO map with You Are Here marker showing operations OP05 through OP45, the deliverable a gap analysis produces for your facility

LOTO Gap Analysis

On-site assessment that maps every gap in your program to the specific sub-clause of 1910.147. You leave knowing exactly what needs to be fixed and why.

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Machine-specific lockout tagout procedure document for a Notch Deburr machine with primary and associate stations marked, the format an annual audit certifies under 1910.147(c)(6)

Annual LOTO Audit

1910.147(c)(6) requires a documented annual procedure review. We run the audit for you, or your team runs it inside LockStep auditing software and generates the written certification automatically.

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Custom evacuation map mounted on a wall in an industrial facility, exit routes and assembly points marked, updated as floor plans change

Evacuation Maps

Facility evacuation maps with routes, exits, and emergency equipment called out. Updated as your layout changes.

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Examples of safety sign formats including CAUTION, DANGER, FIRE EXTINGUISHER, and emergency evacuation plan, all ANSI Z535 compliant

Safety & PPE Compliance Signs

Warning, caution, authorized personnel, confined space, and PPE requirement signs. Customizable. ANSI Z535 compliant.

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LockStep LOTO Audit Software

Offline-first mobile audit app that replaces paper LOTO audits and Excel rollups. Generates 1910.147(c)(6) written certifications automatically. Included with most service engagements.

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Frequently overlooked: Facilities with robotic and automated systems often miss the placard requirement for interlock gated entry. This is a growing area of OSHA enforcement as automation adoption increases.

Wildly Customizable

Built to Your Spec, Not Ours

Most placard providers offer a catalog. You pick a template and they print it. That works until you have a corporate safety standard that does not match the template, a regional compliance requirement the catalog never covered, or a multi-language facility the template cannot accommodate. At that point most providers say no. We start.

Our placards are built from the ground up to your facility's specification. Dimensions, color systems, languages, materials, internal numbering, residual hazard pictograms, regional standard alignment. If you have a corporate safety standard or a country-specific compliance requirement, we build to it.

  • No template lock-in. Every placard is custom-designed to your specification
  • International standard support, including JIS (Japan), EN (Europe), and GB (China)
  • Multi-language placards for facilities with non-English-speaking workforces
  • Custom dimensions to fit the equipment you actually have, not catalog sizes
  • Corporate safety standard alignment for multi-site manufacturers
  • Material substrates beyond standard aluminum, including stainless and composite when the application demands it
See How Far We Customize

The Bespoke Placard Brief

An international manufacturer recently came to us with a request that other vendors had turned down: a set of robot cell access placards built to their internal corporate access standard, in a non-English primary language, with regional compliance markings the catalog providers did not stock. The brief was specific. The tolerances were tight. We delivered.

That capability is the difference. If you have a spec, a corporate standard, or a regional requirement, we build to it. If the project is straightforward, we build to it. Either way, the placards leave our facility custom to your floor.

  • OSHA 1910.147, ANSI Z535, ISO 7010 simultaneously when required
  • JIS Z 9101 alignment for Japan-standard facilities
  • EN ISO 7010 alignment for European parent companies
  • GB 2894 alignment for China-standard facilities
  • Multi-language layouts with right-to-left and CJK support
  • Custom corporate hazard pictograms incorporated alongside compliant ANSI marks

Software Included

LockStep: The Annual LOTO Audit, Without the Paper

The OSHA 1910.147(c)(6) annual audit is the most-cited sub-requirement in lockout tagout. Most facilities still run it on paper. Clipboards on the plant floor. Notes transcribed into Excel back at the office. Hours of manual rollup. A binder that does not match the spreadsheet. We replaced that workflow with LockStep, our offline-first audit application.

LockStep runs on phones and tablets, works without wifi on the plant floor, captures the audit at the point of use, syncs when you are back online, and generates the written certification automatically. No paper. No retyping. No Excel hell. Included with every service engagement.

  • Offline-first. Works on plant floors with no wifi or cellular signal
  • Mobile and tablet. Captures photos, notes, and findings at the cell
  • Automatic written certification per 1910.147(c)(6)(ii)
  • Multi-site rollups for corporate EHS visibility across every facility
  • Full audit trail. Every change tracked, every certification signed and dated
  • Replaces the paper-to-Excel workflow that 95 percent of facilities still run
See LockStep in Detail

What LockStep Replaces

  • Clipboards on the plant floor during annual walkthroughs
  • Procedure binders that drift out of sync with current equipment
  • Excel rollup spreadsheets manually rebuilt every audit cycle
  • Email chains for sign-off and certification
  • Shared drives where the only copy of the cert lives
  • The audit-week scramble to find documentation OSHA already asked for

Included complimentary with most service engagements. Stand-alone access available for facilities that want the software without the full-service work.

Why Choose Us

Turnkey LOTO Compliance Without Adding Burden to Your Team

Getting LOTO right means pulling machine data from vendors, building placards to the exact sequence of isolation, and coordinating installation across shifts. It is time-consuming. It is technical. And it is not why you got into this work. That is where we come in.

We handle the whole process. On-site data collection, custom placard design, accurate installation, centralized documentation, and annual reviews. Your team stays on production.

  • On-site visits to gather machine-specific energy source data
  • CAD work for accurate building layouts and emergency signage
  • LockStep compliance software for centralized documentation
  • Turnkey support from design through installation and training
  • Experience with large-scale manufacturers and Fortune 500 facilities
  • Specialists in robotics and automation safety requirements

#4

OSHA FY2025 Top 10 rank for 1910.147

2,177

1910.147 citations in FY2025 (OSHA)

$16,131

Average initial penalty per serious violation

3-4

Citations per LOTO inspection, on average

Sound familiar? Most facilities that contact us have one of these on their radar: an OSHA inspection with 1910.147 findings, a near-miss or recordable incident, new automation coming online, or a compliance audit on the calendar. Any of those is a good reason to reach out. Earlier is better. A conversation costs nothing.

Trained safety professionals walking a manufacturing facility floor in high-visibility vests, the on-site presence behind every gap analysis and install

Here to Help

Wherever You Are, We'll Meet You There

No wrong starting point. A free consultation is a conversation, not a pitch.

Just Starting Out?

New to LOTO, or inherited a program that needs work? We walk you through what compliance actually looks like for your equipment. No jargon. No pressure.

Partway There?

Some placards in place, some documentation, a few gaps you already know about? We show you the full picture and build a plan that closes the gaps that matter most.

Audit or Incident Looming?

OSHA on the calendar, or a near-miss in the last week? We move fast. Assessment, placards, and installation on timelines that match your reality.

Start With a Free Conversation

No commitment. No sales pressure. Just help.

Results

What Facilities Experience After Working With Us

"Over 300 machines on paper procedures, and OSHA on the calendar. They assessed the whole facility, built every placard, installed them before the deadline. We passed with zero LOTO findings."

EHS Director
Automotive Parts Manufacturer, Southeast Michigan
500-plus employees, 3 facilities

"The biggest gap was robotics access placards. We had no idea the interlock gated entry systems needed separate documentation. The gap analysis caught it, along with a dozen other issues we would have been cited for."

Plant Manager
Food Processing Facility, Chicago Suburbs
200-plus employees

"Two years trying to build the LOTO program internally. It never got finished. They came in, completed the assessment and placard install in weeks, and set us up on LockStep for annual reviews. Should have called sooner."

Maintenance Manager
Metal Fabrication Shop, Indianapolis
150-plus employees

Industries Served

Built for Compliance-Heavy Industrial Environments

Any facility with hazardous energy sources and equipment that must be de-energized before maintenance needs a compliant LOTO program.

Industrial pump station with E6.1 and E7.1 lockout points and ECT control panel, the kind of multi-energy-source equipment found in manufacturing, food and beverage, and process plants

Manufacturing

Automotive

Robotics & Automation

Food & Beverage

Aerospace

Healthcare Facilities

Construction

Heavy Machinery

Service Areas

Serving Midwest Manufacturing Hubs

On-site visits and full-service LOTO compliance programs across major Midwest industrial markets.

OSHA Region 5 enforcement note: Illinois is one of the most actively enforced states in OSHA Region 5. Food processing and metal fabrication facilities in the Chicago area pick up a disproportionate share of 1910.147 citations. If your facility has not had a formal LOTO assessment, the risk of citation during a programmed or unprogrammed inspection is real.

Wall-mounted facility-wide LOTO map showing every station and lockout point across an industrial floor, the deliverable behind a complete Midwest LOTO compliance program

Chicago, IL

Serving manufacturers, food processing, and industrial facilities across the greater Chicago area and collar counties.

LOTO services in Chicago →

Detroit, MI

Automotive and heavy manufacturing LOTO compliance for Detroit and the Michigan manufacturing corridor.

LOTO services in Detroit →

Indianapolis, IN

Serving manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and industrial facilities in Indianapolis and Central Indiana.

LOTO services in Indianapolis →

Frequently Asked Questions

What Manufacturers Ask Us About LOTO Compliance

What is lockout tagout compliance under OSHA 1910.147?

Lockout tagout compliance means meeting 29 CFR 1910.147: a written, machine-specific energy control procedure for every piece of equipment with hazardous energy, trained authorized employees, durable placards at the point of use, and a documented annual inspection under (c)(6). If any one of those is missing, the program is out of compliance.

Why is lockout tagout cited so often by OSHA?

OSHA's FY2025 Top 10 ranked 1910.147 at #4 with 2,177 citations. The three failures behind most of those citations: (c)(4) missing or non-machine-specific procedures, (c)(7) inadequate or missing training, and (c)(6) the annual inspection never happened or was not documented. Source: osha.gov/top10citedstandards.

What does LOTO Compliance provide?

Machine-specific LOTO placards on industrial aluminum, on-site gap analysis mapped to 1910.147 sub-clauses, annual audits that meet the written certification requirement in (c)(6)(ii), robotics access placards, evacuation maps, and safety signage. Services are sequenced the way OSHA audits, so nothing on the walkthrough is a surprise.

What does an OSHA LOTO violation actually cost?

A serious 1910.147 violation is currently capped at $16,550 per citation. Willful and repeat violations run up to $165,514 each. OSHA typically issues three to four separate citations per LOTO inspection, because a program failure usually breaks multiple sub-requirements at once. Source: OSHA enforcement directive STD-01-05-019.

Let's Start With a Free Conversation

Tell us a little about your facility and we reach out within one business day. Not ready to commit, just want to talk through what compliance looks like for you? That is all this has to be.

Your information stays with us. A real person responds within one business day. No auto-replies, no sales pressure, no obligation to move forward.

Rather talk it through? Call us at (847) 232-6067. We actually answer.