The core principle of Lock-Out/Tag-Out (LOTO) is personal protection. The procedure requires that the authorized employee who places the lock and tag on an energy-isolating device is the same one who removes it. This ensures the person who was working on the equipment is clear of the danger zone before it is re-energized. This "one person, one lock" rule is fundamental to preventing accidental start-up and is a critical safety control. Exceptions are rare and require a highly specific and formal transfer procedure.

A. This violates the primary LOTO principle, as the person removing the lock is not aware of the first operator's status or safety.

B. A safety manager's role is oversight, not removing locks on behalf of operators, which would break the chain of responsibility.

C. A facilities manager is not the authorized employee who performed the work and placed the lock, creating a significant safety risk.

1. U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). (1990). The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout). Standard 29 CFR 1910.147(e)(3). "Each lockout or tagout device shall be removed from each energy isolating device by the employee who applied the device."

2. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). (1999). NIOSH Alert: Preventing Worker Deaths from Uncontrolled Release of Electrical, Mechanical, and Other Types of Hazardous Energy. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 99-110. Section: "Lockout/Tagout Procedures".