An authorized employee is a worker who locks out or tags out machines or equipment in order to perform servicing or maintenance. OSHA's control of hazardous energy standard defines the role, and only authorized employees may apply lockout or tagout devices and carry out the energy control procedure.
The role matters because the authorized employee is the person whose body is inside the danger zone. Unexpected startup or release of stored energy during servicing causes amputations, crushing injuries, electrocutions and deaths. When authorized employees are properly trained, use their own locks and verify isolation before they start, the machine cannot hurt them while they work.
What Is an Authorized Employee?
Under 29 CFR 1910.147(b), an authorized employee is "a person who locks out or tags out machines or equipment in order to perform servicing or maintenance on that machine or equipment." The standard adds that an affected employee becomes an authorized employee when their duties include performing servicing or maintenance covered by the standard.
Being authorized is about the task and the training, not job title. A maintenance mechanic, an electrician, a machine setter or a production operator clearing a jam can all be authorized employees if they perform covered servicing and have received the required training. The general industry lockout/tagout standard does not cover construction, agriculture or maritime work, which are addressed by other rules.
Authorized vs. Affected vs. Other Employees
OSHA's standard sets three levels of involvement, each with its own training requirement.
- Authorized employee: applies locks or tags and performs the servicing or maintenance. Must be trained to recognize hazardous energy sources, the type and magnitude of energy in the workplace, and the methods and means to isolate and control it.
- Affected employee: operates or uses the machine being serviced, or works in the area where servicing is performed. Must be instructed in the purpose and use of the energy control procedure.
- Other employees: work in an area where energy control procedures may be used. Must be told about the procedure and that they must not try to restart or reenergize locked or tagged-out equipment.
Affected employees do not apply locks. If an operator is expected to service the machine, that operator must be trained and treated as an authorized employee for that task.
Key Duties of an Authorized Employee
The standard's sequence for applying energy control, in 1910.147(d), describes what the authorized employee does:
- Knows the type and magnitude of energy, its hazards and how to control it before shutdown.
- Notifies affected employees that the machine will be shut down and locked or tagged out.
- Shuts the machine down using its normal stopping procedure.
- Operates all energy isolating devices so the machine is isolated from every energy source.
- Applies a personal lock or tag to each energy isolating device. Each device must identify the employee who applied it.
- Relieves, restrains or otherwise makes safe all stored or residual energy, such as springs, hydraulic pressure, capacitors or raised parts.
- Verifies isolation and de-energization before starting work, commonly by attempting a normal start and returning controls to off.
When work is finished, the authorized employee checks that tools are removed and guards are back in place, confirms everyone is clear, notifies affected employees, and removes their own lock. Under 1910.147(e)(3), a lock may be removed by someone else only under a specific, documented procedure that confirms the authorized employee is not at the facility, makes reasonable efforts to reach them, and makes sure they know before they return to work.
Training, Retraining and Annual Inspections
Initial training and certification
Authorized employees must be trained before they perform lockout or tagout. The employer must certify that training was completed and kept up to date, and the certification must contain each employee's name and the dates of training.
Retraining triggers
Retraining is required when there is a change in job assignments, in machines, equipment or processes that present a new hazard, or in the energy control procedures. It is also required when a periodic inspection shows, or the employer has reason to believe, that an employee's knowledge or use of the procedure is inadequate.
Periodic inspections
Under 1910.147(c)(6), each energy control procedure must be inspected at least annually by an authorized employee other than the ones using the procedure being inspected. For lockout, the inspection includes a review with each authorized employee of their responsibilities under that procedure. For tagout, the review includes affected employees and the limitations of tags. The employer certifies each inspection with the machine, date, employees included and the inspector's name.
Group Lockout and Shift Changes
When a crew services a machine, the standard requires a group procedure that gives each authorized employee protection equal to a personal lock. One authorized employee has primary responsibility and must be able to confirm the exposure status of each member, and each worker attaches a personal lock to the group device, such as a lock box, when they begin work and removes it when they finish. When lockout continues across a shift change, specific procedures must keep protection continuous during the handoff between outgoing and incoming authorized employees.
How to Qualify an Authorized Employee Step by Step
- Identify the tasks. List servicing and maintenance tasks that require lockout/tagout and the people who perform them.
- Write machine-specific procedures. Document energy sources, isolation points, stored energy and verification for each machine.
- Train on recognition and control. Cover energy types and magnitudes, isolation methods and the employer's program.
- Practice on real equipment. Have the employee perform the procedure under observation before working alone.
- Issue personal locks. Assign identifiable locks and tags used only for energy control.
- Certify training. Record each employee's name and training dates.
- Inspect annually. Review each procedure with its authorized employees at least once a year and retrain when gaps appear.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Letting operators clear jams or adjust machines without lockout training.
- One person locking out for a whole crew without a group lockout procedure.
- Skipping verification after applying locks.
- Sharing locks or using locks without identification.
- Treating the annual inspection as paperwork rather than a review with each authorized employee.
- Forgetting stored energy such as pneumatic lines, springs or gravity.
How SMS360 Helps
SMS360's Lockout/Tagout module helps teams keep machine-specific procedures and records of lockout activity in one place. Training Management tracks who is trained as an authorized employee, with dates and renewal reminders, and Audits & Inspections supports annual periodic inspection checklists with follow-up actions.
The full standard is available at 29 CFR 1910.147 on eCFR.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an authorized and an affected employee?
An authorized employee applies locks or tags and performs servicing. An affected employee operates or uses the machine, or works nearby, and must understand the purpose of the procedure but does not apply energy control devices.
How often must authorized employees be retrained?
OSHA does not set a fixed retraining interval. Retraining is required when job assignments, equipment, processes or procedures change, or when an inspection or other evidence shows gaps in knowledge or practice. The annual periodic inspection is a common point to identify those gaps.
Can a supervisor remove an authorized employee's lock?
Only under a documented procedure that meets 1910.147(e)(3): confirm the employee is not at the facility, make reasonable efforts to contact them, and ensure they are told before they resume work.
Who can perform the annual periodic inspection?
An authorized employee other than the ones using the energy control procedure being inspected. The inspection must be certified with the machine, date, employees included and the inspector's name.
