What does the 'lockout/tagout' procedure involve?

The 'lockout/tagout' procedure is a crucial safety practice designed to protect workers during maintenance or servicing of machinery and equipment. It involves locking and tagging equipment to ensure that it cannot be operated while maintenance is in progress. This procedure prevents the accidental startup of machinery, which could result in serious injuries to workers.

By implementing lockout/tagout, authorized personnel will use locks to physically secure energy-isolating devices and tags that provide a visual warning that the equipment is not to be operated. This ensures a clear communication of the maintenance status to others who may come into the work area, reinforcing safety precautions.

The other options represent different safety or operational measures that are not part of the lockout/tagout process. For instance, turning off lights when leaving the site does not directly relate to equipment safety during maintenance. Restricting access to railways during off-hours pertains to security and safety of the railway infrastructure, while marking equipment for future upgrades deals with planning and does not involve immediate safety precautions necessary during maintenance. Thus, the correct understanding of 'lockout/tagout' is focused on ensuring that equipment is not operational when work is being performed on it.