Certified Facility Manager (CFM) Practice Exam

When electrical maintenance is performed, lockout/tagout procedures are designed to:

1. keep equipment operational during repairs

2. lock out of service those circuits to be worked on

3. allow multiple workers to work on the same circuit

4. enable easy access to all electrical systems

The correct answer is: lock out of service those circuits to be worked on

Lockout/tagout procedures are crucial for ensuring safety during electrical maintenance. The primary purpose of these procedures is to lock out or disable equipment and circuits that are being serviced, effectively preventing them from being inadvertently powered on while maintenance is taking place. By isolating the circuits to be worked on, these procedures minimize the risk of electrical shock or injury to maintenance personnel. This safety protocol involves physically securing energy sources with locks and placing tags that indicate the circuit cannot be operated until the maintenance work is completed. This helps protect not only the worker who is performing the maintenance but also any other personnel who might be in the area, as they are made aware of the risks involved. The focus of lockout/tagout is on safety first and foremost, ensuring that only the designated personnel have control over that specific piece of equipment during maintenance. Hence, when such maintenance is performed, locking out the circuits that are being worked on is the key objective.