Hazardous materials and energy sources can include:

• Electricity – mains and stored (UPSs, batteries and capacitators)
• Fuels
• Extreme heat or cold
• Steam
• Fluids and gases under pressure (water, steam, air, hydraulic fluids)
• Stored kinetic energy (springs, counterweights, Winch & Cables)
• Moving machinery
• Radiation and biological hazards

The stages of isolating a service are:

Test for Dead

The Permit Holder, or Isolation Officer on complex sites, must confirm the isolation (zero energy state – electrical, mechanical or potential stored energy) of the equipment.

Attach isolation tags and locks

Lock and tag colours stipulated in the John Holland Isolation Procedure are:

• Personal– red 
• Permit Holder – purple 
• Multi-point Isolation – black
• Isolation Officer – orange
• Construction zone separation – pink tag and brass lock

Each person in the workgroup must fix their red personal danger lock and tag to the isolation point (single point isolation) or designated lock box (multi-point isolation) as indicated by the isolation permit.

The red Personal danger lock and tag are only to be placed and removed by the person whose name appears on the tag.

Lock out and tag out equipment