Restarting Equipment Toolbox Talk

Restarting equipment after lock out tag out is a high-risk step. Once power, pressure, fuel, heat, or other energy is restored, equipment can move, cycle, rotate, pressurize, or start without giving workers much time to react. If anyone is still in the danger area, or if guards and parts are not back in place, a routine restart can turn into a serious injury.

This talk focuses on what crews must check before equipment is restarted after service, repair, cleaning, adjustment, troubleshooting, or jam clearing. The crew needs to confirm the work is complete, the area is clear, safeguards are restored, affected workers are notified, and the equipment is restarted in a controlled way.

Why This Matters

• Equipment can move, energize, heat up, or pressurize as soon as lockout is removed.
• Tools, parts, rags, test leads, or temporary wiring left behind can cause damage or injury during startup.
• Missing guards, covers, panels, or shields can expose workers to moving parts, electricity, heat, or pressure.
• Nearby trades and operators may not know the equipment is being returned to service.
• A controlled restart helps catch leaks, sparks, abnormal noise, vibration, alarms, or unexpected movement early.

Common Hazards

• Restarting before every worker is clear of pinch points, rotating parts, elevated components, or pressure lines.
• Removing locks and tags before the work is fully complete.
• Starting equipment with guards, panels, covers, or safety devices removed.
• Leaving blocks, pins, cribbing, chains, blanks, or temporary supports in place.
• Failing to notify affected workers, operators, or nearby trades before re-energizing.
• Restarting equipment from a remote panel, control station, building system, or automatic sequence without checking the work area.
• Assuming the equipment will restart normally after repairs or troubleshooting.
• A worker returning from break or another area and entering the equipment zone after startup has already begun.

Safety Checklist

Before Work Begins

• Review the lock out tag out procedure, including how the equipment will be restarted when work is complete.
• Identify who is authorized to remove locks, restore energy, and restart the equipment.
• Plan how affected workers, operators, and nearby trades will be notified before restart.
• Confirm whether testing or jogging will be needed before the equipment is fully returned to service.
• Discuss any stored energy, automatic controls, remote starts, alarms, or interlocks that could affect restart.

During Work

• Do not restart equipment until the service, repair, cleaning, adjustment, or troubleshooting task is complete.
• Inspect the equipment and remove tools, parts, rags, test leads, temporary wiring, and loose materials.
• Reinstall guards, panels, covers, shields, handrails, grating, and safety devices before startup.
• Remove blocks, pins, cribbing, chains, blanks, or restraints only when it is safe to restore movement or pressure.
• Confirm all workers are clear of the equipment, danger zones, elevated parts, and discharge areas.
• Notify affected workers and nearby trades that the equipment is about to be re-energized.
• Have each authorized worker remove their own lock and tag according to procedure.
• Restore energy in the proper sequence and restart from the correct control point.
• Watch the first startup closely for abnormal movement, leaks, sparks, smoke, alarms, vibration, heat, or pressure buildup.

Crew Talking Points

• Is the equipment ready to restart, or is more work still needed?
• Who is authorized to remove locks and start the equipment?
• Have all tools, parts, test leads, blocks, and temporary materials been removed?
• Are guards, covers, panels, shields, and safety devices back in place?
• Who needs to be notified before energy is restored?
• Does anyone have a question or concern before the equipment is restarted?

Stop Work If

• Any worker cannot be accounted for before restart.
• Locks or tags are still in place and have not been removed by the authorized worker.
• Tools, loose parts, open panels, missing guards, or temporary supports remain on the equipment.
• Affected workers, operators, or nearby trades have not been notified.
• The restart sequence is unclear or does not match the equipment procedure.
• The equipment leaks, sparks, smokes, vibrates, alarms, moves unexpectedly, or builds pressure during startup.

Final Reminder

Restarting equipment is not just flipping a switch. Clear the area, restore safeguards, notify the crew, remove locks correctly, and restart only when everyone is protected.