Lockout/Tagout in Spanish: Bilingual LOTO Steps, Tags and Training Phrases

Quick answer: Lockout/tagout in Spanish is bloqueo y etiquetado (often shortened to LOTO on bilingual sites). The key words are el candado (lock), la etiqueta (tag), la energía peligrosa (hazardous energy), apagar (shut down), aislar (isolate) and verificar (verify). This bilingual guide covers the vocabulary, the six lockout steps, tag wording and training phrases for authorized and affected employees, with a free PDF.

OSHA’s lockout/tagout standard protects workers from machines that start up or release energy while they’re being serviced. Spanish-speaking employees need to understand the procedure, not just sign for it. Use this guide to support your written energy control program and training, and have your safety lead check it against your own equipment procedures.

Lockout/tagout vocabulary

English	Español
lockout/tagout (LOTO)	bloqueo y etiquetado
hazardous energy	energía peligrosa
energy control program	programa de control de energía
energy-isolating device	dispositivo de aislamiento de energía
lock / padlock	candado
tag	etiqueta
hasp (multi-lock device)	pinza de bloqueo múltiple
breaker / disconnect switch	interruptor / desconectador
valve	válvula
stored energy	energía almacenada
electrical / hydraulic / pneumatic / mechanical / thermal	eléctrica / hidráulica / neumática / mecánica / térmica
authorized employee	empleado autorizado
affected employee	empleado afectado
zero energy state	estado de energía cero

The 6 lockout steps in English and Spanish

Step	English	Español
1	Prepare. Identify every energy source.	Prepárese. Identifique todas las fuentes de energía.
2	Notify. Tell affected employees the machine will be shut down.	Notifique. Avise a los empleados afectados que se apagará la máquina.
3	Shut down the machine the normal way.	Apague la máquina de la forma normal.
4	Isolate the energy and apply your lock and tag.	Aísle la energía y coloque su candado y su etiqueta.
5	Release stored energy (bleed, block, discharge).	Libere la energía almacenada (purgue, bloquee, descargue).
6	Verify zero energy: try to start the machine, then return the controls to off.	Verifique la energía cero: intente arrancar la máquina y luego regrese los controles a apagado.

Tag wording in Spanish

English	Español
DANGER – DO NOT OPERATE	PELIGRO – NO OPERAR
DO NOT REMOVE THIS TAG	NO QUITE ESTA ETIQUETA
Equipment locked out	Equipo bloqueado
Locked out by: ____	Bloqueado por: ____
Date / Department / Phone	Fecha / Departamento / Teléfono
Reason: ____	Motivo: ____

Use bilingual tags so every worker can read them. The tag is a warning only; it doesn’t replace the lock.

Training phrases for authorized employees

Authorized employees are the people who lock out equipment and do the service work.

• Usted está autorizado para bloquear este equipo. – You are authorized to lock out this equipment.
• Cada persona pone su propio candado. – Each person puts on their own lock.
• Solo usted tiene la llave de su candado. – Only you have the key to your lock.
• Verifique que no haya energía antes de empezar. – Verify there’s no energy before you start.
• Al terminar, revise que todos estén lejos de la máquina. – When you finish, check that everyone is clear of the machine.
• Quite su candado solo cuando el trabajo esté terminado. – Remove your lock only when the work is done.

Training phrases for affected employees

Affected employees operate or work near the equipment but don’t do the lockout.

• Si ve un candado o una etiqueta, no toque el equipo. – If you see a lock or a tag, don’t touch the equipment.
• Nunca intente arrancar una máquina bloqueada. – Never try to start a locked-out machine.
• Nunca quite el candado ni la etiqueta de otra persona. – Never remove someone else’s lock or tag.
• Si tiene dudas, pregunte a su supervisor. – If you have questions, ask your supervisor.

Quick check: do your workers understand?

Ask each worker to answer in their own words, in Spanish or English:

1. ¿Qué significa este candado? – What does this lock mean?
2. ¿Quién puede quitar este candado? – Who can remove this lock?
3. ¿Qué hace si la máquina está bloqueada? – What do you do if the machine is locked out?
4. ¿Cómo verifica que no hay energía? – How do you verify there’s no energy? (authorized employees)

Safety training in Spanish for your team

For a full bilingual safety handbook, see our free English–Spanish construction safety handbook. To build real communication between supervisors and crews, our Spanish training and English training programs turn your own LOTO procedures and safety manual into custom lessons, alongside live group classes and a self-study course on the phone.