Fast facts
| Required by law? | The procedure is required; a course is not prescribedR.R.O. 1990, Reg. 851, ss. 75 and 76 |
|---|---|
| Approved provider required? | NoR.R.O. 1990, Reg. 851 |
| Does it expire? | Nothing to expireR.R.O. 1990, Reg. 851 |
| Can it be verified? | No public registryR.R.O. 1990, Reg. 851, s. 42 (7) |
| How long is the training? | Not prescribedOccupational Health and Safety Act, s. 25 (2) (a) |
| Also called | LOTO, lockout training, energy isolation |
| Applies to | Workplaces generally |
Last verified August 23, 2026 against the sources listed at the bottom of this page.
Is lockout tagout training required by law in Ontario?
The procedure is required; a course is not prescribed. Where starting a machine, transmission machinery, device or thing may endanger a worker, control switches or other control mechanisms shall be locked out and other effective precautions taken. Cleaning, oiling, adjusting, repairing or maintaining a part is permitted only when dangerous motion has stopped and any part that could subsequently move has been blocked.
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 851, ss. 75 and 76
Does the training provider have to be government-approved?
No. There is no approved provider list because there is no prescribed lockout or tagout training program in Ontario law. CSA Z460 is a voluntary standard, not a regulation, unless a workplace has adopted it.
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 851
Does lockout tagout training expire in Ontario?
Nothing to expire. There is no lockout or tagout certificate in Ontario law, so no expiry date exists in the regulation. Any renewal cycle on a LOTO card comes from the training provider or the site's own rules.
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 851
Refresher
Ontario law prescribes no lockout or tagout refresher because it prescribes no course. What must stay current is the employer's written electrical lockout procedure and the workers' instruction in it.
How long is the training itself?
Not prescribed. Ontario sets no course length because it prescribes no course. The general duty to provide information, instruction and supervision applies.
Occupational Health and Safety Act, s. 25 (2) (a)
What has to be covered
- The employer's written lockout procedures for electrical work
- Blocking of parts that may move after motion has stopped
- Communication of the purpose and status of a lockout where more than one worker is involved
How an employer proves it
No public registry. There is no ministry lookup. What must exist is the employer's written procedures for electrical lockout under s. 42 (7).
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 851, s. 42 (7)
What the employer has to keep
- Written procedures for compliance with the electrical lockout requirements in s. 42
What people get wrong about lockout tagout training
Electrical work has its own stricter rule
The power supply to electrical installations, equipment or conductors must be disconnected, locked out of service and tagged before and during any work on or near live exposed parts. Each worker must independently determine that this has been done before starting.
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 851, ss. 42 (1) and 42 (2)
The tag's contents are prescribed
Where a tag is used to communicate, it must be made of non-conducting material, be secured against inadvertent removal, be placed in a conspicuous location, state the reason the switch is disconnected and locked out, show the name of the worker who did it, and show the date.
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 851, s. 42 (6)
Written procedures are mandatory for electrical lockout
The employer must establish and implement written procedures for compliance with the electrical lockout section. This is the closest thing Ontario has to a mandatory LOTO program, and it is a document duty rather than a training duty.
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 851, s. 42 (7)
Multi-worker lockouts require communication
Where more than one worker is involved, the worker who disconnected and locked out the power supply must communicate the purpose and status of the disconnection and lockout to the others.
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 851, s. 42 (5)
There are narrow exemptions from locking out
Locking out is not required in defined circumstances, and where the exemption relies on alternative procedures ensuring the circuit is not inadvertently energized, the employer must ensure those procedures are actually carried out.
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 851, ss. 42 (3) and 42 (4)
Related safety training requirements
Official sources
Every statement above was read from the source itself rather than a summary of it. Where Ontario law is silent, this page says so instead of repeating industry practice as if it were a legal requirement.
This is an independent summary of public information, not legal advice, and requirements change. Confirm the current requirement with the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development before acting on it.