AFME-ELE-ISO-001 12 Steps to Safe Electrical Isolation Lockout, tagout
A practical knowledge sheet on safe electrical isolation for low-voltage work in UK food manufacturing. It explains the 12-step isolation sequence (lockout, tagout and proving dead), why each step matters, and the UK law and guidance behind it: the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, HSE HSG85 and GS38, and BS 7671. Each step is illustrated with a picture, and it covers the traps specific to food factories: separate control supplies, UPS-backed controls, drive DC links and other stored energy.
What is included
AFME-ELE-ISO-001 12 Steps to Safe Electrical Isolation (PDF, 9 pages):
- Safe isolation principles and the "prove, test, re-prove" rule
- The 12-step process, illustrated step by step
- Proving-dead test sequences for single-phase, three-phase with neutral and three-phase motor circuits
- Electrical isolation versus wider machinery LOTO
- Common failures to avoid
- UK legal and guidance framework
- A printable 14-point quick-reference checklist
- AFME review notes (October 2026), including corrections to two of the step pictures and plain-English explanations
Who this resource is for
Electrical and multi-skilled maintenance engineers, maintenance technicians, apprentices, engineering supervisors and team leaders, Engineering Managers, and Health & Safety advisers. Also useful for anyone who authorises, supervises or audits electrical isolations and permits to work. The isolation itself must only be carried out by competent, site-authorised persons.
How to use this resource
Use it as a training aid, a toolbox talk and a refresher, and to check your site's own isolation procedure against the 12 steps. Print the quick-reference checklist for engineering workshops and permit points. Read the AFME review notes at the end before training: they correct the "CAT VI" tester rating and the "GN52" reference shown in two of the step pictures. This resource supports, but does not replace, site electrical safety rules, permits, RAMS, manufacturer instructions or the judgement of a competent person.