How should power sources and ignition controls be secured when not in use?

• A. Left energized, with no tagging to prevent accidental ignition.
• B. Isolated or de-energized, with locks or clear tagging to prevent accidental ignition.
• C. Covered with a blanket to protect from dust.
• D. Removed from the site entirely.

Answer: (B)

Controlling ignition sources and electrical power when not actively using equipment is essential to prevent accidental ignition during live-fire training. The proper approach is to isolate or de-energize power sources and ignition controls, then apply locks or clear tagging to prevent any re-energization. Lockout devices physically prevent someone from restoring power, while tags communicate who is responsible and why the energy is isolated, providing an auditable and enforceable control.

This combination reduces the chance of someone inadvertently energizing a circuit or activating an ignition source while the area is not ready or supervised. Leaving power energized without tagging creates a risk of unintended ignition or equipment activation; simply covering equipment with a blanket does not reliably disable ignition capabilities, and removing equipment from the site is impractical for ongoing training operations.