Circuit Breaker Lockout

What do circuit breaker lockouts do?

A circuit breaker is an auto-operated switch that protects an electrical circuit from damage. They can be manually switched off to isolate the electrical circuit they control from the source of electricity.

Depending on the job, only a selection of single circuit breakers may need shut off and locked out OR the entire breaker box may need to be shut down and locked out.

Kinds of circuit breaker lockout devices:

Breaker box/ Circuit panel lockout: If the whole panel needs to be locked out, see the Panel & Disconnect Switch Lockout page.
Individual circuit breaker lockout: Devices come in a variety of attachment styles (snap on; clamp on; screw on; etc.). Some are for single pole and some are for multi-pole breakers with tie bars. Some fit miniature breakers (120/240V) and some fit oversized handle breakers (480/600V). Blocking bar lockout devices can be used to lockout large switches or multiple circuit breakers at once.

A few common issues with locking out single circuit breakers:

Padlocks can be so heavy that they pull the lockout device off the circuit breaker. Add a hasp and more padlocks and the risk increases.
The circuit panel door might not close with the padlocks and hasps attached inside.
Space can be tight if many breakers next to each other need locked out with a padlock each.

One solution is to use a cable lockout device. Thread the cable through all the lockout devices, pull the slack tight, and lock the cable out. Minimizes the number of padlocks used, cutting down the weight and bulk.

Lockout device selection

Circuit Breaker Lockout

What do circuit breaker lockouts do?

Kinds of circuit breaker lockout devices:

Examples

Videos

Where to Buy

Lockout device selection

Circuit Breaker Lockout

What do circuit breaker lockouts do?

Kinds of circuit breaker lockout devices:

Examples

Circuit Breaker Lockout Device Examples

Videos

Where to Buy