Lockout / tagout training in VR — the eight steps, practised until they are automatic
Energy isolation is a procedure everyone has heard of and almost nobody has rehearsed on a live machine, because you cannot rehearse it on a live machine. In virtual reality your maintenance crew can run the full lockout/tagout sequence as many times as it takes — including the mistakes.
In short
- Lockout/tagout (LOTO) is the procedure for isolating hazardous energy before service or maintenance, so a machine cannot start while someone is working on it.
- The reference standard is OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147, “The Control of Hazardous Energy”; in the EU the same logic sits inside the Machinery Directive and national work-safety rules.
- The simulator covers the full sequence — preparation, shutdown, isolation, lockout and tagout, stored-energy release, verification, work, and controlled restart.
- Every attempt is scored: steps performed, steps skipped, order, and verification. The trainer sees exactly where the procedure broke down.
- Price: €1,250 for a lifetime licence per station, or from €150 per month. A complete station with a headset starts at €1,550.
- This is practice, not certification. Authorisation to perform LOTO stays with your qualified-person programme.
Why LOTO training needs a simulator
Every serious lockout/tagout incident has the same shape: a step was skipped, and nothing happened — until the one time it did. Skipping stored-energy release works ninety-nine times out of a hundred. So the habit forms, and the training that was supposed to prevent it consisted of a presentation and a signature.
A simulator changes the economics of practice. Isolating a real production line to rehearse a procedure costs a shift; isolating a virtual one costs nothing, so the crew can do it ten times instead of once. And when someone skips verification, the machine starts — safely, in the headset, with a lesson attached.
The eight steps in the simulator
- Prepare. Identify every energy source feeding the machine: electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, thermal, gravitational, chemical.
- Notify. Inform affected employees before the shutdown, and confirm nobody is inside the danger zone.
- Shut down. Stop the machine using the normal operating procedure, not the emergency stop.
- Isolate. Operate every disconnect, valve and breaker that separates the equipment from its energy sources.
- Lock and tag. Apply your own lock and a tag identifying who applied it and why. One person, one lock, one key.
- Release stored energy. Bleed pressure, discharge capacitors, block or lower suspended parts, let heated elements cool.
- Verify. Attempt a start-up with the controls, then confirm zero energy with the appropriate instrument. This is the step people skip.
- Restore. After the work: clear tools and personnel, remove locks in the correct order, notify, and restart in a controlled way.
The simulator enforces order. Verifying before releasing stored energy, or restoring power before clearing the area, is recorded as a failure with an explanation of the consequence.
Who this is for
Maintenance and engineering teams
The people who actually apply locks — and who suffer the consequences when a step is missed.
EHS managers
Evidence that the procedure was practised, not just presented: per-person reports with steps and order.
Contractors and external crews
Bring outside technicians up to your energy control procedure before they touch your equipment.
Vocational schools and training centres
Teach industrial safety procedures without an industrial plant.
Pricing
| Option | Price (net) |
|---|---|
| Lifetime licence, one station | €1,250 one-off |
| Subscription, one station | from €150 / month |
| Complete station (headset, application, deployment) | from €1,550 |
| Custom scenario built on your machine and procedure | from €2,000 |
Indicative net prices in euro. Volume pricing above 10 stations. Delivered remotely across Europe — standalone application, online licence, no on-site installation.
Frequently asked questions
What is lockout/tagout (LOTO)?
A procedure for isolating hazardous energy before maintenance or service so that equipment cannot be started while someone is working on it. A lock physically prevents re-energisation and a tag identifies who applied it and why.
Which standard governs lockout/tagout?
In the United States, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147, “The Control of Hazardous Energy”. In the European Union the same requirements are distributed across the Machinery Directive, the Use of Work Equipment Directive and national health and safety regulations.
What are the steps of a lockout/tagout procedure?
Preparation, notification, shutdown, isolation of every energy source, applying locks and tags, releasing stored energy, verifying zero energy, and controlled restoration after the work is finished.
Why is verification the step people skip?
Because it feels redundant — the machine is already off and locked. But isolation can fail: a valve that did not fully close, a second feed nobody mapped, residual pressure. Verification is the only step that proves the isolation worked.
Does VR training replace LOTO certification?
No. Authorisation to perform lockout/tagout remains part of your qualified-person programme and your written energy control procedure. The simulator provides the repeated practice that classroom training cannot.
How much does the LOTO simulator cost?
€1,250 net for a lifetime licence per station, or from €150 net per month. A complete station including a Meta Quest 3S headset starts at €1,550 net.
Can the simulator use our own machines?
Yes. We rebuild your equipment and your written energy control procedure so the training matches the machine your crew actually works on. Custom scenarios start at €2,000 net.
What hardware is required?
A standalone Meta Quest 3S headset. No PC, no cables, no installation on your network. We ship the headsets configured and ready to run.
Run the procedure yourself first
We will send a configured headset for a free one-week trial so your maintenance lead can go through the full sequence before you decide anything.
See also
Prices are net, in euro, and indicative. This simulator supports training and practice; it does not confer authorisation to perform lockout/tagout, which remains part of your written energy control procedure and qualified-person programme. Standard referenced: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147. EPICVR S.A. — Polish producer of VR and AR software since 2013. Last updated: 9 September 2026.
