Before any maintenance begins on powered equipment, the machine must be isolated from its energy source and the switch locked in the off position. The technician performing the work holds the only key. This procedure exists because a machine that appears dead can still hold stored energy in springs, hydraulic lines, or capacitors, and a coworker who does not know the machine is being serviced may restore power without warning. Records show that most serious injuries in maintenance shops happen not while a machine is running normally, but during servicing, when a guard has been removed and someone assumes the equipment is safe.
According to the passage, who holds the key to the lock?
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Correct answer to question 1 (Paragraph Comprehension): The technician doing the work
Method
The second sentence states it directly: the technician performing the work holds the only key. The point of the rule is that no one else can restore power while that person is exposed.
Updated: November 2026