OSHA Notice Do Not Use Sign Stickers

A Do Not Use sign on equipment means the equipment has been identified as not available for use whether due to a malfunction, pending inspection, awaiting repair, flagged safety concern, or administrative hold. Workers seeing this sign should not attempt to operate or use the equipment under any circumstances until the sign has been removed by an authorized person who has confirmed the equipment is safe and cleared for use.

Post directly on the equipment at the primary operator interface typically the control panel, power switch, or main operator position. For equipment with multiple operator positions or access points, post a sign at each one to ensure no worker can access or attempt to use the equipment without seeing the Do Not Use warning. For smaller tools and equipment, the sign can be attached directly to the item or its storage location.

A Do Not Use sign communicates equipment status it tells workers not to use the equipment but does not by itself constitute an energy isolation measure. A Lockout/Tagout tag under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147 is a specific energy control device that, when applied as part of a lockout/tagout procedure, indicates a lockout has been performed and the equipment must not be re-energized. For equipment requiring energy isolation before service, a proper lockout/tagout must be performed, a Do Not Use sign alone is not a substitute for OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147 compliance.

OSHA General Industry standards, including OSHA 29 CFR 1910.212 (General Machine Guarding), require that defective or unsafe equipment be removed from service and identified to prevent accidental use. Clearly marking out-of-service equipment with a Do Not Use sign is a recognized administrative control consistent with this requirement. ANSI Z535.4 (Product Safety Signs and Labels) defines Notice as the appropriate signal word for equipment status communication of this type.

Only the person or role designated in your facility's equipment status management program should be authorized to remove a Do Not Use sign, typically the maintenance technician who completed the repair, the safety officer who cleared the equipment, or the supervisor who authorized return to service. Establish and communicate clear procedures for who can remove Do Not Use signs and under what conditions to prevent unauthorized equipment use.