Free printable
Free printable out-of-service and do-not-operate tags
Print a red DANGER – DO NOT OPERATE tag or a yellow OUT OF SERVICE tag for a machine that failed its pre-use check. Type the equipment, the problem, who tagged it and the date, or leave them blank to fill in by hand. Print in color on card stock, laminate it, and zip-tie it to the controls.
Tag
Copies
DO NOT OPERATE
This equipment is unsafe to use. Do not remove this tag.
DO NOT OPERATE
This equipment is unsafe to use. Do not remove this tag.
Free, no signup. Made by CheckBadges, QR code checklists for equipment.
When to tag equipment out of service
Tag a machine out the moment a pre-use check or anyone using it finds a defect that makes it unsafe: brakes, steering, hydraulics, guards, controls, a cracked fork or a damaged platform. OSHA's forklift rule is typical: a truck "found to be in need of repair, defective, or in any way unsafe" must be "taken out of service until it has been restored to safe operating condition" (29 CFR 1910.178(p)(1)). Most manufacturers' manuals say the same for every machine.
A tag does two jobs: it tells the next person not to use the machine, and it records what's wrong so the mechanic and the supervisor know.
How to tag out a machine
- Stop and park it safely. Lower forks or the platform, set the brake, switch it off.
- Fill in the tag. What it is, what's wrong, your name and the date.
- Hang it where an operator can't miss it. On the steering wheel, key switch or main controls, with a zip tie through the hole.
- Take the key if your site allows it, and tell your supervisor straight away.
- Only remove the tag when it's fixed. Whoever repairs and releases the machine signs the "Repaired & released by" line.
Danger tag or out-of-service tag?
| DANGER – DO NOT OPERATE | OUT OF SERVICE | |
|---|---|---|
| Use it for | A defect that could kill or seriously injure someone if the machine is used | Equipment that's unavailable: awaiting repair, inspection or parts |
| Color | Red, white and black | Yellow and black |
| OSHA | 29 CFR 1910.145(f) says danger tags are for immediate hazards that threaten death or serious injury | Site practice; OSHA's caution tags cover potential hazards |
Stop relying on someone finding the tag
A paper tag only warns whoever walks up to that machine. With CheckBadges, a problem found on a pre-use check emails you with photos the moment it's submitted, flags the machine on your dashboard, and shows the open problem to every operator who scans its QR sticker until you mark it fixed. Use both: the tag on the machine, the record in your pocket.
Frequently asked questions
What color is a danger tag?
Red, or predominantly red, with lettering in a contrasting color such as white or black. That's OSHA's recommended color coding for danger tags (Appendix A to 29 CFR 1910.145) and matches ANSI Z535 practice. This tool prints the signal word DANGER in white on red with a black header.
Who can remove an out-of-service tag?
Set it in your own procedure, and make it specific: usually the person who repaired the machine and a supervisor who confirmed it's safe. The tag's "Repaired & released by" line records who did. For lockout/tagout tags during servicing, OSHA requires that only the employee who applied the device removes it, with narrow exceptions.
Do I have to tag out a forklift that fails inspection?
You have to take it out of service: OSHA requires a truck found defective or unsafe to be taken out of service until repaired (29 CFR 1910.178(p)(1)), and a truck that isn't in safe operating condition to be removed from service (1910.178(q)(1)). A tag on the controls is the usual way to make sure nobody uses it in the meantime.
What should I print the tags on?
Card stock in a color printer, then laminate it or slide it into a clear tag pouch so it survives oil and rain. Punch the circle at the top and use a zip tie, so the tag can't slide off the controls.
Keep reading
- When equipment fails inspectionEquipment failed its pre-use check? Stop, tag it out, report it, have an authorized person repair it, then verify and release it. The OSHA rules, step by step.
- Forklift inspection checklistFree forklift inspection checklist for the OSHA daily pre-shift check: 30 visual and operating checks with what a pass looks like. Print it or use QR codes.
- QR code label makerMake printable QR code labels for equipment and assets. One label per line, a link for each, 8 or 30 a page. Free, no signup, nothing uploaded.
- Equipment inspection glossaryPlain-English definitions of equipment inspection and safety terms.
Every machine checked, with one scan.
Stick a QR code on every machine and operators do the pre-use check on their own phone — no app, no login. Free for up to 3 machines; try it with your real machines before you sign up.