What is the procedure involving locks, chains, or physical restraints to prevent the operation of equipment called?

The procedure involving locks, chains, or physical restraints to prevent the operation of equipment is correctly referred to as "Lockout." This method is integral to safety practices in maintenance and repair operations, particularly when dealing with hazardous machinery. Lockout ensures that power sources, such as electricity, hydraulic, or pneumatic systems, are completely isolated from the equipment during maintenance, thus protecting workers from accidental startups or releases of energy that could cause injury.

Using locks and chains specifically highlights a tangible, visible way to prevent operation, allowing personnel to securely fasten the controls in a non-operational state. This procedure is part of a broader safety strategy known as Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), which also involves tagging the locked-out equipment to communicate to others that it is not to be operated.

While choices like "Shutdown" and "Securement" relate to stopping operations or securing equipment, they don't encompass the comprehensive safety protocols that Lockout entails, which is fundamentally about ensuring operational safety through isolation measures. "Isolation" is broader and could imply various methods beyond physical restraints, which makes Lockout the most precise term for this critical safety procedure.