What does AO stand for in tag-out context?

• A. Administrative Officer
• B. Authority Overseer
• C. Authorized Official
• D. Authorizing Officer

Answer: (D)

In tag-out work, the crucial role is the person who has the formal authority to authorize the energy isolation and the associated lockout/tagout actions. This individual grants permission for de-energizing and guarding the equipment, ensuring the procedure is properly planned, authorized, and that it can only be removed when it’s safe to re-energize. That clear responsibility naming is why the term used is Authorizing Officer. It distinguishes the authority to authorize the shutdown from the workers who actually apply the locks and perform the maintenance. The other options don’t match the standard terminology for who issues the authorization, so they don’t fit the role described in tag-out procedures.