Which term represents the action of turning off electrical power to protect equipment and personnel?

Which term represents the action of turning off electrical power to protect equipment and personnel?

• A. Energize
• B. De-Energize
• C. False Occupancy
• D. Employee

Answer: (B)

Turning off electrical power to protect people and equipment is described by the term de-energize. De-energizing means removing the electrical energy from a system so it is not powered, which greatly reduces the risk of electric shock, arc flash, or unintended energization during maintenance. This is why it’s the best answer: it directly conveys the action of stopping power. Energize would be the opposite—applying power to the system—so it doesn’t describe the safety action. The other options aren’t related to power status at all (one refers to a person, the other to a different concept), so they don’t fit. In practice, de-energizing is often paired with lockout/tagout to ensure the equipment remains safe while work is performed.

Turning off electrical power to protect people and equipment is described by the term de-energize. De-energizing means removing the electrical energy from a system so it is not powered, which greatly reduces the risk of electric shock, arc flash, or unintended energization during maintenance. This is why it’s the best answer: it directly conveys the action of stopping power. Energize would be the opposite—applying power to the system—so it doesn’t describe the safety action. The other options aren’t related to power status at all (one refers to a person, the other to a different concept), so they don’t fit. In practice, de-energizing is often paired with lockout/tagout to ensure the equipment remains safe while work is performed.