Before clearing a jam or performing maintenance on automated equipment, what safety step is most important?

LOCKOUT/ENERGY CONTROL SAFETY: Before clearing jams or doing maintenance involving moving-part areas, the most important step is to ensure the equipment is properly STOPPED and DE-ENERGIZED (locked out) per procedure. Reaching into running equipment — even 'carefully' or with a watcher — risks catastrophic injury (caught/crushed hands or limbs). The 476 VEA strongly emphasizes equipment safety; automated sorting machinery has powerful moving parts. Proper lockout/de-energizing procedures exist precisely to prevent the severe injuries that occur when workers reach into running equipment; following these procedures (never bypassing them for speed) is a critical, heavily weighted safety behavior.