What should you do before leaving equipment unattended underground?

• A. Leave it running to maintain air flow.
• B. Shut down the equipment, engage parking brake, remove keys, and report.
• C. Disable safety interlocks.
• D. Place a warning sign and walk away.

Answer: (B)

The main idea is securing and shutting down equipment before you leave it. You should shut the machine down, engage the parking brake, remove the keys, and report what you did. This stops the equipment from moving or starting unexpectedly, reduces the risk of fires or injuries from a run-away machine, and creates a clear record that the unit is offline. It follows proper lockout/tagout practice so the machine can’t be re-energized until authorized. Leaving it running is unsafe because a moving or energized piece of equipment can injure someone or cause a hazardous situation. Disabling safety interlocks removes essential protections and is not allowed. Merely putting up a warning sign and walking away doesn’t physically secure the equipment or prevent restart.