The robot must always be powered down during inspection.

• A. Sometimes
• B. Not specified
• C. True
• D. False

Answer: (D)

In inspections, safety depends on controlling risk, not simply on power state. It isn’t correct to say a robot must always be powered down during inspection. There are times when you perform inspection with power on, as long as appropriate safety controls are in place. For example, you might visually inspect wiring, guards, and sensors while the robot is in a safe state, or run non-kinematic checks and sensor calibrations at reduced speed or in a maintenance-safe mode. In those cases, safeguards such as safety interlocks, defined safe operating modes, reduced-speed limits, monitored stops, and easy access to an E-stop are used to prevent unexpected motion.

Of course, electrical servicing or any task that could be hazardous due to energized circuits or motion should involve de-energizing and applying lockout/tagout. But the blanket requirement that inspections must always be done with the robot powered down is not aligned with practical safety procedures, which rely on choosing the appropriate state and controls for the specific inspection task.