An apparatus for locking out an elevated bus plug includes an elongated member, a lockout device at a distal end portion of the elongated member and an actuator at a proximal end portion of the elongated member. The lockout device includes a housing, a channel in the housing that is sized and configured to receive a handle of the bus plug and a handle engagement mechanism connected to the housing. The handle engagement mechanism is configured to engage a handle of the bus plug that has been received in the channel responsive to actuation of the actuator.