Connected Lockout/Tagout

LOTO is critical and complex, but businesses have new technology solutions to ensure compliance and safety. What’s involved?

• By David Kopf
• Nov 19, 2024

Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) is an essential set of procedures are critical to safeguarding workers from hazardous energy during maintenance and servicing activities. 

OSHA mandates the use of LOTO practices to prevent the unexpected startup or release of stored energy that can result in severe injuries or fatalities. According to OSHA’s standards (29 CFR 1910.147), LOTO procedures must be implemented whenever workers are exposed to machinery or equipment that could unexpectedly energize, start up, or release hazardous energy, putting them at risk of serious harm.

LOTO protects workers by ensuring that machinery or equipment remains fully de-energized and secured during maintenance or servicing. This process prevents accidental startup and controls various types of hazardous energy sources, including electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical, and thermal energy. Without LOTO, workers are vulnerable to severe injuries, such as electrocution, crushing, burns, and amputations.

In OSHA-compliant LOTO, equipment must be shut off and disconnected from its energy sources before any work is performed. Employees must apply locks and tags to control these energy sources and verify the isolation before beginning work. Also, only authorized personnel are permitted to remove locks, ensuring that only trained individuals can manage hazardous energy safely.

Technology Solutions

However, LOTO methods rely on physical locks, tags, and manual documentation, which, while effective, can lead to inefficiencies and potential errors, especially in large-scale or high-risk operations. Ensuring compliance can get particularly knotty in large facilities or operations with intricate machinery and multiple energy sources. 

Not surprisingly, companies recognize the need to modernize their LOTO processes can streamline safety procedures, improve efficiency, and reduce the risk of accidents, making innovative approaches a valuable asset in today’s demanding safety landscape. So, digital solutions have emerged to help facilitate streamlined, accountable, and data-driven safety practices. By integrating digital tools, such as mobile applications, real-time dashboards, and tamper-resistant locks, companies can create safer environments and simplify compliance with regulatory requirements.

The latest innovation: Connected LOTO. Connected LOTO systems incorporate a combination of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, mobile applications, cloud platforms, and real-time data analytics to enhance safety and efficiency. Some key elements of connected LOTO: 

• IoT-enabled locks and sensors form the core of these systems, providing real-time monitoring of lockout points and reporting status updates, which can help prevent unauthorized access or accidental re-energization. 

• Mobile apps empower workers to access LOTO procedures, track lockouts, and verify equipment status from anywhere, making it easier to follow protocols in complex or multi-site facilities. 

• Cloud-based platforms centralize LOTO data, enabling remote management, digital record-keeping, and streamlined compliance reporting. 

• Real-time analytics offer insights into LOTO patterns, allowing companies to proactively address recurring issues and optimize safety practices. 

Connected LOTO

Together, these technologies enable a comprehensive, connected approach to LOTO that traditional methods alone cannot achieve. Some example scenarios: 

• In a manufacturing facility, connected LOTO allows technicians to lock out electrical panels on high-voltage equipment remotely, ensuring real-time monitoring and alerts to prevent accidental re-energization.

• At a chemical processing plant, maintenance teams use connected LOTO to coordinate lockouts across multiple shifts, accessing real-time status updates to verify that all hazardous energy sources remain securely isolated during repairs.

• In a large distribution warehouse, connected LOTO enables supervisors to oversee the lockout of conveyor systems from a central dashboard, providing immediate visibility into each lock’s status and ensuring compliance across a fast-paced, multi-worker environment.

For companies interested in exploring connected Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) solutions, a good first step is to conduct a needs assessment of their current LOTO procedures to identify gaps where technology could improve safety, compliance, and efficiency. 

Several prominent vendors offer connected Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) products that incorporate digital and IoT capabilities to enhance safety and compliance. Master Lock provides the cLOTO solution, a system that enables real-time monitoring and control of lockout points via an integrated app and digital lock components, designed to streamline LOTO for complex facilities. Brady Corporation offers comprehensive LOTO devices and services, including its LINK360 software, which centralizes procedure management and allows companies to update and verify lockout procedures digitally. Another key player, SEAM Group (recently acquired by ABB), provides digital LOTO solutions that use QR code scanning for easy access to lockout information, ensuring real-time oversight of all lockout points. For more specialized applications, Rockwell Automation supports industrial facilities with a range of customized LOTO device recommendations and program management tools, assisting companies in meeting safety standards through tailored, connected solutions. Products like these reflect the diverse capabilities and applications that connected LOTO systems bring to modern safety management.

This article originally appeared in the November/December 2024 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.