Connected Lockout: The Smart Solution to Modern Lockout Challenges

Two safety padlocks in a cable lock, in a factory setting

As industries like manufacturing, healthcare and utilities become increasingly digital, lockout programs must evolve to keep the pace. Modern manufacturing and distribution facilities rely on more automation than ever before, which introduces greater complexity and new considerations around compliance. Yet as facilities continue to modernize, lockout programs remain relatively unchanged, relying on written procedures, manual key charting, and hands-on personnel tracking to maintain a safe working environment and sustain regulatory compliance requirements such as 1910.147.

While traditional lockout programs have protected teams from hazardous energy for decades, new digital innovations are poised to improve safety and efficiency for the operational complexity of modern facilities.

Industry Trends Driving Change to Lockout Programs

Maintaining and updating lockout policies, procedures and training is one of the most significant challenges an organization can face. As generational gaps in the workforce and global operations continue to grow, there is a need to modernize lockout tagout procedures.

The aging workforce: Experienced workers have institutional knowledge of lockout procedures. But as the aging workforce begins to retire, how will that knowledge be transferred? Studies estimate that lack of knowledge transfer could cost large businesses $47 million per year.¹This loss of knowledge will lead to inefficiencies and gaps in key processes, which poses a threat to safety.
Widening skill gaps: As younger generations enter the workforce, they often expect to use digital tools and automated workflows, when in reality they are met with paper documentation and short training cycles. In a recent survey, 57% of baby boomers said they had shared less than half of the knowledge needed to perform their job with those who would assume those responsibilities after they retire.²If a worker is injured because they aren’t properly trained on procedures to control hazardous energy while servicing or maintaining equipment, it could lead to significant workers comp costs for medical care and wage replacement.
Growing global operations: Companies are also more globally integrated than ever before with maintenance teams operating across multiple regions and facilities. Supervisors may even be remote, which increases the complexity of managing and verifying LOTO compliance. Without centralized, real-time visibility into lockout activities, organizations will face higher risk and reduced accountability.

The Hidden Risks of Paper-Based LOTO Programs

OSHA 1910.147 requires organizations to develop written documentation to ensure equipment reaches a zero-energy state during service and maintenance. Developing written procedures is the first step on the journey to developing a safe and compliant lockout program. Routine periodic inspections of the equipment and specific procedures are essential to ensuring accuracy as personnel and processes change. Paper documentation for internal procedures can quickly become outdated, making it difficult to verify compliance with OSHA audits and leading to costly violations and downtime.

Written lockout procedures must also be maintained across different lines and sites, which can cause gaps in training programs and inconsistencies between facilities. Without a centralized method to reference and update procedures, foundational knowledge can often be lost, impacting business continuity and safety. However, with digitized documentation and procedures, it’s easier than ever to create and modify lockout programs.

What is “Connected Lockout”?

Connected lockout transforms traditional lockout programs by digitizing written procedures to meet the modern technology needs of today, ensuring that lockout activities are recorded in real-time on a centralized platform. As the leader in locks and safety solutions for more than 100 years, Master Lock continues to set the standard for workplace safety with Connected Lockout Tagout (cLOTO™).

Master Lock’s digital lockout tagout solution is designed to:

Reduce risk with digital tools that drive the accurate and complete application of lockout procedures, mitigating errors along the way.
Increase program efficiency by reducing manual processes and providing visibility into all LOTO activity with real-time dashboards.
Ensure employee compliance with digital record generation and reporting of all lockout activity.

This innovative software empowers teams to access procedures, assign tasks to workers, and view performance metrics from a tablet, smartphone or desktop. Employees can easily access comprehensive LOTO procedures from mobile devices, ensuring they’re working toward a verified state of zero energy and protecting themselves for the maintenance task ahead. Digital lockout also provides managers with remote visibility, so they can support employee safety in the moment by observing lockout activity from anywhere.

Connected lockout tagout also captures and preserves institutional knowledge, helping to standardize lockout processes, driving accurate execution of programs and bridging the skill gap between experienced technicians and new employees. After making the initial investment in our digital lockout tagout solution, cLOTO can help you save financially over time by reducing workplace incidents from improper LOTO procedures and the costly workers’ compensation claims that come with them.

Importantly, connected lockout programs don’t require an all or nothing transition plan. You can integrate safety lockout locks used in your existing LOTO program into Master Lock’s digital lockout/tagout software, so you can modernize your procedures without disrupting operations.

The Master Lock Advantage: Partners in Safety and Compliance

As workplace and electrical safety continue to evolve, compliance is no longer enough — it’s essential to adapt through change. Master Lock partners with organizations to futureproof their LOTO programs by combining hardware, intelligent software and expert safety services. Contact our professional safety services team to evaluate your program or request a demo of the cLOTO solution and take the next step toward a safer, more connected workplace.