Lockout tagout: Improving safety with digital systems

6 minutes16/04/2026

For those working on the production floor, implementing lockout tagout (LOTO) procedures during equipment maintenance or servicing can seem time-consuming or inconvenient.

Where companies or employees fail to control hazards, however, the risk of serious machine-related accidents is high. Failure to lockout equipment is believed to be involved in up to 10 per cent of industrial incidents according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Fortunately, although LOTO has traditionally focused on physical locks and tags, today, digital systems are augmenting the process, making safety not only easier but more effective and manageable.

What is lockout tagout?

Lockout tagout procedures are designed to avoid potential accidents that can occur during maintenance, servicing, repair, or inspection activities in the workplace. It involves locking equipment in the "off" position and tagging it to prevent accidental, premature re-energization.

After shutting down the system or machine, the technician locks the power mechanism with a physical LOTO padlock to ensure that it cannot be restarted. Next, a LOTO tag is attached providing information about the shutdown. This could include when the lockout was performed and by whom, how long it will be in place, and a description of the work being performed.

When is lockout tagout used?

The lockout tagout safety procedure disables machinery during maintenance, service, or repair by isolating energy sources. Of course this can relate to electrical energy, but there are also various other forms of hazardous energy that could harm people in the surrounding area if released. This can include any of the following types of energy: 

• Electrical 
• Hydraulic 
• Mechanical 
• Pneumatic 
• Thermal 
• Chemical

If equipment were to unexpectedly start up or release these forms of energy during service or maintenance it could lead to serious or even fatal injuries for those working on the machine or in the area.

This makes LOTO an essential safety procedure when working on production equipment such as conveyors, industrial mixers, and packaging machines or any form of rotating machinery. It is also used for high-voltage electrical systems, boilers and steam lines, as well as pneumatic tools and pressurized systems.

It can be particularly useful when more than one person is working on the system, or when contractors and external companies are working on site. For a full lockout tagout checklist designed to ensure you haven’t overlooked any safety issues, check out our article: Maintenance safety with lockout-tagout. 

What legislation covers LOTO?

In the EU, the Use of Work Equipment Directive (2009/104/EC) is crucial for the implementation of LOTO, mandating devices that can visibly separate equipment from its energy sources. EN ISO 14118 complements this by providing detailed specifications on how to control hazardous energy during machinery shutdown, isolation, and energy dissipation.

Although the UK has no specific regulations pertaining to LOTO, broader guidelines can be found in the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) 1974, which covers workplace safety.

In the US, lockout tagout procedures are detailed in OSHA standard 1910.147, which covers the control of hazardous energy. It specifically requires safety managers to establish and enforce an appropriate LOTO procedure. 

How are digital systems used during lockout tagout?

Today, in addition to physical procedures, many lockout tagout systems utilize digital technologies such as mobile apps, cloud computing, and real-time data analytics to support and enhance safety compliance. This results in various innovative applications including: 

Smart lockout solutions

Smart lockout devices utilize wireless technology such as Bluetooth, RFID, or IoT to enhance the traditional lockout process. There are various options to prevent unauthorized access including physical locks protected with passwords or fingerprint recognition; locks using near-field communication (NFC) technology; or smart padlocks that can be integrated with a mobile app so access can be controlled remotely.

Not only does this make it easy to implement safety measures but also to record activity. For example, IoT equipped devices can sense and send equipment status alerts to supervisors or provide an audit trail detailing who accessed the equipment and when. 

Digital tagout systems

Digital tags add another layer of safety by making information readily available. They can be scanned using a mobile device to access detailed information about the lockout including specific instructions, risks, safety measures, or even video resources.

By making critical information easy to access, digital tags ensure personnel understand and adhere to lockout procedures. 

Safety management software

Integrating lockout tagout systems with safety management software allows for tracking and visualization of LOTO measures and devices. This provides safety managers with access to centralized safety information so they can monitor lockout status, identify trends, and manage access efficiently.

Utilizing Quentic’s Control of Work software, for example, organizations can control risks and streamline equipment usage. By combining lockout tagout with other safety functions on a centralized platform, users can also create risk assessments, track incidents, organize audits, and evaluate and improve compliance more easily.

Improving LOTO compliance with digital solutions

Digital lockout tagout solutions provide a vital framework for managing compliance – both by ensuring that staff follow LOTO procedures accurately, but also by demonstrating that relevant safety regulations have been followed.

One of the primary benefits of digital lockout tagout is therefore its ability to automate and streamline compliance documentation. Digital systems provide comprehensive, time-stamped logs of all LOTO events, including who performed the lockout and when, which facilitates easier audits.

In addition to simplifying record keeping, digital LOTO systems also improve safety in real-time. Mobile devices enable guided, step-by-step workflows (including photo/video evidence), ensuring workers follow exact safety protocols. Meanwhile real-time tracking monitors events on the shopfloor so compliance issues and safety gaps can be addressed before they escalate into a serious issue.

Training is another area where digital systems support effective LOTO performance. Linking with a centralized safety system, for example, automates reminders for regular lockout tagout training, ensuring staff stay up to date with current safety protocols. Thus, by minimizing opportunities for human error and enhancing compliance with regulatory mandates, digital solutions encourage a proactive attitude towards safety.

To recap, digital lockout tagout solutions can offer the following advantages: 

1. Streamlined regulatory compliance: Digital LOTO systems simplify compliance with safety regulations by automating documentation and ensuring proper training. 
2. Real-time monitoring: Real-time updates on lockout and tagout procedures help eliminate safety issues. This also improves incident management and rapid response in case of emergencies. 
3. Accurate reporting: Data is logged automatically, so users can generate reports, track trends, and make data-led decisions regarding safety protocols. 
4. Streamlined training: Digital systems simplify training for existing and new employees, improving overall safety awareness. 
5. Clear communication: Digital solutions make it easy to communicate lockout/tagout status and procedures, reducing misunderstandings among team members. 

Risks of using legacy LOTO systems

For many years, paper-based lockout tagout systems have been the de-facto safety solution. They offered a simple and inexpensive way to protect workers from hazardous energy discharge during equipment maintenance. In today’s fast-paced industrial environment, however, managing a LOTO system with hand-written tags and paper forms or spreadsheets can create significant risk and frustration.

First and foremost, a manual system can result in lost or missing paperwork that creates dangerous safety gaps. Illegible handwriting, a missed signature, or incorrectly transcribed values all create potential problems with big consequences. Even when paperwork is correctly filled out and filed, information silos result in risks, particularly during shift handovers, or when temporary contractors are working on site.

Alongside the danger of harm to staff, paper-based systems also make regulatory compliance difficult. Lost or damaged records create noticeable gaps in an audit trail, as do any inconsistencies in printed LOTO procedure forms. During the audit process, this results in a frantic ‘paper-chase’ to get everything in order.

Meanwhile, on the plant floor, managing a paper-based LOTO system is time-consuming. The typical workflow for a single lockout can take 20 minutes to locate appropriate physical forms, collect the relevant signatures and file forms correctly. Although this might seem like a minor inconvenience, it all adds up, ultimately reducing productivity.

Finally, it’s worth remembering that when lockout tagout procedures fail, the consequences can be costly. Lockout tagout procedures prevent an estimated 120 worker fatalities and 50,000 injuries each year in the United States. 

4 key benefits only digital LOTO can offer

Proper, easy-to-follow lockout tagout procedures save lives. They should be easily understood, easy to implement, and easy to follow. No matter how well designed your system, however, there are some benefits that only a digital lockout tagout system can provide:

Context-sensitive support – mobile-friendly solutions can guide workers through the lockout tagout process in real-time. This could include a guided workflow, digital checklists, access to video resources, and real-time alerts for technicians and safety supervisors. This helps to identify issues and address them in-the-moment.

Automated data collection – digital LOTO solutions automate the process of tracking and documenting lockout tagout activities. This makes it possible to track key metrics such as duration of equipment downtime and adherence to safety protocols. Detailed reports help to evaluate the efficacy of existing procedures and pinpoint risks.

Real-time visibility – connected lockout tagout solutions provide real-time visibility for supervisors and safety managers. This makes it possible to visualize the lockout process, spot issues at-a-glance, and provide support when needed. For workers, it provides accountability along with the ability to document issues with photo evidence.

Actionable analytics – digital lockout tagout systems provide invaluable data from the plant room that can be used to implement process improvements. Advanced analytics can pinpoint trends and patterns, identify the root cause of problems and support proactive change to ensure LOTO processes are followed correctly and potential injuries are reduced. 

Ready to implement digital lockout tagout?

Digital lockout tagout solutions provide value to both frontline workers and safety leaders. With Quentic Control of Work you can organize and secure high-risk work processes, ensuring everyone from plant room staff to EHS professionals are on the same page. LOTO procedures can be effectively planned, approved, and executed without causing unforeseen interruptions to daily work routines.

The result is a safer workplace, increased productivity, and actionable data for improved compliance and change management.