Lockout/tagout system and method including multi-user lockout device with electronic locking and wireless control interface
Lockout/tagout devices are configured to receive multi-user, electronically generated locking and unlocking commands over wireless interfaces to realize lockout safety chains of a desired length to assure worker safety in an industrial system. Electronically implemented systems and methods are also disclosed providing for enhanced worker safety, increased security, and improved lockout/tagout oversight involving a reduced number of locking devices and with fewer complications compared to conventional lockout/tagout devices, systems and processes.
1 . A multi-user lockout/tagout device for a lockout safety chain in an industrial system, the multi-user lockout/tagout device comprising:
a mechanical locking element;
a lock actuator acting upon the mechanical locking element; and
a processor-based control element in communication with the lock actuator to selectively control a position of the lock actuator with respect to the mechanical locking element when the mechanical locking element is coupled to a device in the industrial system, wherein the processor-based control element is configured to:
wirelessly accept an electronic locking command from each of a number n of processor-based worker devices of respective workers responsible to perform a maintenance task in the industrial system;
store electronic locking command data as each electronic locking command is accepted, and in response to the accepted locking commands operate the lock actuator to lock the mechanical locking element;
wirelessly accept an electronic unlocking command from each of the same number n of processor-based worker devices of respective workers responsible to perform a maintenance task in the industrial system only when the unlocking commands are received in a particular order from at least some of the number n of processor-based worker devices;
store electronic unlocking command data as each electronic unlocking command is accepted, and in response to the accepted unlocking commands operate the lock actuator to unlock the mechanical locking element;
wherein the number n is an integer greater than 1 to realize the lockout safety chain of a desired length; and
wherein locking and unlocking of the lock actuator in the lockout safety chain only occurs when all locking and unlocking commands are received from each number n of processor-based worker devices.
2 . The multi-user lockout/tagout device of claim 1 , further comprising a display providing lockout data corresponding to the accepted locking commands.
3 . The multi-user lockout/tagout device of claim 1 , further comprising a communication element, the communication element configured to receive an electronic locking command or an electronic unlocking command.
4 . The multi-user lockout/tagout device of claim 3 , wherein the communication element is configured to conduct near field communication or short range communication with the number n of processor-based worker devices.
5 . The multi-user lockout/tagout device of claim 1 , further comprising a machine readable element identifying the multi-user lockout/tagout device to each of the number n of processor-based worker devices.
6 . The multi-user lockout/tagout device of claim 1 , further comprising a battery, and the processor-based control element further configured to communicate a state of charge of the battery.
7 . The multi-user lockout/tagout device of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical locking element is a padlock shank.
8 . A lockout/tagout system for a lockout safety chain in an industrial system comprising:
a multi-user mechanical locking device including a locking element, a lock actuator, a processor-based control element, and a communication element configured to establish one of near field communication or short-range communication with a number n of processor-based worker devices configured to communicate with the multi-user mechanical locking device, each processor-based worker device configured to issue an electronic locking command or an electronic unlocking command to the multi-user mechanical locking device by respective workers responsible to perform a maintenance task in the industrial system;
wherein the processor-based control element of the multi-user mechanical locking device is configured to:
wirelessly accept an electronic locking command from each of the number n of processor-based worker devices;
in response to the accepted locking commands operate a lock actuator to lock the mechanical locking element;
wirelessly accept an electronic unlocking command from each of the same number n of processor-based worker devices only when the unlocking commands are received in a particular order from at least some of the number n of processor-based worker devices; and
in response to the accepted unlocking commands operate the lock actuator to unlock the mechanical locking element;
wherein the number n is an integer greater than 1 to realize the lockout safety chain of a desired length; and
wherein locking and unlocking of the lock actuator in the lockout safety chain only occurs when all locking and unlocking commands are received from each number n of processor-based worker devices.
9 . The lockout/tagout system of claim 8 , further comprising a display providing lockout data corresponding to the accepted locking commands.
10 . The lockout/tagout system of claim 8 , wherein the number n of processor-based worker devices is selected from the a group of processor-based devices including a smart phone, a tablet device, a laptop computer, or a notebook computer.
11 . The lockout/tagout system of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the number n of processor-based worker devices has a cellular communication capability.
12 . The lockout/tagout system of claim 8 , further in communication with a SCADA system.
13 . The lockout/tagout system of claim 8 , wherein the multi-user mechanical locking device further comprises a battery, and wherein the processor-based control element is further configured to communicate a state of charge of the battery.
14 . The lockout/tagout system of claim 8 , wherein the mechanical locking element is a padlock shank.
15 . A lockout/tagout method for a lockout safety chain in an industrial system to ensure the safety of respective workers responsible to perform a maintenance task in the industrial system, lockout/tagout method comprising;:
establishing the lockout safety chain of a desired length via a processor-based, multi-user mechanical locking device attached to a device establishing a safe working position in the industrial system by:
wirelessly accepting an electronic locking command at the multi-user mechanical locking device from each of the a number n of processor-based worker devices;
in response to the accepted locking commands, operating a lock actuator acting upon a mechanical locking element in the multi-user mechanical locking device to a lock position;
wirelessly accepting an electronic unlocking command at the multi-user mechanical locking device from each of the same number n of processor-based worker devices only when the unlocking commands are received in a particular order from at least some of the number n of processor-based worker devices; and
in response to the accepted unlocking commands operating the lock actuator to an unlocked position;
wherein the number n is an integer greater than 1 to realize the lockout safety chain of the desired length; and
wherein locking and unlocking of the lock actuator in the lockout safety chain only occurs when all locking and unlocking commands are received from each number n of processor-based worker devices.
16 . The lockout/tagout method of claim 15 , further comprising displaying lockout data corresponding to the accepted locking commands.
17 . The lockout/tagout method of claim 15 , further comprising communicating lockout data corresponding to the accepted locking commands to a SCADA system.
18 . The lockout/tagout method of claim 15 , wherein the processor-based, multi-user mechanical locking device includes a battery, the method further comprising communicating a state of charge of the battery to at least one of the processor-based worker devices.
19 . The lockout/tagout method of claim 15 , wherein the processor-based, multi-user mechanical locking device includes a machine readable element, the method further including:
reading the machine readable element with at least one of the number n of processor-based worker devices; and
issuing an electronic locking command or an electronic locking command using data retrieved from the machine readable element.
20 . The lockout/tagout method of claim 15 , wherein the mechanical locking element is a padlock shank.
21. The multi-user lockout/tagout device of claim 1 , wherein two or more registered processor-based worker devices are configured for peer-to-peer communication, whereby at least a first one of the two or more registered processor-based worker devices may issue an unlocking command at a location remote from the lockout/tagout device to a second one of the two or more registered processor-based worker devices at the location of the lockout/tagout device.