Lockout/tagout system and method including multi-user lockout device with electronic locking and wireless control interface

A lockout/tagout method for respective workers performing a maintenance task in an industrial system, the lockout/tagout method implemented in a multi-user mechanical locking device, the lockout/tagout method comprising:

• wirelessly accepting a unique electronic locking command having a predetermined protocol at the multi-user mechanical locking device from each of two or more registered processor-based worker devices of the workers performing the maintenance task;
• in response to the accepted unique electronic locking commands, operating a lock actuator in the multi-user mechanical locking device to a lock position;
• wirelessly accepting a unique electronic unlocking command having a predetermined protocol at the multi-user mechanical locking device from each respective one of the two or more registered processor-based worker devices, wherein the multi-user mechanical locking device is restricted from accepting the unique electronic unlocking command during a predetermined time range;
• and
• in response to the accepted unlocking commands of the two or more registered processor-based worker devices, operating the lock actuator to an unlocked position.

A lockout/tagout system in an industrial system comprising:

• a multi-user lockout/tagout device including a mechanical locking element, a lock actuator acting upon the mechanical locking element, a processor-based control element, and a communication element configured to establish wireless communication with two or more registered processor-based worker devices configured to communicate with the multi-user lockout/tagout device, each registered processor-based worker device configured to issue an electronic locking command or an electronic unlocking command to the multi-user lockout/tagout device by respective workers responsible to perform a maintenance task in the industrial system;
• wherein the processor-based control element of the multi-user lockout/tagout device is configured to:
• wirelessly accept an electronic locking command from each of the two or more registered processor-based worker devices;
• in response to the accepted locking commands operate the lock actuator to lock the mechanical locking element;
• wirelessly accept a unique electronic unlocking command in a predetermined protocol from each respective one of the two or more registered processor-based worker devices, wherein the processor-based control element is restricted from accepting the unique electronic unlocking command during a predetermined time range;
• store electronic unlocking command data as each unique electronic unlocking command is accepted from each respective one of the two or more registered processor-based worker devices;
• and
• in response to the accepted unlocking commands of the two or more registered processor-based worker devices, operate the lock actuator to unlock the mechanical locking element.