OSHA updated its agenda page and is saying it will publish an NPRM for the LOTO standard this December.
Recent technological advancements that employ computer-based controls of hazardous energy (e.g., mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, chemical, and radiation) conflict with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) existing lock-out/tag-out (LOTO) standard. The use of these computer-based controls has become more prevalent as equipment manufacturers modernize their designs to increase productivity. Additionally, National Consensus Standards have evolved, and international approaches to the use of computer-based controls are increasingly recognized. In light of these advancements, there is a need to modernize United States regulations to better align with current technologies, ensuring improved safety effectiveness and, indirectly, potential benefits such as increased operational efficiency.
OSHA issued a Request for Information (RFI) in May 2019 to understand the strengths and limitations of this new technology, as well as potential impacts on worker safety.
Source: https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=202504&RIN=1218-AD00
