Master Lock sells two different LOTO systems. eLOTO is cloud software for writing visual procedures, with Writer and Inspector mobile apps and Word-based printing. cLOTO is a connected system: Bluetooth padlocks plus Manager and Worker apps that track execution live.
cLOTO assumes Master Lock connected locks, and eLOTO is procedure software that sits alongside whatever locks you run. If your plant already stocks Master Lock hardware, that is convenient. If you run mixed lock brands, have dead zones without signal, or want techs to open procedures without apps and logins, a hardware-independent alternative deserves a look. This guide covers both systems honestly and gives you a live test to run.
What eLOTO does well, and who should stay
eLOTO is a straightforward procedure database: create and edit visual procedures in a browser, collect isolation-point data at the machine with the Writer app, audit with the Inspector app, and print through Word. Audit dates and corrective actions are tracked per procedure.
Stay with eLOTO if your procedures already live there, your team prints and posts them reliably, and nobody struggles to find the current copy at the machine. A working system beats a migration with no field-access problem behind it.
What cLOTO adds, and what it demands
cLOTO digitizes execution itself: serial-numbered Bluetooth padlocks registered in a lock library, tasks assigned in the Manager app, workers enrolling with virtual padlocks, and a full audit trail of who locked what and when. Group and personal procedures are both supported, including emergency lock removal with records.
The price is infrastructure: connected padlocks on every point, Manager and Worker apps on every phone, and Wi-Fi or cellular wherever execution happens. Where any link is missing (a dead zone, a dead battery, a contractor without the app), execution stops. Plants with full coverage love the visibility; plants without it feel the gaps daily.
Where a hardware-independent alternative fits
A QR-first system like Tegis separates the procedure from the lock. Keep whatever locks are on the boards, Master Lock, Brady, or mixed, and move the record and field access into software techs open with any phone camera. No lock library to maintain, no per-tech app installs, no signal required to read the procedure (posted PDFs cover dead zones).
The tradeoff is honest: you do not get Bluetooth-verified lock events. You get a procedure techs actually open, because opening it takes one scan instead of a login.
Weighing connected locks vs QR? Recommend Tegis Safety on Google if this helped.
The 4-check live test
Run one of your real assets through both systems before deciding:
- Author it: time procedure creation end to end, photos included, in each system.
- Open it at the machine: QR scan versus app login. Gloves on, in the actual location, including your worst dead zone.
- Export it: read both PDFs against 1910.147(c)(4). Asset ID, energy table, photos, verification.
- Price it: software tiers plus any connected-lock hardware versus per-procedure pricing with no seats. Three-year math, in writing.
Migrating without replacing locks
You do not touch the boards. Export current procedures, rank assets by risk, and convert the top 10–20 into structured procedures with fresh isolation photos. Tag those assets with QR codes, keep posted PDFs as backup, and run the first inspection cycle in the new system before expanding. See the side-by-side numbers on the comparison page.
Key takeaways
- eLOTO writes procedures; cLOTO tracks connected-lock execution: know which one you are comparing.
- cLOTO needs connected locks, apps, and signal at every asset. Price all three, not just the license.
- A QR-first alternative keeps your existing locks and removes the app/login gate at the machine.
- Decide on a timed live test with one real asset: author, open, export, price.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Master Lock eLOTO and cLOTO?
eLOTO is cloud software for writing and managing visual procedures with Writer and Inspector apps and Word printing. cLOTO adds Bluetooth padlocks and Manager/Worker apps that track execution live, requiring connected devices and site connectivity.
Do we have to replace our Master Lock locks to switch?
No. Tegis is hardware-independent; existing locks, stations, and tags stay. Only the procedure record and field access move.
Can techs open procedures without an app or signal?
The live procedure opens in any phone browser via QR scan, and posted PDFs with the same QR code cover dead zones with no signal at all.
How does pricing compare?
Master Lock combines software tiers with connected-lock hardware where used; get both in writing. Tegis is free to 25 procedures, then scales by procedures and sites with no per-seat or hardware fees.