From Permit to Platform—How CTRL WRK Turns Lockout/Tagout into an Autonomous IRM Use Case
A high-risk, paper-bound safety workflow finds new life on the ServiceNow platform—signaling a broader shift toward AI-enabled operational risk intelligence.
What was once a clipboard-bound safety task has now become a signal of something larger: the acceleration of Autonomous Integrated Risk Management (Autonomous IRM) through purpose-built, domain-native micro-apps. On June 2, CTRL WRK—a GenAI-powered “Control of Work” (CoW) application focused on lockout/tagout (LOTO) permitting—launched on the ServiceNow Store. While its function is precise, the implications are far-reaching.
This is more than digitization. It’s the embodiment of a broader market shift: from static compliance toward dynamic, AI-enabled risk management embedded directly into operational workflows.
The Problem: A High-Risk, Low-Visibility Workflow
In industrial environments, LOTO protocols are critical to isolating hazardous energy before maintenance or repair work begins. Yet in most organizations, this remains a paper-heavy, siloed procedure with limited visibility across shifts or concurrent work zones. One mistake—whether from oversight or lack of coordination—can lead to fatal consequences.
What’s more, the risk data generated from these controls rarely makes its way into enterprise-level risk intelligence systems. The result is a blind spot that defies even the most sophisticated IRM dashboards.
The Solution: CTRL WRK on ServiceNow
CTRL WRK, created by Aaron Callaway (also known for founding Fairchild Resiliency Systems), delivers an end-to-end CoW permitting solution natively on the Now Platform. Its key differentiator: it embeds GenAI directly into the permit creation and validation process, while integrating into ServiceNow’s existing risk, operations, and asset management workflows.
Key Capabilities Overview
Source: Wheelhouse Advisors
Where It Fits in IRM
CTRL WRK’s integration-first architecture directly addresses a common IRM gap: the disconnect between operational safety systems and enterprise risk functions. By feeding data into shared IRM tables, it eliminates the “last mile” problem that plagues most safety-related risk reporting.
IRM Integration Map
Source: Wheelhouse Advisors
This convergence—where risk is not merely reported but sensed, acted upon, and recorded autonomously—is at the heart of what defines Autonomous IRM.
Strategic Context: Small App, Big Signal
CTRL WRK is not just a workflow enhancement. It’s a case study in what’s next for risk platforms.
Platform-Native, Domain-Expert Design
CTRL WRK is built with domain specificity (CoW / LOTO) but aligned with a horizontal platform strategy. This mirrors the larger ServiceNow roadmap: letting specialist developers build vertically deep solutions that still integrate horizontally with enterprise risk, IT, and ops teams.
AI Governance Built-In
By deploying on the Now Platform, CTRL WRK gains access to ServiceNow’s AI Control Tower—a governance layer that enforces model guardrails and captures performance metrics. It’s not just AI-enabled; it’s AI-accountable.
Momentum Toward Autonomous IRM
GenAI in this case is not window dressing—it proposes plans, flags exceptions, and initiates workflows. These are the earliest signs of automation in risk controls that adapt in near-real time to operational complexity. The output is not simply risk data—it’s managed risk behavior.
As promising as CTRL WRK is, its broader adoption—and impact on IRM maturity—will depend on execution in the field.
What to Watch
Source: Wheelhouse Advisors
Bottom Line: A Model for IRM in Motion
CTRL WRK exemplifies the emerging class of AI-native, IRM-integrated domain apps. It doesn’t just automate risk reporting—it transforms a formerly manual safety process into a living source of risk intelligence.
For companies moving toward Autonomous IRM, this is the model: embed AI where work happens, ensure outputs feed unified data tables, and tie everything back to enterprise-level risk appetite and performance.
In this sense, CTRL WRK isn’t just digitizing LOTO. It’s rewriting the control narrative—from isolated compliance to integrated risk orchestration.
Source References
BusinessWire, “CTRL WRK Launches AI-Powered Control of Work App on ServiceNow Store,” June 2, 2025.
CTRL WRK Product Overview, ctrlwrk.com
ServiceNow AI Control Tower, Knowledge 2025 Keynote
