Which Padlock Would YOU Pick?

You may or may not be surprised at just how many people are utilising latch locking in their locker systems. Often times in the office, or in gyms, or in industry, the padlock option is superior to the standard key lock that is provided with most lockers.

In some cases the users are asked to buy their own padlock. This has its pros and cons. Yes, it’s cheaper and requires minimal management, but then a lost key or a resigned staff member means the trusty bolt cutters are needed in order to access the locker they were using. Sometimes, the workplace or “owner” of the lockers supply the padlocks, but then the cost of the inevitable replacements will surely start to add up. Statewide has decided to tackle this problem pragmatically, and we have brought two new padlocks into our range that tackle the logistical issues that users face when dealing with potentially hundreds of padlocks in a workplace.

The Heavy Duty Padlock with Master Key Override and Barrel Exchange Option

Heavy Duty Padlock in Flush Latch Lock

Heavy Duty Padlock in Standard Latch Lock

The first in the new padlock lineup is known as the Heavy Duty Padlock. It a sturdy little beast made of zinc alloy with a chrome finish. The shackle is 8mm hardened steel. The beauty of this padlock is that you can buy a master key that will open any of the padlocks that you purchase of the range. The benefit of this should be obvious. No more destroyed padlocks just because a staff member forgets to bring in their keys that day! Any admin or authorised individual can open the padlock. There are also security benefits to this. For example, in a school setting where a teacher may need to access a locker for an Epi-Pen or simply to do a locker inspection, the master key will enable this without needing the students personal key.

The second optional feature of this padlock is the barrel exchange option. This truly sets the lock apart from other padlocks, as in the event that the locker user leaves without returning keys or the keys are lost, you will be able to replace the barrel of the padlock instead of the entire padlock. Even though this is a fantastic upgrade, there is no additional cost to this feature other than the cost of purchasing new barrels, which in a corporate or large locker environment, most people would buy extra in preparation anyway. Imagine needing a new lock and having no down time on the changeover! It does need a barrel exchange key to remove the old barrel and insert the new one, but this would be stored next to your master key.

Download Spec Sheet for Heavy Duty Padlock [PDF]

Pros:

• Strong and attractive body.
• Non-destructive ways of opening the lock (barrel exchange key or master key).
• Won’t need replacing if user loses the keys, if barrel exchange option is selected.
• Fits the Statewide flush mount locks and standard latch locks.
• Affordable
• Easy key management.
• Can stock up on extra barrels if forward thinking.

Cons:

• Generally requires the business who owns the lockers to also purchase the padlocks which may otherwise have been an expense put onto the locker users.

The Combination Padlock with Master Key Override

Combination Padlock in Flush Mount Latch Lock

Combination Padlock in Standard Latch Lock

The next padlock from Statewide Office Furniture is the sleek, black combination padlock with master key override. This lock is filled with features you would expect from a quality padlock. A 6.3mm hardened steel shackle, 4 dial combination, tool-free user changeable combination, and of course the ability to unlock the padlock in the event of a forgotten combination with the override key.

But what are features, if they aren’t translated into benefits for the user?

The 4 dial combination means there are 10,000 possible combinations (well, 9999 but let’s not get technical). This is superior to 3 dial combination locks with only 1000 possible combinations. Takes a lot longer for a nefarious individual to crack into this lock!

The tool-free code changing makes changing the code a breeze. Once in the unlock position, the user can change the code at will, an unlimited amount of times.

The fact that it’s a combination lock means that there are NO KEYS FOR THE USER. NONE. The only key for this little padlock is the master key. There will be no padlock replacements, no barrel replacements, and no key replacements. The master key can sit in a drawer or a safe until such a time as it’s needed.

Download Spec Sheet for Combination Padlock [PDF]

Pros:

• Aside from the master key/s, there is no key management required.
• Strong and durable lock.
• Fits the Statewide flush mount latch and standard latch locks.
• 4 dials make cracking the code take a lot longer than cheaper 3 dial options.
• Tool-free user changing means there is no time wasted on site setting new codes for new users or helping existing users change the codes.

Cons:

• Slightly more costly than normal padlocks, due to the mechanics of it.
• Lead times currently are a bit longer as they are supplied to order. This may change in the future depending on customer requirements!

So back to the original question of the article. Which padlock would YOU pick?