Lockers are essential in many different industries. Whether it’s in a commercial setting like a warehouse or distribution center, a high school or college, an apartment complex, or a leisure center, different applications require different kinds of locks for the best kind of security. And the choices you make to help your employees, guests, tenants or customers feel safe can make all the difference.

 

Warehouse and Distribution Center Lockers.

 

Let’s start with warehouses, distribution centers, and other places where employees need to check their valuables at the door, or in this case locker, before the workday begins. In this scenario you can assign a specific locker to an employee, provide a key or code, and then reassign that locker when the employee no longer works at that site. As the chance of theft in this scenario is relatively low (access to the building is already secured, and stealing would lead to instant termination), these locks don’t usually have to be high end and expensive. The one exception to that rule is law enforcement, or any other instance when weapons need to be locked down or evidence needs to be strictly controlled. Here, automated electronic lockers that monitor each transaction need to be used, and while those are much more expensive, they are absolutely essential.

 

 

High School, College, Corporate Office, and Apartment Complex Lockers.

 

You know that these lockers are going to be assigned to one user for a given period of time. However, the kind of security you need here varies depending on the situation. In high schools and colleges, most of the time students are looking for a quick way to secure and grab books and valuables between classes. So, speed of access has to be considered here. Most of the time, allowing a student to bring their own lock is the simplest solution. They quickly know how to lock and unlock it, trust it, and it’s a cost the institution does not have to take on. With corporate offices and apartment complexes you need to take into account other factors, such as security concerns once the employee or tenant has left. The ability to easily reprogram these lockers is perhaps the biggest consideration, and is the reason keys are outdated. The time and cost to recode rather than rekey is considerably less.

 

Gym, Leisure Center, Hotel, Resort, Casino, Hospital, and Airport Lockers.

 

These kinds of lockers have multiple users per week, or even per day. Now, you obviously want to give the users a solid sense of security, but you also need to take into consideration the type of person using the locker and the environment it’s in. Airports, hotels, resorts, casinos, and hospitals are high traffic areas with minimal security and therefore pose a much more significant risk of theft. Anyone can wander into a locker area and try their luck, and so you need reliable, solid locks that are both trustworthy and yet easy to recode or lock/unlock for the next user. With gyms and leisure centers, a membership card is usually required to get to the locker area, and here you can give the option to let members supply their own lock, or give them the chance to program their own 4-digit code or combination into the locker.

 

There are other places that can utilize lockers, but they will no doubt fall into one of the scenarios listed above. So, knowing what kind of environment your lockers are in, let’s take a look at some of the locking solutions available to you.

 

Locker Locks: Choose Your Level Of Security.

 

Every locker lock available is ideal for one kind of application. Whether you’re looking for high tech security with all the bells and whistles, or something that simply stops an opportunistic thief in their tracks, you have a wide variety of options to choose from.

 

Electronic Keypad Locker Locks

 

Available with or without high-visibility screens, easily reprogrammable key codes, and even anti-jamming features, these locks give users a high level of security for their valuables, and the code can be shared via text or email in seconds. When the tenant or guest leaves, creating a new code for the next occupant can be done just as quickly, and there is always a unique master code in case of emergency. They can also be coupled with key fob access. With long battery life and the ability to retrofit to older styles of locker, this is a versatile and cost-effective solution.

 

Mechanical Combination Locks with Key Controls

 

One of the most affordable kinds of locker locks on the market, this kind of lock comes with either a simple grip-and-pull dial or a series of dials, and a key override for supervisor access. Some come with a set of preset combinations, others allow the user to set and reset their own combination, which is ideal for gyms, leisure centers, pools and other facilities with many different users per day. This low-cost solution is often available in bulk for even more savings.

 

RFID Electronic Locks

 

More commonly known as key card locks, these locks are some of the most secure and versatile electronic locks on the market. With flexible programming for shared and permanent use, supervisor controls, and the ability to be mounted on almost any kind of material, they offer safe and secure locker access to employees, tenants, and other users. They also have the very same security levels used in banking smart cards.

 

Fingerprint Access Locks (AKA Biometric)

 

State-of-the-art technology has arrived in the form of programmable fingerprint locks. Whether on a padlock or permanently-mounted lock, these are useful on a wide variety of applications including job sites, shared lockers, IT server rooms and much more. With the ability to easily add and remove users, and monitor access history of every use, they offer some of the most advanced locker security around. You can also use them with the latest smartphone apps, and hand out one time use codes that expire.

 

Bluetooth Access Locks

 

One of the rising stars of the locker lock world is the Bluetooth access lock. Eliminating the need for keys and codes, a Bluetooth lock requires the use of a smartphone to open the lock (and as everyone has a smartphone these days, it’s the reason this kind of access is becoming so popular). Bluetooth locks and padlocks can be monitored by an app or on a computer, and keep a record of who is gaining access and when. The pricing of these locks makes them an expensive option, but as the technology develops the prices will drop sharply. These locks are ideal for real estate (home showings) and facilities management.

 

Coin Locks

 

Available in two different kinds of locks - coin return and coin deposit - these locker locks give the users a key when a coin is placed into the slot. The latter is an interesting proposition for the owner as it can generate income, but the downside is it may discourage users from using the lock altogether. Perhaps the best application for this kind of lock is in jails, or in high-traffic areas like theme parks and stadiums.

 

Key Locks

 

Whether as a built-in locker lock, or as a padlock, a key lock is perhaps the most traditional of all locks available on the market. A low budget option, it does have the advantage of being the simplest to deploy. Simply fit, hand out a key, and you’re done. However, key locks do have a series of disadvantages. A pair of bolt cutters will quickly take care of most padlocks in seconds, and you also have to deal with replacement keys and rekeying locks when the users change.

 

Hidden Shackle Padlocks

 

As the name suggests, the lock body conceals the shackle making any attempts to pry and cut the lock impossible. These locks are also virtually impossible to pick, and come with reinforced bodies for added security. The drawback is that the design makes them useful only for certain applications, such as trailers, vans, business gates and storefronts. You would need to do some after-market modifications on your lockers to utilize this kind of lock.

 

So, there you have it. Eight different kinds of locks are available to you depending on your specific situation, location, customers/users, and budget. As technology continues to progress, the “smart” options will become much more affordable and easier to come by. However, there’s always going to be a need for the traditional mechanical combination locks and keys; they’ve been around for centuries with good reason, and continue to offer safety and security for almost every kind of application imaginable. And if you need any assistance choosing the best locker lock, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our experts here at Global Industrial.

 

Locker Locks: Choose Your Level Of Security.

 

Every locker lock available is ideal for one kind of application. Whether you’re looking for high tech security with all the bells and whistles, or something that simply stops an opportunistic thief in their tracks, you have a wide variety of options to choose from.

 

Electronic Keypad Locker Locks

 

Available with or without high-visibility screens, easily reprogrammable key codes, and even anti-jamming features, these locks give users a high level of security for their valuables, and the code can be shared via text or email in seconds. When the tenant or guest leaves, creating a new code for the next occupant can be done just as quickly, and there is always a unique master code in case of emergency. They can also be coupled with key fob access. With long battery life and the ability to retrofit to older styles of locker, this is a versatile and cost-effective solution.

 

Mechanical Combination Locks with Key Controls

 

One of the most affordable kinds of locker locks on the market, this kind of lock comes with either a simple grip-and-pull dial or a series of dials, and a key override for supervisor access. Some come with a set of preset combinations, others allow the user to set and reset their own combination, which is ideal for gyms, leisure centers, pools and other facilities with many different users per day. This low-cost solution is often available in bulk for even more savings.

 

RFID Electronic Locks

 

More commonly known as key card locks, these locks are some of the most secure and versatile electronic locks on the market. With flexible programming for shared and permanent use, supervisor controls, and the ability to be mounted on almost any kind of material, they offer safe and secure locker access to employees, tenants, and other users. They also have the very same security levels used in banking smart cards.

 

Fingerprint Access Locks (AKA Biometric)

 

State-of-the-art technology has arrived in the form of programmable fingerprint locks. Whether on a padlock or permanently-mounted lock, these are useful on a wide variety of applications including job sites, shared lockers, IT server rooms and much more. With the ability to easily add and remove users, and monitor access history of every use, they offer some of the most advanced locker security around. You can also use them with the latest smartphone apps, and hand out one time use codes that expire.

 

Bluetooth Access Locks

 

One of the rising stars of the locker lock world is the Bluetooth access lock. Eliminating the need for keys and codes, a Bluetooth lock requires the use of a smartphone to open the lock (and as everyone has a smartphone these days, it’s the reason this kind of access is becoming so popular). Bluetooth locks and padlocks can be monitored by an app or on a computer, and keep a record of who is gaining access and when. The pricing of these locks makes them an expensive option, but as the technology develops the prices will drop sharply. These locks are ideal for real estate (home showings) and facilities management.

 

Coin Locks

 

Available in two different kinds of locks - coin return and coin deposit - these locker locks give the users a key when a coin is placed into the slot. The latter is an interesting proposition for the owner as it can generate income, but the downside is it may discourage users from using the lock altogether. Perhaps the best application for this kind of lock is in jails, or in high-traffic areas like theme parks and stadiums.

 

Key Locks

 

Whether as a built-in locker lock, or as a padlock, a key lock is perhaps the most traditional of all locks available on the market. A low budget option, it does have the advantage of being the simplest to deploy. Simply fit, hand out a key, and you’re done. However, key locks do have a series of disadvantages. A pair of bolt cutters will quickly take care of most padlocks in seconds, and you also have to deal with replacement keys and rekeying locks when the users change.

 

Hidden Shackle Padlocks

 

As the name suggests, the lock body conceals the shackle making any attempts to pry and cut the lock impossible. These locks are also virtually impossible to pick, and come with reinforced bodies for added security. The drawback is that the design makes them useful only for certain applications, such as trailers, vans, business gates and storefronts. You would need to do some after-market modifications on your lockers to utilize this kind of lock.

 

So, there you have it. Eight different kinds of locks are available to you depending on your specific situation, location, customers/users, and budget. As technology continues to progress, the “smart” options will become much more affordable and easier to come by. However, there’s always going to be a need for the traditional mechanical combination locks and keys; they’ve been around for centuries with good reason, and continue to offer safety and security for almost every kind of application imaginable. And if you need any assistance choosing the best locker lock, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our experts here at Global Industrial.

 

The information contained in this article is for informational, educational, and promotional purposes only and is based on information available as of the initial date of publication. It is the reader’s responsibility to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, rules, codes and regulations. If there is any question or doubt in regard to any element contained in this article, please consult a licensed professional.  Under no circumstances will Global Industrial® be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on this article.