Padlocks. We all use them, either to secure our garden sheds, cabinets and gates or to a fasten bike up with a chain – ensuring nobody pedals off on it! While they are a staple of protection and security in the home and garden, padlocks are also used by countless industries as a means of securing expensive equipment, which in the wrong hands, could be dangerous.
Here, we look at just a few of the many industries that use padlocks and what they use them for:
1. Leisure facilities
Whether you're going to the swimming pool, the gym or your local sports club after work, there is bound to be ample changing facilities for you to change into your swimwear or sports gear without everyone gawping. But, the question is, what do you do with your gym bag, car keys, wallet and phone?
Most sports and leisure centers have spacious lockers at every turn, meaning you can stow all your possessions inside. Having a decent padlock is crucial, though, as it will prevent other people from rummaging through your stuff, giving you the peace of mind that it's secure while you're working out.
2. Educational establishments
Ask any teacher or principal and they'll tell you that their number one priority is to ensure that students feel safe and secure, both inside and outside the building. That's why they use padlocks to secure the school gates – preventing strangers from walking onto the playground.
Many high schools, colleges and universities also have lockers for students to keep their sports kits, lunches or any other personal items that they don't want to lug around in their bag all day long. But, to keep their belongings safe, they need to secure the locker door with a padlock. Although a key locking padlock will do just fine, a combination padlock is often the more favorable option, as it removes the need to carry a key.
3. Offices
It's no secret that the office is a hub for private and confidential information – belonging to the company itself, employees or clients. As much as a filing cabinet will help you to organize your files and records, ensuring you can easily find them when you need them, it's not going to stop opportunistic criminals from rooting through them.
With that said, using padlocks to secure the premises on the outside is a no brainer and will make it difficult for intruders to even get in. However, a padlock can also be used to secure cabinets and cupboards, petty cash boxes and even laptops inside a safe.
4. Tradespeople
Basically, anyone who uses their van as an office and keeps their tools or professional equipment in the back will want to make sure that their vehicle is secure at all times. Whether this means storing tools inside a lockable chest, removing the equipment from the van overnight or parking (and locking) the vehicle in the garage and using a padlock.
