The most successful steel companies are also the safest. Some have gone without any lost time injuries or fatalities for many years. High safety levels produce superior business performance because it is a difficult goal to achieve and requires excellence in all aspects of operations.

As a whole, the steel industry is regarded as one of the highest risk environments for workers. Heat, chemicals, noise and the immense power of large machinery combine to create an image that most people will not immediately associate with safety.

However, with a thorough implementation of safety measures suggested by the United Nation’s International Labour Organisation, it is possible to safely, and profitably, produce steel.

Most successful companies are already looking at how to combine proven safety tools, like personal protective gear and Lockout/Tagout for example.

Challenge

A large steel factory wants Lockout/Tagout that can be used while wearing personal protective equipment. The current situation requires workers to remove gloves temporarily in order to insert padlock keys. This custom is no longer considered acceptable.

Solution

Brady can propose its innovative SafeKey Padlocks with patented locking mechanism. This new mechanism allows for a much smoother key insertion and enables lock operation while wearing thick, heavy gloves.

Additionally, the padlock design includes a miniature keyhole brush to remove dust particles that would otherwise reduce the lock’s efficiency and usability over time. This is especially useful in industries that produce a lot of dust, like the steel industry.

SafeKey Padlocks also offer 100 000+ key and lock combinations, the highest available number for safety padlocks. Each SafeKey padlock and key can be unique to increase Lockout/Tagout safety, even when huge numbers of professionals are involved. All locks and key codes Brady supplies are charted over time for no additional charge. Large master and grand master keyed sets are available so that team leaders can open any lock in their team, and a safety manager can open any lock in the plant or company.

Result

Professionals can now easily apply Lockout/Tagout padlocks while wearing thick protective gloves. This increases employee safety and maintenance efficiency, and allows for faster isolation and re-energising of machinery.