How to choose the right workshop locker for your shop

Tools or PPE - what should the locker hold?

Start with the intended use. A tool locker with shelves and drawers is very different from a clothing or PPE locker with a hanging rail, shelf and ventilation. Mixing the two costs order and risks moisture damage.

Hand tools, machines and consumables call for shelves and drawers that carry higher point loads. Personal protective equipment such as overalls, safety shoes and a helmet instead needs height, hooks and good air flow so that damp or sweaty clothing can dry out.

• Tool locker: shelves, drawers, perforated panel for tool holders.
• PPE and clothing locker: hanging rail, hat and shoe shelf, optional mirror.
• Laundry locker with divider: separate bays for clean and used clothing.
• Combination locker: shelf on one side, hanging rail on the other.

How many bays and compartments make sense?

Compartment layout follows the number of users and the contents. Common bay widths are 300 and 400 mm, with an overall height of around 1800 mm plus a base or feet. A single 400 mm bay comfortably holds one person's PPE.

Adjustable shelves on a 25 to 30 mm pitch add a lot of flexibility. Watch the shelf load: plain shelves carry roughly 30 to 50 kg, reinforced versions up to 100 kg each. For heavy tools, drawers on telescopic slides pay off because they pull out fully and each carries its own load.

Why does ventilation matter so much?

Without air flow, moisture and odour build up inside a closed steel locker. Good PPE lockers therefore have air slots or punched hole rows at the top and bottom of door and body, so a chimney effect draws air upward.

The body is usually made of steel sheet 0.6 to 0.8 mm thick, powder-coated against corrosion. In damp or wet areas such as wash rooms, plastic or stainless-steel lockers are the better choice because they do not rust. A base or feet of about 100 to 150 mm keeps the body off the wet floor and makes cleaning easier.

• Air slots top and bottom for continuous ventilation.
• Powder coating for scratch and corrosion protection.
• Feet or a base against rising floor moisture.
• Optional sloping top stops dust and items being left on top.
• For wet areas: plastic or stainless steel instead of painted steel.

Which locking system suits your operation?

The locking system decides comfort and administrative effort. For fixed assignment a cylinder lock with two keys works well; for changing users a padlock hasp or a keyless combination lock is better.

A master key for management saves forced doors when a key is lost. Electronic locks with an RFID card or transponder remove key management entirely and can be reassigned centrally - the extra cost pays off above all with many users and frequent turnover.

Frequently asked questions