In short:
- Start from the job: a yard gate, a container door, a cage inside the warehouse and a roller shutter each need something different.
- EN 12320 gives padlocks a security grade from 1 to 6 and a corrosion grade. Makers' own scales only compare locks within that brand.
- The less shackle that's exposed, the harder it is to attack, but closed and shrouded padlocks only fit fittings designed for them.
- Plan keying before you buy: keyed to differ, keyed alike or master keyed. We don't cut keys, so it can't be added later.
- A lost padlock key on a business site usually means replacing the padlock, so keep a register.
Padlocks on an industrial site
Isando, Spartan and Chloorkop are industrial areas, full of warehouses, factories and units in business parks. On sites like these, padlocks carry far more of the security load than they do at home. They hold chains on yard gates, secure shipping containers used for storage, lock the bottom of roller shutters, close stock cages and tool stores inside the building, and keep generator and electrical enclosures shut.
It's easy to end up with a cheap padlock bought in a hurry, and that can quietly become the weakest link in an otherwise solid perimeter. Choosing well isn't complicated, but it does take a few decisions in the right order: what it's protecting, how strong it needs to be, what it attaches to, how it copes with weather, and who will hold the keys.
| Location | Main concerns |
|---|---|
| Yard or palisade gate with a chain | Exposed to weather and to attack from the street side; chain and lock must match |
| Shipping container door | Fit on the locking-bar handle; exposure of the shackle; often in a remote corner of the yard |
| Roller shutter bottom lock | Low down, dusty, often opened by several shift staff |
| Stock cage or tool store indoors | Corrosion matters less; keying and who holds keys matter more |
| Electrical isolation (lockout) | A safety lockout padlock is a different product with a different purpose; follow your safety procedures |
Reading the grade
Packaging uses several rating systems, and the numbers don't translate between them.
- EN 12320 is the European standard for padlocks and padlock fittings. Union explains that it uses a seven-digit code. Digit six is the corrosion grade (grade 1 for internal use, grade 3 for external use), and digit seven is the security grade, from 1 (lowest) to 6 (highest). Security testing covers things like the number of effective key differs, resistance to force and torque on the locking mechanism, pulling, twisting and cutting of the shackle, and drilling, sawing and impact on the body.
- Makers' own scales, such as Master Lock's basic, high and max protection levels, help you compare models from that one brand. Master Lock places job sites and self-storage in its max category, and advises choosing stronger protection within your budget when in doubt.
For a yard gate or container that stands unattended overnight, look for a stated EN 12320 security grade at the upper end of the scale, together with an external corrosion grade, rather than going by size or weight.
Shackle, body and fitting
- Shackle exposure. An open shackle fits almost anything but leaves the most steel exposed. Master Lock describes shrouded shackles as limiting the shackle's exposure; its M40XT discus padlock has a fully shrouded design aimed at resisting bolt cutters. Closed-shackle padlocks wrap the body round the shackle. The trade-off is fit: the more enclosed the shackle, the fewer fittings it suits.
- Shackle material. Hardened steel is the usual minimum outdoors. Some higher-security padlocks use boron alloy shackles; ASSA ABLOY South Africa lists Mul-T-Lock padlocks with hardened boron shackles, for example.
- Body. Union's 78mm armoured padlock, sold in South Africa, has a brass body in a stainless steel armoured jacket with a concealed hardened steel shackle. That gives you an idea of what heavier-duty yard padlocks look like.
- The fitting. A strong padlock on a thin hasp, a light chain or a staple held by two small screws just moves the weak point. On a container, the padlock has to suit the handle catch, and if you add a welded or bolted lock box, the padlock has to fit inside it. On a yard gate, use a chain at least as tough as the shackle, and keep it short enough that it can't be slipped over the post.
Dust, rain and corrosion
Industrial yards are hard on padlocks: dust from trucks and forklifts, summer storms, and on some sites chemicals or fumes in the air. Master Lock sorts its padlocks into indoor, weather-resistant and severe-weather categories, and EN 12320's corrosion grade does a similar job across brands. A covered keyway, where the model has one, helps keep grit out.
For care, follow the maker's instructions for that specific padlock. Makers recommend different products, and some products are unsuitable for some locks: a sticky oil, for example, can hold the very dust you're trying to keep out. If a padlock is gritty and stiff, don't drive it with a hammer or force the key. Replace it, or have it looked at.
Keying: decide before you buy
Padlocks are usually sold in one of these keying arrangements. Union's 78mm armoured padlock, for instance, is offered keyed to differ, keyed alike, master keyed or ABC.
| Option | What it means | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Keyed to differ | Each padlock has its own key | Separate cages or containers held by different people |
| Keyed alike | One key opens a set of padlocks | A yard with several gates that the same shift opens |
| Master keyed | Each padlock has its own key, and a master key opens them all | Supervisors or security who need access everywhere, with staff limited to their own area |
Because we don't cut or copy keys, keyed-alike and master-keyed padlocks need to be ordered as matched sets. Keep a register of who holds each padlock key, just as you would for doors. Our guide to key control for businesses covers registers, staff changes and restricted key systems.
What makes padlock problems worse
- Hanging a padlock open on the hasp during the day. It's easy to swap for a different lock while nobody's watching.
- Leaving a container or gate padlock where its body rubs on the steel. The finish wears through and rust starts.
- Forcing a stiff key, or turning it with pliers. That's how keys snap off inside padlocks.
- Using a padlock as a step or a handle when pulling a heavy gate.
- Assuming a padlock is "insurance approved" because of its packaging. Ask your insurer what it requires, in writing.
When a padlock fails, or a key goes missing
Call a locksmith when a padlock has seized, a key has snapped inside it, the only key is lost, or a padlock on a gate or container you need open now won't release. We try non-destructive methods first and ask for proof that you're authorised to open that site or container: a letter from the business, a lease, or someone with authority on site.
Helpful details when you call: photos of the padlock and its fitting, the brand and any grade markings, what's behind it, and how the technician gets to it, whether that's past a business-park gatehouse or through a particular yard entrance.
Our lock replacement service covers new padlocks, hasps and gate locks; broken key extraction handles keys snapped in the lock; and commercial locksmith work covers warehouses, factories and offices across Kempton Park, including Isando, Spartan and Chloorkop. If padlocks secure a roller shutter, see roller shutter door locks.
We're a fully mobile mobile locksmith in Kempton Park, open 24/7. There's an R250 call-out, the technician quotes on site before any work starts, and payment is by EFT, cash or card.
Questions
What grade of padlock should we use on a yard gate?
Look for a stated EN 12320 security grade towards the top of the scale, plus an external corrosion grade, and a shackle style that suits your fitting. Then make sure the chain, hasp or staple is as strong as the padlock.
Can one key open all the padlocks on our site?
Yes, if you buy keyed-alike padlocks as a matched set, or a master-keyed set where a master opens them all. We don't cut keys, so existing padlocks can't be made to match later.
Do we have to replace a padlock if we lose its only key?
Usually, yes. Once it's open, a new padlock with its own keys is the practical answer, and it also means a found key can't be used later.
Need a locksmith to look at it?
If this hasn't solved the problem, our lock replacement service covers it. We're a mobile locksmith in Kempton Park, so we come to your door. Areas where this comes up often include Isando, Spartan, Chloorkop.
Sources and further reading
- Union: EN 12320 (standards and legislation) — seven-digit code, corrosion grades 1 and 3, security grades 1 to 6, what the security tests cover
- Master Lock: Lock buying guide — basic, high and max protection levels; shrouded shackles; indoor, weather-resistant and severe-weather categories; keyed-alike packs
- Master Lock: M40XT stainless steel discus padlock — fully shrouded design aimed at bolt-cutter attack, boron-alloy shackle, covered keyway
- ASSA ABLOY South Africa: 78mm armoured padlock — stainless steel armoured jacket, concealed hardened steel shackle, keyed to differ, keyed alike, master keyed or ABC
- ASSA ABLOY South Africa: Padlocks — range including Mul-T-Lock padlocks with boron shackles and separate lockout padlocks
- Newpoint Property: Isando area profile — Isando as an East Rand industrial hub with warehouses and factories for manufacturing, logistics and distribution
- Newpoint Property: Spartan area profile — Spartan as one of the largest industrial precincts in Kempton Park, with warehouses, factories and business parks
- Newpoint Property: Chloorkop area profile — Chloorkop as an industrial node with factories, warehouses and mini-unit parks