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Choosing the right safety padlocks from Master Lock

Picture of Mayo Hardware Mayo Hardware : 30 September 2025

From mining to construction and manufacturing, everyone knows that lockout tagout procedures are essential for worker safety. Yet how much consideration goes into the choice of safety padlock?

At the most basic level, the choice starts with a padlock specifically designed for safety applications. After that, there’s a range of factors to consider, from application to identification requirements to site-specific or environmental conditions.

What to think about when choosing a safety padlock?

Here are a few considerations:

  • If identification is important, and there’s a lot of the same colour locks on site, engraving or labels might be helpful to quickly identify the owner of locks.
  • Working with electricity might mean using a lock with a nylon rather than a steel shackle.
  • When locking out multiple points, a keyed alike set of locks that can be opened with the same key can save time.
  • On large sites, smaller, lighter locks might be a consideration for anyone who has to carry around a backpack full!
  • Modern lockout hasps are often smaller, which might require a thinner shackle.
  • Locks being used on dusty sites might need a dust cover to prevent dirt and grime getting into the cylinder. If corrosion is an issue, a nylon or stainless steel shackle might be better suited.
  • If additional security is needed, consider an aluminium-bodied lock rather than a plastic-bodied lock.

What else matters?

There are a few other features that are important, especially on larger work sites. These include:

  • Key retaining. If the padlock is open, it’s impossible to pull the key out. This ensures the padlock is applied correctly and safety is maintained.
  • A restricted keyway. This means no one can take the key to the local locksmith to have it copied.
  • One key per lock. One key per lock guarantees accountability and control, and saves extra keys inadvertently ending up with other padlock users.
  • Key charting. Keeping a record of locks and keys on site, to prevent key duplication within sites and across multiple sites.

Safety padlocks available from Master Lock.

A range of safety padlocks are available from Master Lock, both off the shelf and custom order. Offering different keying configurations, key retaining, restricted keyways and key charting, Master Lock has been around since 1921.

The range from Master Lock includes:

  • The 410: This is the most popular lock in the range. It has a steel shackle that comes in a longer length if needed and is offered in eight different colours. It features a restricted keyway and one key per lock. It’s keyed differently as standard, but it can also be keyed alike and master keyed. For use in any application with lockout points under 6mm in diameter.
  • The 406: The 406 is the same lock as the 410, but has a nylon shackle. This makes it suited for electrical applications, corrosive environments and outdoor use.
  • The S31: Ideal for dusty and corrosive conditions, the S31 has a Weathertough cover sealing the keyway and shackle, and a lighter weight, smaller body with a thinner stainless steel shackle (4.76mm in diameter) to suit smaller lockout points. It’s available in nine colours.

Importantly, all these locks use the same cylinder, and can be mixed and matched to the same key if needed.

Why it matters?

Jason Vandenberg, Mayo Hardware’s Product Manager – Safety, says everyone knows safety padlocks are crucial to lockout tagout isolations, and Master Lock is a leading global manufacturer.

“Master Lock is the leading global manufacturer of safety lockout padlocks and devices, and has you covered, whatever your application,” he says.

Available at Blackwoods – Your safety equipment partner.

Blackwoods is proud to offer MasterLock as part of our commitment to keeping Australian workers safe. As the country’s largest provider of industrial and safety equipment, we’ve got everything you need to protect your team. Shop Master Lock safety padlocks at Blackwoods online.

 

Shop the MasterLock Range

 

SHOP MASTERLOCK BY MAYO

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