In this guide, we help any organization with Lockout/Tagout needs choose between keyed alike or keyed different padlocks to implement the best system in place for unique needs.
Related: Build a Safety, Protection Foundation in Any Workplace with Lockout/Tagout
With keyed different padlocks, each lock has its own unique key. This ensures that each employee has complete control over their lockout padlock. This is ideal for simple lockout applications dealing with a manageable number of energy isolation points.
But while every lockout/tagout program is unique, a simple program usually has one or two energy isolation points.
As for keyed alike padlocks, each lock can be opened with the same key. This can reduce the number of keys an employee has to carry. However, keyed alike padlocks should never be shared among multiple employees. If more than one employee can open the same lock, the risk of accidental re-energization increases.
Different situations call for different programs, but here are some of the common use cases for keyed different padlocks:
Here are some considerations to make when evaluating keyed alike padlocks: