Top 4 Security Concerns For Lockers

Security Concerns For Lockers

Lockers come in handy for people who want to temporarily store their things in secure locations. There are several different types of lockers that provide this luxury. These lockers range from standard lockers to coin lockers and everything that falls in between. In most cases, there is some mechanism in place that is meant to keep the lockers secure. These mechanisms can be pre-installed locks, padlocks, or simply the material that is used to craft the locker. Although there are many benefits to using lockers, institutions need to be aware of the security concerns that can compromise lockers.

 Shimming

One of the main security vulnerabilities that plague lockers is the fact that they can be shimmed. This does not apply to every single locker, but mostly to those that utilize padlocks or spring-operated latches. In order to shim a lock, one would only require a thin piece of metal or plastic. This makes shims pretty easy to come by. The manner in which a shim works is very simple. It is basically used to retract the latch/locking pawl of a lock. In padlocks, this is done by creating a barrier between the locking pawl and the shackle.

The same concept applies to other types of locks that are not padlocks. As I said before, any lock that uses spring operated/spring loaded mechanisms is susceptible to shimming. Being able to identify this concern gives institutions the opportunity to work to rectify them. In the case of padlocks, it is always best to use padlocks that have ball bearings. Locks with ball bearings are much more secure and these will negate the possibility of the lock being shimmed.

 Cutting

As the sub-title suggests, this security concern is pretty straightforward. In lieu of shimming, criminals can opt to cut the locks that protect lockers. This is a major security concern that people need to be aware of because criminals tend to target the lockers that they know they can easily break into. As always, knowledge is key. Therefore, knowing that your lock can be attacked by cutting helps you prepare.

The main factors that will determine if your lock can be cut are material that is made of and the shackle size of the lock (if you are using a padlock). It is crucial to make sure that you use an appropriately sized shackle that does not give criminals enough room to cut between the lock and the hasp. Also, it is always best to use locks that are made from alloy metals, as these are some of the strongest locks on the market. These locks will offer up much more resistance to any criminal attempting to cut the lock.

 Picking

Lockpicking is very popular among criminals and enthusiasts alike. The only difference between the criminal and the enthusiast is that enthusiasts know not to pick a lock that does not belong to them, whereas the criminal really does not care. In this instance, it is important to be aware that lockers are highly susceptible to picking if there is a keyway. Essentially, if there is a keyway available, a criminal will most likely be able to pick the lock.

To circumvent this concern, it is best to use combination locks or electronic combination locks in lieu of padlocks or pre-installed locks with keyways. The use of combination locks takes the keyway off the table and minimizes the security vulnerabilities. Another available option simply involves upgrading to higher security locks that will be extremely difficult to pick. Institutions can enlist the help of locksmiths to upgrade some of their pre-installed locks, and as an additional security measure, it would be wise to rekey locks as well.

 Prying

This security concern focuses less on the locking mechanism and more on the locker itself. There are times where criminals will disregard the lock completely and decide to attack the door. In most cases, this occurs when they know that the hinges of the locker door are vulnerable and exposed, or that the material of the door itself is weak enough to be pried free.

It is important to make sure that the hinges for locker doors are facing inwards so that they are not exposed to criminals. If the hinges are facing outwards, it will be much easier for criminals to attack the hinges and pry them off. The material of the locker door is also very important. If the door is hollow and made of a weak metal, there will be very little in place to resist attacks from criminals.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that lockers are a valuable asset, and they are a great storage tool. However, there are various security concerns that revolve around them. This is why it is important for people to be aware of the security vulnerabilities of lockers so that they can adequately guard against them, and keep their belongings safe.

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