Re:Lockout-Tagout
by black6 on Tuesday November 19, 2019 @10:26PM
(#21580855)
In my experience this is not true. Some LO/TO locks even have plastic shackles and bodies (for the obvious electrical work). They’re not supposed to be pick proof and super secure—they’re a visual and physical reminder that the system is secured for worker safety. If a lock needs to be removed by someone other than the lock owner there is an OSHA process to remove out that involves cutting and discarding that particular lock.
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I recommend watching LockPickingLawyer's video on the lock the parent comment is talking about: https://youtu.be/y4XGY0_cwcM. Master used a very pick resistant core for their LOTO locks but skimped out on the higher priced general-use models.
That is baffling as he says in the video! I’ve never seen anyone on any worksite I’ve been on trying to pick a LO/TO lock, so I just assumed the cores were just as insubstantial.
I suspect it is very deliberate.
Their normal cores are so shitty that there is a reasonable chance that the wrong key will work to open the lock, especially if somebody is trying to open it quickly.
With LOTO locks, Bob could die if Alice's key works on Bob's lock. (e.g. both on working on equipment powered by different circuit breaks, and Alice confuses the breakers, and removes the lock from BOB's breaker, because her key happened to work on it).
A few reports of that happening, and their LOTO locks could be banned from many worksites due to unions rightfully insisting on it.
So it actually is worth having better cores to ensure only the correct keys will work.