Buyer's Guide for Employee Lockers and School Lockers

Buyer's Guide For Employee Lockers and School Lockers

• Factors to Consider When Researching Employee Lockers, School Lockers and Athletic Lockers
• Sizing
• Types of Lockers
• Locker Parts
• LEED Certification
• ADA Compliance
• Summary

When it comes to employee lockers, school lockers, athletic or gym lockers and storage consider aesthetically pleasing, user-based functionality combined with exceptional quality, durability, and long lasting mechanisms. After all, most people generally interact with lockers for a large portion of their lives. 

High school student opens school locker in hallway

That’s your goal when setting out to purchase and install lockers or storage products. Your available installation space has to accommodate your anticipated number of users along with their specific storage needs. Sizing is critical, as too small of an employee locker or school locker leads to content cramming, defeating the purpose. But too large of a locker is simply wasted space. Before ordering your lockers and storage systems, it’s important to assess who will be using them, what they will be used for, and under what conditions the contents need to be stored, both environmentally and functionally.

• Intended uses of locker systems range from storage of personal articles of clothing to work-related supplies and tools, from school required books and bags to needed athletic equipment or personal electronics, and even high security evidence storage.
• Where are these lockers to be installed? Different conditions, such as damp locker rooms and outdoor storage require different materials than the less harsh environments of indoor buildings and enclosed structures.
• User demographics may require different height requirements, locking mechanisms and accessibility features. Proper planning and research is a must to fit your storage solutions to the needs of your users, and of your business.

 

Proper Lockers and Storage Increase Efficiency and Productivity

Proper locker sizing, accessibility, function and organization doesn’t only enhance the appearance and aesthetics of your space, it provides a time saving, less stressful way for users to store and retrieve their belongings. It makes unplanned changes easier to manage, since a trip to a well made, functional locker to exchange or gather needed materials will now be easy, quick and stress free, resulting in happier employees, students, or occasional users. Additionally, the art of organization, and being able to keep and store things in their assigned place is a lifelong skill that translates into every aspect of life. When you know where your things are, you’ve automatically given yourself more time to work on bigger, more important projects and goals, and have also made that process more efficient and less stressful.  

Locker Types - Athletic Lockers

 

Athletic and Gym Lockers. These lockers have to be tough, period. With up to 6 tiers of powder coated, heavy gauge steel all around, heavy duty lockers will stand up to an unforgiving, athletic environment and all that comes with it. Lockers used to store athletic and gym related items are best when allowed to breathe, built with legs and including louvered or screened doors, sides, backs and bottoms. Make sure to get the right ventilation option for your specific installation.          

Stadium lockers feature easy, open front access, with perforated sides for venting. While allowing individual storage, these lockers can be equipped with an optional locking footlocker for securely storing personal belongings. Attractive hardwood benches with heavy-duty pedestals are available in multiple lengths for compatible seating with all athletic lockers.  

Locker Types - School Lockers

School Lockers. The daily, constant use and abuse that school lockers take demand excellence in quality construction and maintenance capabilities. With recommended stainless steel, recessed handles to save space and prevent snagging while adding to hallway aesthetics, school lockers are available with or without legs and sloped tops to limit clutter both underneath and on top. Available pre-assembled, powder-coat finished, with up to 3 tiers available per unit, durable and rust resistant school lockers offer space for storing clothing and shelves for accessories, books and electronics. Amenities include zinc coated hooks and rods, a polished aluminum number plate, and front door ventilation to allow air circulation and inhibit corrosion.          

Locker Types - Employee Lockers

Employee Lockers. Organized employees are more efficient employees. You can help them get there with a wide selection of employee locker storage solutions. Free standing units offer up to 6 tier locker systems with no sharp edges, avoiding the potential for employee injury while providing space for personal belongings and hanging clothes and work garments.        

Wall mounted units, available in groupings of 4, offer the same amenities as freestanding units, with the option of having space underneath available to hang work garments. Combine with freestanding units for a finished look with multiple storage options. Employee lockers are powder coated inside and out, with door bumpers, vertical door flanges, welded hinges and construction, and come with options including legs to keep them up and off the floor, sloped tops, front and end bases, and locking choices.   Safety view applications are available in premium locker systems when the locker content needs to remain visible. Polycarbonate viewing doors provide economical solutions for personal security and storage while allowing locker contents to be visible at all times.

 

Storage and Security Lockers. Whether your conditions call for bulk, bin or flat storage, materials consisting of weatherproof resin or powder coated metal will satisfy these specific storage solutions.   Bulk storage lockers have been shown to solve multi-application storage problems in residential, commercial and institutional settings. Aesthetically pleasing while providing security and durability, bulk storage lockers can be used in single units or connected for a series of storage units.    

Flat file storage necessary for important blueprints, artwork, architectural drawings or maps are protected by flat files storage units containing hinged paperweights to keep large papers from curling or wrinkling. Stacking and pedestal options allow a customized installation.  

Flame resistant safety cabinets are a must to store and protect chemicals, flammables, and hazardous liquids. Look for safety cabinets with a chemical resistant finish, meeting OSHA and NFPA standards, featuring well insulated and self-latching units with spill catching shelves and bases, electrical grounding availability, safety ventilation, and bottom sump options.   Resistant to sunlight, mildew, corrosion and chemicals, storage bins with stainless hardware and manufactured from quality resins are just the thing to store your belongings. They hold up to extreme temperature variations, and shed precipitation by way of tilted, leak proof, molded lids.

  

Open and Closed Shelving. Quality, functional cabinets are the proper way to safely store your building maintenance materials, janitorial supplies, and chemicals. Shelving should keep your stored items readily available and easily organized while supporting the weight involved in numerous chemical and supply items. Available in open, closed, and closed back with open front, these cabinets are made to last with minimal maintenance to keep all your items safely stored and organized.            

Quality Components Make The Difference   Let’s face it. Quality is what it’s all about, and it’s even more important when considering locker and storage options. When considering the unending, repetitive use and a limitless possibility of storage options, the quality of the parts will determine the overall quality of the unit.  

Locker Parts and Mechanism

Worker taking hard hat out of employee locker

• Locker Body Parts. Quality materials are needed for quality locker manufacturing. Prime grade, rolled sheet steel, available in standard, medium and heavy duty, that accepts high grade finishes such as powder coating will outlast others. Rolled edges and rigid corners provide a safe, non-sharp touch. Additionally, polished aluminum number plates along with zinc coated hooks and coat rods produce a high quality, durable locker.

The doors on lockers are by far the most used, and consequently, the most abused, part of locker systems. Constant daily and sometimes hourly use, such as slamming them shut, swinging them open, banging on them and hanging things on them can take a toll. Vertical door strikes help absorb the impact of this rugged use. Additionally, because the doors are also the most visible part of your locker system and provide the aesthetic value upon first glance, you need attractive, sturdy units constructed out of quality materials. These materials, including rolled sheet steel and mildew, corrosion and chemical resistant resins, are available in standard, medium duty, or heavy duty, depending on your user profile, the environmental conditions, and the frequency with which they will be used.

•  Door Latches. Quality door latches should be chosen to fit the your specific needs. Single-point, with no moving parts, or the more common multi-point, consisting of latching bars and springs, are important in keeping the doors securely closed. They can be gravity based or mechanical, and made of stainless steel for durability and reliability.

When a user grabs hold of the locker or storage cabinet handle, it should feel up to the task, every time. Choose appropriate handles for the location, security level needed, and amount of use the locker will see. Quality handles include stainless steel recessed, which is the most popular for general locker installations. Other options include T-handles, projected handles, and common door pulls.  

• Hinges make or break your locker system. Quality hinges perform effortlessly and keep doors closed, but they’re also responsible for keeping the locker parts in alignment, guaranteeing proper opening, closing and latching. Choose hinges that are welded, either at points of contact or full-length, piano style hinges.

•  Locking Mechanisms. If needed, quality lockers can be customized to your specific locking needs and desired amount of administrative control. Whether it is a simple padlock, combination lock, cylinder lock, individual key locks, or electronic locks, there are options available to keep locker contents safe and secure.

 

• Venting Options. From standard front door louver vents to all around venting, options are there to make sure locker contents are appropriately vented and aerated to prevent damage to the locker or contents and resist corrosion, rust and mildew.

 

• Benches and Pedestals. Hardwood benches can finish off your locker system where accompanying seating is needed. Select hardwood, lacquered in a clear finish and available in many sizes, can be anchored to the floor with heavy-duty single tube or framed pedestals, or left free standing with pedestals designed to keep the benches moveable.

 

• Optional Accessories. Other accessories available to finish the look of your locker systems include sloped tops, closed front and side bases, and universal end panels.

   

LEEDS/Green Building Certification

  LEED certification for your project is attainable, even down to the smallest project, with percentages of post industrial and post consumer content needing to come from a recycled source. Recycled packaging and shipping materials can also play a part in the certification process and help determine what level of certification you can attain.   Even seemingly unrelated issues can have an affect on the certification process.  

• Is the product manufactured within 500 miles of your project site?
• If using recycled products, are those recycled products extracted and/or recovered within 500 miles of your project site as well?
• Is there a chain of custody of materials used in the project process that signifies the products are American made?

 

ADA and Barrier Free Compliance

  In order to meet the guidelines for ADA compliance, lockers are to be configured to include a clear floor space of 30” x 48” minimum for access by a forward or parallel moving wheelchair. The lockers should be accessible in the lower tier, with touch latches, electronic locks, U shaped pulls, or some other easy opening device near the top of the locker but no higher than 48”. Accessories such as shelves, hooks, and coat rods are to be located between 9” minimum and 48” maximum height from floor.   Benches are to be between 17” and 19” high, with seats that are fixed, 20”-24” deep and 42” long. They should have backs that are minimum 18” high and 42” long, starting within 2” of the back end of the seat. Surrounding floor space is to measure at least 30 “ and be positioned for parallel approach to the bench. (Be sure to check for updates in ADA requirements).

   

Basketball players and athletic lockers

Summary:

As you can see, there’s quite a bit involved in the selection of employee lockers, school lockers, gym lockers and other storage units. Materials, hardware and coatings all play an integral part. Sure, lockers might seem like simple products, but when you think about it, they are probably one of the most heavily-used products in any office, factory, school or gym. Probably used daily in fact. For that reason, be sure you choose a quality supplier such as The Park and Facilities Catalog for the best lockers and avoid problems later.  

Resources:

Americans with Disabilities Act - https://www.ada.gov/ Penco Products Inc. - Greenville, NC  

About The Park and Facilities Catalog

The Park and Facilities Catalog is headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla. The company is a national provider of employee lockers, school lockers, gym lockers and storage products and shelving. Our selection includes lockers in a number of different sizes, tiers and configurations. There is also a large array of colors and coatings available to match business or school colors. If desired, order lockers pre-assembled. For fast orders, inquire about our quick ship items. Since 2001, we have supplied top quality lockers to businesses, schools, universities, country clubs, HOAs and other facilities across the United States. The company is also a distributor of additional site furnishings such as park benches, picnic tables, trash receptacles, aluminum bleachers and hundreds of other items. CALL US TODAY AT 1-800-695-3503 for a free catalog or visit The Park and Facilities website.