free locks

[helix]

hey guys, i was just looking at my lock collection
and realised that i got most of them from the same
place.

minesites that i have worked on, or that my dad has
worked on.

when they arrive on site, the workers are given about
a dozen brand new padlocks to 'tag' with.

this happens at all western australian minesites and
mine workers that yous may know, probably have
a *** load of lockwoods kicking around their place

if not, go to the local pub of the miners and tell them that you will buy a round or something for a
lock or two each?

.....you can guarantee that their locks are brand
new, and they will get more free new locks
tomorrow at work, so why wouldn't they
let the mine pay for a round or two of drinks?

[zeke79]

nice ethics......

[Mad Mick]

I'm now selling the shirts off my back at the local watering hole...Hey! the company paid for them, who cares??

[lockedin]

Australian tax dollars at work...

[helix]

Haha, it is not bad ethics.

The locks have an id tag locked to them and when you are working down
a hole, etc, it means that the century (safety lookout) can't stop
work until all people are out (all locks off the board).

It lets people know who is where, and what they are doing.

Because of the life and death importancy of the locks, it is compulsory
to get your dozen brand new locks before every shift.

This is to ensure that they are of perfect working order.

ALL mine workers have a shed full of brand new locks that they are
not allowed to bring back to work.

And yes, "quote: Tax dollars at work"
I agree. Go figure, haha. But someone may as well use them, right?

Minesites are a funny thing, as far as that sort of stuff goes (money wasting). They will employ a person to tell a person to tell another
person to get the forklift driver to lift a box off the back of your ute
because it weighs 1/2 kilo over the safe 20kilos.

First person and the first 'runner' could have done it safely.

If anyone does or has worked on a mine, will they please back me up on
this? I don't want to be thought of as unethical.

[Shrub]

I cant see why or how you would lie on such a forum especially with so many intelligent people on here you will be tripped up straight away so as i know nothing about the subject i will have to believe you, first post unethical, 2nd post cleared it up for me,

This is madness, its like the joke cartoons you get of someone lighting a cigar with a 100 dollar bill,

Can a local lockie (yourself even) take the locks and clean/service them to be used again, perhaps the cost would work out cheaper in the long run,

I take it that you know this person and they arent just spinning you this line to justify what they are doing?

[Chrispy]

I know that after removing the windows from utes/4wds/etc, that they use in the mines, they have to replace the vehicles in less than 3 months because they are often unrecognisable as vehicles. How this relates to lockout locks.... I'm not quite sure.... but it does kinda reinforce the money wastage.

10 vehicles / 3 months x 12 months = 40 vehicles / 1 year / 1 mine
40 vehicles x (hmm...) $5,000? = $200,000 / 1 year / 1 mine.....

[helix]

Can a local lockie (yourself even) take the locks and clean/service them to be used again, perhaps the cost would work out cheaper in the long run,

I take it that you know this person and they arent just spinning you this line to justify what they are doing?

Service the locks? Hmm, not too sure that they would be interested in
such a logical cost cut.

This person is my father who has worked in the mines for years, and I
have also worked on different sites in between jobs.
(Usually as a century or T/A).

[zeke79]

Haha, it is not bad ethics.

The locks have an id tag locked to them and when you are working down
a hole, etc, it means that the century (safety lookout) can't stop
work until all people are out (all locks off the board).

It lets people know who is where, and what they are doing.

Because of the life and death importancy of the locks, it is compulsory
to get your dozen brand new locks before every shift.

This is to ensure that they are of perfect working order.

ALL mine workers have a shed full of brand new locks that they are
not allowed to bring back to work.

And yes, "quote: Tax dollars at work"
I agree. Go figure, haha. But someone may as well use them, right?

Minesites are a funny thing, as far as that sort of stuff goes (money wasting). They will employ a person to tell a person to tell another
person to get the forklift driver to lift a box off the back of your ute
because it weighs 1/2 kilo over the safe 20kilos.

First person and the first 'runner' could have done it safely.

If anyone does or has worked on a mine, will they please back me up on
this? I don't want to be thought of as unethical.

WOW, my apologies Your first post sounded as if you started a job with a dozen locks that you used throughout that job. If you "lost" one at the pub, you could just ask for another one at the mines expense.

I did not realize the workers were not allowed to return the locks to the work site after the work shift was over.

In no way is that unethical and I apologize for that comment. A great way to up your collection of locks if you ask me. Great idea!!

zeke79

[Shrub]

Sorry helix i wasnt meaning to offend i had forgotten you said he was your farther,

It just may well be worth asking if you could service the locks as it may be a nice earner for you, if not that at least ask if you can buy the used locks exclusively and then ask for re-sale rights.

[pun1sher]

why do they need a dozen locks? do they put it on their belts or something?

[helix]

Miners keep their locks in their tool bags, and usually one or two
on their person. These are attatched to a safety tag that they
have filled out with their name, workplace, date, occupation, etc.

There are lockout boards attatched to the entrances of holes and confined spaces
etc, and basically, they are full of workers' lockout tags so that the person
up top, (safety watch/century) knows exactly who is where, and if
the safety watcher ever goes home while there is a lock still on the board, there is HUGE trouble.

Also, taking someone elses lock off the board is also a huge nono.

Because this would mean that there could be someone stuck down
there, and no one will ever know. (Because the board says that there
is no one down there.

If there was ever a lock
still on the board because it was too hard to unlock for whatever reason,
there would be a search party going on, so to avoid an unneccessary
search, they make sure that all locks are brand new.

.....Would probably be cheaper for them to do the occassional search because of a padlock that was left on the board, though, haha.

I hope I didn't bore you with all of that, hehe.

[vector40]

Very interesting, helix. Thanks for the explanation.

[helix]

no worries

[Shrub]

Very simular to the BA board firemen use over here,