Engineering an easier way
When lashing rain is the last thing you need…
Essential maintenance and emergency repairs don’t stop for the weather. For those who use secure access covers, low visibility, rain, and cold temperatures are a huge hindrance.
Our team of field engineers regularly carry out maintenance for utility companies. They were sick of kneeling in the mud, struggling with the padlocks on secure access covers. Wearing gloves and in poor conditions, opening the padlocks takes several minutes and padlocks can easily get dropped and lost, creating security implications.
The problem got our team thinking….
What do all good product designs have in common?
A good design places the user at its heart. It makes life easier for the person operating the product and provides a satisfying experience. Our team recognised there could be a more effective way and set about creating it.
The secure access cover that’s easy to use
The new secure access cover needed to be quick and easy to operate. They had to be secure, stand up to potential damage, and remove the risk of padlocks being dropped and lost.
To make things easier, the team designed these features:
- Integrated locking system – the padlock is secured within the chamber.
- One-handed opening – including a spring-loaded lid for ease of opening.
- Easy push locking – the padlock is locked simply by pushing it in place.
The new design has transformed the experience of gaining access. Single-handed opening and closing save time and hassle for the user, and the fixed padlock removes the chance of padlocks being lost.
The Easi-Lok meets LPCB level 4 against attack and vandalism and is approved under LPS 1175 for intruder resistant building components and security enclosures. These standards go to show the security that is maintained before, during, and after access.
Designed by the user, for the user
We knew from personal experience how much straightforward the Easi-Lok would make things for our field engineers. The response we’ve had has shown what a difference it makes to operate a purpose-designed product, built with the user in mind.
We’ve designed the Easi-Lok to be adaptable and it’s our hope that a great many companies within the utilities industry will be able to benefit from it. Find out more on the Easi-Lok website here.