How will Covid-19 effect the future of the Australian Manufacturing Industry?

The coronavirus crisis has thrown the spotlight on Australia's manufacturing sector.  The sudden restrictions in overseas markets and the extraordinary global demand for products such as medical supplies, have laid bare Australia's over-reliance on international supply chains.

After reaching a high of nearly 30% of gross domestic product (GDP) in the 1960s, manufacturing had since fallen to 6% of GDP, but is the pandemic triggering a rethink of how these figures should look in the future?

Cirlock distributes a range of confined space covers which are specifically designed to be rapidly fitted to a range of confined space entry points including vessels, tower skirts and columns.

If yours is a workplace where lockout/tagout procedures are part of daily exercises, you’ll want to be mindful that they don’t become secondary considerations.

These elements — which as noted by OSHA speak to practices and procedures necessary to disable machinery or equipment so as to prevent the release of hazardous energy while employees perform service and maintenance activities — should be reinforced regularly.

Source: The Business Journals - https://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/how-to/growth-strategies/2017/10/take-a-continuous-improvement-approach-to-lockout.html

A real reminder of the importance of using Lockout equipment!  Lucky no-one was seriously hurt!

Source: Electrical Licensing Committee disciplinary outcomes

You are already familiar with the Cirlock Contractor Lockout Kits… this month Cirlock are pleased to launch two brand-new kits we are adding to our range – Belt Lockout Kits (PLK-2 and PLK-3).

These kits include Keyed Alike padlocks, so even though they have 2 locks (PLK-2) or 6 locks (PLK-3) you only need 1 key to open any of the locks in your kit, therefore reducing the number of keys you have to carry around. 

Cirlock Pty Ltd wishes to apologise for an error in an advertisement that appeared in the March 2017 Edition of Australian Mining Monthly featuring our SLP-450 series of padlocks.

It has come to our attention that the advert incorrectly included the Australian Made logo and the statement, "Designed by Cirlock - Manufactured Locally", which may have given the impression that the SLP-450 series padlocks are Made in Australia.

We wish to confirm that although a number of our products are Australian Made, the Cirlock Lockout Padlocks, including the SLP-450 series, are not made in Australia.  We sincerely apologise for this unintentional error.

Part Code:  SLH-90

Fire Fighting Arm Cooler Harness - Proven to be the best cooling method

Studies have found that forearm immersion in temperate water is more e­ffective in lowering core body temperature than passive cooling, mist sprays or cooling vests.  The patented Harcor Arm Cooler Harness has been designed and developed by Fire Fighters for Fire Fighters.   The small and compact design of the Harcor Arm Cooler Harness means Fire Fighters can reduce their core body temperature almost anywhere, at a staging area, on the fire ground, in any urban or rural situation.

NEW VALVE LOCKOUT KIT from Cirlock.  Introducing the brand new Valve Lockout Kit in our new extra large lockout bag.

This new kit from Cirlock really is as good as it sounds!  It includes lockouts for most types of valves, as well as Circuit Breaker Lockouts, padlocks and tags so it has you covered.  AND you can add to the kit if you would like to customise it for your workplace!  

The standard kit includes:

Features: Specially made for lockouts where a shorter shackle is required

Benefits: Plastic and stainless steel

NEW Product from Cirlock

Cirlock is an Australian owned and family operated business who has been designing and manufacturing their own lockout tagout equipment since 1992.  The Cirlock range is trusted in industry and is made from the highest quality and safest materials.

Cirlock is an Australian owned and family operated business, specialising in Lockout and Tagout Equipment for Energy Sources.  Born in 1992 the company's aim has always been to provide a full range of Lockout Equipment for Energy Sources in all Industries. Most Cirlock products are their own design and manufactured by Cirlock or on their behalf, in Australia. 

This month Cirlock are proud to introduce the latest product to their lockout hasp range – The Aluminium Non-Sparking Lockout Hasp.

Lockout Hasps are crucial to a successful safety lockout system or procedure as they can provide effective multi-person lockout. Multiple padlocks can be applied to Lockout Hasps, this allows an energy source to be isolated by more than one worker.  As a result this ensures that the energy source is completely locked out and can’t be operated until each worker unlocks their padlock from the hasp.

Celebrating its 35th year, AOG 2016 will feature a theme of “Collaboration” with over 100 experts from leading companies providing input on how industry, government and other key stakeholders should continue to work closely together to reduce costs and improve productivity.

AOG thrives with a flood of attendees who visit the Perth Convention Exhibition Centre (PCEC) to meet with over 500 exhibiting companies from 25 countries at the Australasian Oil & Gas Exhibition and Conference (AOG).  Cirlock are proud to be exhibiting at the event at stand S31.

Last month Cirlock founder Erik Larsen worked his last official day at Cirlock.  Erik happily entered in to the world of retirement after a fantastic 22 years starting, building and growing the Cirlock organisation we know today.  Erik and the team at Cirlock had a celebration to mark this occasion, although little does Erik know that even though he has retired the crew will still be contacting him for his technical knowledge occasionally! 

Erik first invented the Cirlock System of Lockouts over 22 years ago and that is literally how the business started.  Erik explains where it all began:-

“I started the business when working as an electrical contractor for a NW Queensland Mining company.  They wanted to have lockout devices installed on their electrical switchboards. There was nothing suitable available so I decided to design a system myself.  It worked! And from there was approved by the mine”.  

In today’s world of importing and exporting, knowing whether the product you are buying has been made in Australia is not always 100% clear.  Yet more and more consumers are placing importance on supporting locally made products. Searching for Australian made and grown products to use in your business can seem pretty confusing, but it doesn’t have to be.  You need to simply look for the famous green and gold Australian Made, Australian Grown kangaroo logo - it's been helping consumers for more than 25 years, and the safety industry is on board!

The Australian Made, Australian Grown logo is administered by Australian Made Campaign Limited (AMCL), a not-for-profit public company established in 1999 by the Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ACCI) and the network of state and territory chambers of commerce, with the cooperation of the Federal Government.  It's a certification trade mark, registered with the Federal Government, and with a strict set of rules (Code of Practice) governing how it can be used. Products must be registered with AMCL and must meet the criteria in the Code of Practice to use the logo.

The Cirlock Real Men Wear Pink campaign is an initiative we are proud to be running within our business. 

After years of associating the colour pink with breast cancer and women, the concept aims to challenge men to embrace the feminine shade and ruffle the masculine image of a rugged, tough, brawny man’s man.  Men are often overlooked when it comes to Breast Cancer but they are a vital part of the experience be it as a partner, father, brother, friend, colleague or patient.

"Control of Hazardous Energy” is paramount on any site, it is important that an established site procedure is in place.  The procedure will ensure that a lock or tag is placed on an energy-isolating device indicating that the device is not to be operated until the removal of the lock or tag.  The removal of the lock or tag must also adhere to an established site policy.

Lockout therefore is the isolation of energy from the system (a machine, equipment, or process) which physically locks the system in a safe mode.

Tag out is then the labelling process that is always used when lockout is required.  The process of tagging out a system involves attaching or using an indicator (usually a standardised label) that includes the following information:-

The Cirlock System of Lockouts for Electrical Switchboards have been manufactured in Australia for over 20 years, and is widely used by small and large companies across all states and territories. Its main feature of being permanently attached to the escutcheon plate of the switchboard, ensures that it is easy to use, and that it will normally only lock the circuit breakers in the OFF position. Each circuit breakers can be locked individually, with a Lockout Arm installed for each breaker.

A number of Lockout Arms for this system has always been available for various shapes and types of circuit breakers. Over time, as manufacturers and suppliers of breakers produce different shapes of c/b housing, Cirlock continue to research and develop new parts for their systems, as needed. This is part of their commitment always to be on the forefront of and a leader in the lockout / tagout industry in Australia.

With Schneider’s new Acti9 c/b series on the market, together with the CBI c/b series – two different brands and shapes miniature c/b – Cirlock have developed and are manufacturing two new Lockout Arms, which have been added to their range, and is now available with short notice: