The Challenges with Correctional Tool Storage
There are several challenges with storing tools in a correctional facility. Not all of them create a direct safety risk, but they all interfere with the smooth daily operation of a tool room and any products or services that may depend on those tools.
For example, there are difficulties with storing tools that have unique size or shape requirements. Tools can also become highly disorganized when used by many people. Finally, missing or lost tools can create an accountability nightmare for the correctional staff in charge of tool storage.
Size & Shape Challenges
One of the most frustrating challenges for anyone storing a large number and wide variety of tools is the inevitable need to store large or oddly-shaped tools. These often won’t fit in standard toolbox drawers, so another solution is needed. Many locations keep them in tubs, boxes, or totes, but those methods won’t work in a correctional facility.
Disorganized
A significant factor in manufacturing cost is the time it takes to produce a good. If an inmate spends a significant amount of time looking for the right tools, their productivity decreases significantly, and the cost per unit increases in correlation.
Visual Accountability
One of the most crucial shortfalls of conventional tool storage is the inability to see, at a glance, what’s missing and what’s not. In a secure correctional facility tool room, this can mean an opportunity for a stolen tool to leave the tool room.
Pegboard Tool Storage for Correctional Facilities
A pegboard tool storage system is the ideal solution to overcome these storage challenges in a correctional facility tool room. The pegboard tool storage system uses sliding panels in a self-contained racking system to hold pegboard sheets and hooks for stored tools. Not only are these systems designed to save significant space compared to conventional storage options, but since they are self-contained, they can be expanded upon or moved entirely to accommodate the facility’s needs.
Benefits Of Pegboard Pull-Out Tool Storage
Save space
The space savings of using a pull-out tool solution means that not only can all needed tools be stored effectively, but that storage won’t require bulky shelves or large tubs & boxes to store them. This means more shop space can be dedicated to the products being produced, increasing efficiency even more.
Organizes tools
The increased organization of the tool room and its storage meant less time hunting down a missing tool that someone needs. This can saves tremendous amounts of time in the setup phase for the day’s work.
Visible accounting of tools
The greatest time savings and risk reduction that pegboard tool storage offers is in the ability for supervising officers to glance at a specific panel and see what tools are missing. This can give an immediate assessment of tools that need to be returned.
A Case Study Of Safe & Effective Tool Storage
For an easy illustration of the success and benefits of pull-out pegboard tool storage, the experiences of the Missouri Vocational Enterprises program are one of the most famous. The MVE provides vocational rehabilitation to those incarcerated by the Missouri Department of Corrections by assigning them to create various goods and provide particular services. These products and services are then sold to various companies and organizations at competitive prices.
They also had many tools as they produced a diverse array of products, from chairs to flags. These tools were stored in conventional toolboxes with little to no organization, with the boxes stored on conventional fixed shelving. While the MVE did implement a system for the identification and inventory tracking of the tools, that system was entirely unsuited for their storage method. It led to frequent breakdowns and errors in this system.
These breakdowns led to a lack of surety in the officers about which tools were checked out and which may be legitimately missing. This created an environment of unnecessary risk for the officers of the tool room, as well as other inmates. Since any tool in the tool room could potentially be used as or turned into a weapon, this placed an even more significant burden on the failing organizational system.
The eventual upgrade to mobile pull-out pegboard tool racks revolutionized the ability of the officers not only to store all tools easily but it made finding the right tools much faster, resulting in less wasted time and more productivity. Additionally, they could easily store even large and awkward tools, and since the racks pull out only when needed, there was also significant space savings. The correctional officers could inspect a tool rack in just a few moments to determine which tools were missing and needed to be returned before the end of the work time.
Contact Us for Tool Storage for Correctional Facilities
To learn more about tool storage for correctional facilities or to speak with a representative in your area, call us at (800) 803-1083 or send us a message today.
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