Brady SafeKey ALU-BLU-38ST-KD Lockout Padlock — Aluminum Blue

The Brady SafeKey ALU-BLU-38ST-KD is the blue-color variant of Brady's industry-leading aluminum LOTO padlock line — keyed-different, 1.5" hardened steel shackle, anodized aluminum body. Blue is one of the most frequently assigned colors in multi-trade LOTO color-coding programs, commonly designated for maintenance technicians, mechanical contractors, or a specific department that needs its locks visually distinct from electrical (red), construction (yellow), or environmental (green) crews. If your facility runs a color-coded lockout program and needs a supply of personal blue padlocks for authorized employees, ALU-BLU-38ST-KD is Brady's standard offering for that slot.

Key Features

• BLUE anodized aluminum body — color-coded for multi-trade or multi-department LOTO programs
• Keyed-different (KD): each lock has its own unique key for personal-protection OSHA compliance
• 1.5" (38mm) hardened steel shackle — fits standard lockout hasps, valve lockouts, and circuit breaker clips
• Brady SafeKey anodizing: color penetrates the aluminum, does not chip or fade under industrial conditions
• Laser-engravable body surface for worker name or ID number personalization
• OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147 compliant — durable, substantial, standardized, and identifiable
• Part of the Brady SafeKey ecosystem — integrates with Brady lockout stations, hasps, and kits

Product Specifications

Detailed Description

Color coding is not cosmetic in a serious LOTO program — it is a critical visual management tool. When ten workers from three different trades are simultaneously locking out the same energy isolation point, the ability to identify who applied each lock without reading a tag under poor lighting conditions in a loud facility can be the difference between a compliant program and a hazardous one. OSHA 1910.147 requires that each authorized employee's lock be identifiable to them; color is the fastest and most reliable first-pass identification method in a busy industrial environment.

The ALU-BLU-38ST-KD exists precisely to support this use case. Facilities assign blue to a specific trade, shift, or department — often mechanical maintenance, pipe fitters, or a specific contractor company — and issue every authorized employee in that group a blue SafeKey padlock with their name engraved on the body. When an auditor or a shift supervisor walks a multi-lock hasp, they can immediately see which trades are locked out and whether any lock is missing from the expected set, without stopping to read individual tags or check a written log.

Brady SafeKey's color anodizing process makes this visual management approach durable. Unlike padlocks with painted or powder-coated bodies, the anodized color on a SafeKey penetrates the aluminum surface. Daily industrial use — dropping on concrete floors, exposure to cutting fluids, contact with pipe threads and valve bodies, cleaning with industrial solvents — will not chip or scratch the color off a SafeKey lock body. A blue lock issued to an employee today will still be clearly, unmistakably blue after three years of daily LOTO use. This permanence is essential for a color-coding program that relies on consistent visual identification as an administrative control.

The keyed-different configuration means every ALU-BLU-38ST-KD in your inventory has its own unique key code. Even though all the blue locks share a common color (identifying department or trade), each individual lock is uniquely keyed to the specific worker it was issued to. This satisfies both the color-coding administrative requirement (which trade is locked out?) and the personal-protection requirement (only the specific worker who applied this lock can remove it).

The 1.5" hardened steel shackle is the Brady SafeKey standard shackle length — appropriate for the vast majority of lockout hasp jaw sizes and valve lockout clip geometries used in North American facilities. The body accepts laser engraving for worker name or ID personalization, and the lock fits all Brady SafeKey stations and accessory hardware.

Compliance and Standards

• OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147 — Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout)
• Meets OSHA substantive requirements: durable, substantial, standardized, and identifiable
• Compatible with NFPA 70E electrical safety work practice requirements
• Suitable for CSA Z460 LOTO programs in Canadian facilities

Real-World Benefits

Facilities implementing multi-trade color-coded LOTO programs report faster shift-change verifications when each trade's locks are a distinct color. A supervisor completing the shift-change LOTO audit can count and verify blue (mechanical), red (electrical), and yellow (construction) locks on a given hasp in seconds rather than reading individual tags — a significant time saving during busy shift turnover with multiple active energy isolation points.

For contractor safety officers managing incoming trade crews, issuing blue padlocks to all mechanical contractors creates a clear visual distinction between contractor locks and facility employee locks on shared energy isolation points. This supports the written LOTO program's documentation requirements for contractor coordination under 1910.147(f)(2).

Applications and Use Cases

• Mechanical maintenance departments color-coded blue in multi-trade LOTO programs
• Contractor crews requiring color-coded personal locks distinguishable from facility employee locks
• Facilities with ANSI/color-coding conventions assigning blue to a specific shift or crew
• Safety officers issuing personalized personal LOTO locks to newly authorized employees
• Replacement locks for workers who have lost or damaged their personal blue SafeKey padlock
• Process industries, utilities, and heavy manufacturing with multi-trade maintenance programs

Related Products

• Shop All Lockout/Tagout Equipment
• Brady SafeKey B07RM5LJHD Aluminum LOTO Padlock — Keyed Different
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Brady SafeKey ALU-PRP-38ST-KD Purple Aluminum Padlock
• Brady 123143 Compact Lockout/Tagout Kit

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is blue a common color in LOTO color-coding programs?

There is no single OSHA-mandated color assignment. Facilities develop their own color-coding conventions. Blue is widely used for mechanical maintenance, pipe trades, or a designated contractor group because it is visually distinct from red (electrical) and yellow (construction or caution). The important thing is that your written LOTO program documents the color assignments and all authorized employees are trained on them.

Does every blue lock in a batch share the same key?

No. ALU-BLU-38ST-KD is keyed-different — each lock in your order has its own unique key code. Multiple workers can all carry blue locks (same color, same department code) but each worker's lock is individually keyed, so only that worker can remove their lock. Color identifies the department; the individual key identifies the worker.

Can I order the Brady SafeKey in a color other than blue for my department?

Yes. Brady SafeKey aluminum padlocks are available in red, blue, yellow, orange, green, and purple in both keyed-different and keyed-alike configurations. WCSafety carries multiple colors — see the Brady SafeKey purple (ALU-PRP-38ST-KD) and other variants in the lockout/tagout collection.

Can I engrave the ALU-BLU-38ST-KD with an employee name?

Yes. The anodized aluminum body accepts laser engraving. Brady and third-party engraving services can personalize each lock with a worker's name, employee number, or department code prior to issuance, satisfying the OSHA identifiability requirement at the lock-body level rather than relying on attached tags.

Is the 1.5" shackle appropriate for all standard lockout hasps?

The 1.5" (38mm) shackle fits the jaw of virtually all standard North American safety hasps including 6-point, 4-point, and single-jaw hasps from Brady, Master Lock, ABUS, and American Lock. For unusually thick hasps or oversized valve handles, a long-shackle variant (such as the ABUS 2ALHB/40-75 with 3" shackle) may be more appropriate.

How does color-coding support OSHA 1910.147 compliance?

OSHA 1910.147 requires that lockout devices be standardized within a facility — consistent in color, shape, or size to indicate their purpose. A color-coded LOTO program with documented color assignments satisfies this standardization requirement and adds an additional layer of visual identifiability. The color alone does not satisfy the personal-protection requirement; each worker still needs a uniquely keyed personal lock.

What Brady lockout station works with SafeKey padlocks?

Brady's personal LOTO pouch, shadow board stations, and wall-mounted lockout stations are all sized for SafeKey padlocks. The Brady 123143 Compact Lockout/Tagout Kit is a good starting point for workers who need a complete personal LOTO kit organized around the SafeKey padlock.