Utilizing the proper container for your materials is only one piece of the puzzle. Another large and, hopefully, obvious element of choosing your container is ensuring that your materials stay safely contained. For that, there are multiple requirements and considerations. Such as: do your materials require special bracing or securement on the truck or vessel they are being transported in? And, of course: how are you closing your drum? For materials you need regular access to in the container, an open-head drum with a drum locking ring may be your choice.
Once you’ve determined you need an open-head container with a drum locking ring, you encounter more options. Do you need to access your materials regularly? Then a lever lock might be appropriate. If the container doesn’t need to be opened as often, you may opt for an older-style bolt locking ring.
At Skolnik, we’re big fans of the lever lock closure. In fact, many in the industry consider it a large upgrade from the older bolt locking rings. Not only is it easier to use–no torque, no bolt, no nut and no tools are necessary–it’s also faster, more ergonomic, and, in many ways, more secure. There’s no risk of having the wrong tool, dropping and losing the hardware, or not applying the correct torque to securely close your container. With a leverlock closure you simply slip the drum locking ring over the cover and snap it shut. See it in action here.
In some cases, drums need to be checked or inspected in transit. Leverlock closures are quick to install and easy to open and re-close. And, if there is no need for easy-access, you can lock-seal the drum locking ring for permanent protection and even use a tamper-resistant seal.
A critical component for drums is proper, secure closure. For an open head drum, you need a drum locking ring you can trust to keep your materials safely contained.