Buyer ToolsHow Many Lockers Do You Need? Per Employee and Per Student
Short answer: plan one locker for every employee who changes into a uniform or must leave a bag outside the work area, plus about 10% spare. Boarding schools and hostels need one locker per student; day schools often need fewer. The sections below show how to count lockers for offices, factories, hotels, hospitals and schools, and how to turn the count into columns on a wall.
Lockers Needed by Type of Building
| Building | How many lockers | Usual locker type |
|---|---|---|
| Factory or warehouse | 1 per worker on the payroll (not per shift) + 10% spare | 1 or 2-tier, full uniform space |
| Hotel or resort | 1 per staff member who wears a uniform + 10% spare | 1 or 2-tier with hanging rod |
| Hospital | 1 per nurse, doctor and support staff member on the roster | 2-tier in changing rooms |
| Office | 1 per employee who needs one (hot-desking staff, field staff, cycle commuters) | 3 or 4-tier for bags and laptops |
| Day school | About 1 per 3 students | 3 or 4-tier |
| Boarding school or hostel | 1 per student | Full height or 2-tier, or a wardrobe instead |
| Gym, pool or sports facility | Enough for peak-hour users, not total members | 3 or 4-tier |
Count by People, Then Adjust for Shifts
The most common mistake is counting lockers by people present at one time. In most factories, hotels and hospitals each person keeps a uniform and personal items in their own locker, so the count is everyone on the payroll, not one shift.
- Own locker per person: lockers = total staff who need one + 10% spare.
- Shared day-use lockers (people empty them at the end of each shift): lockers = largest shift + 10% spare. This only works with padlocks or resettable locks, and only where nobody leaves a uniform behind.
- Mixed: full-height lockers for uniformed staff and smaller day-use lockers for visitors, contractors or trainees.
Worked Example: A 120-Person Factory
| Step | Count |
|---|---|
| Workers on the payroll who change into uniform | 110 |
| Supervisors and office staff who need a bag locker | 10 |
| Spare (10%) | 12 |
| Total lockers | 132 |
| As 2-tier locker banks (2 doors per column) | 66 columns |
| Wall length at 300 mm per column | About 20 metres, split between men's and women's changing rooms |
From Locker Count to Wall Space
Each locker column is about 300–380 mm wide and holds 1 to 4 doors. So the same number of lockers can take very different wall lengths:
| 100 lockers as… | Columns | Wall length (300 mm columns) |
|---|---|---|
| 1-tier (full height) | 100 | 30 m |
| 2-tier | 50 | 15 m |
| 3-tier | 34 | about 10 m |
| 4-tier | 25 | 7.5 m |
Leave about 1.2 m of clear floor in front of the lockers so doors can open while people pass. Sizes for each tier are in our steel locker size and price guide, and our steel locker configurator turns a headcount into columns and doors.
Choosing the Locker Type
- Uniforms on hangers need full-height (1-tier) or 2-tier lockers with a hanging rod.
- Shoes and a bag fit a 2-tier locker.
- A bag, books or a laptop fit a 3 or 4-tier locker, which saves the most wall space.
- Hostels and boarding schools can use a wardrobe or almirah per student instead of a locker — see the bunk bed size guide for room planning.
Ordering Lockers from The Royal Safe Company
| What you need to know | Details |
|---|---|
| Configurations | 1, 2, 4 and 6-door lockers and multi-column locker banks; custom sizes to your room |
| Material | Powder-coated mild steel from TATA Steel and JSW, made in our own factory in Sonipat, Haryana |
| Minimum order | No minimum for orders within India; export orders from USD 3,000 |
| Price | Quoted per order, exclusive of 18% GST; delivery charged extra |
| Guarantee | 2 years in India, 1 year on export orders |
See our steel lockers, the institutional lockers buyer's guide and steel lockers for hotel staff.
Send your headcount, shifts, locker type and room size to sales@royalsafeco.com and we will work out the locker count and send a quotation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many lockers do I need per employee?
Plan one locker for every employee who changes into a uniform or has to leave a bag outside the work area, plus about 10% spare. Count everyone on the payroll, not just one shift, unless lockers are emptied at the end of every shift.
How many lockers does a school need?
Boarding schools and hostels need one locker per student. Day schools commonly plan about one locker for every three students, usually as 3 or 4-tier lockers.
Do I need a locker for every shift or every worker?
If each worker keeps a uniform in their locker, you need one per worker on the payroll. Only shared day-use lockers that are emptied after each shift can be counted per shift.
How much wall space do 100 lockers need?
With 300 mm wide columns, about 30 m as full-height lockers, 15 m as 2-tier, about 10 m as 3-tier and 7.5 m as 4-tier, plus about 1.2 m of clear floor in front.
How many spare lockers should I order?
About 10% extra covers new joiners, damaged doors and contractors, and avoids a small follow-up order later.