Access Control: Delivering Security, Life Safety, and Convenience

Specifying appropriate door and hardware components for building projects
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Advertorial course provided by ASSA ABLOY Door Security Solutions
T.J. Gottwalt AHC/CDC, CSI, CCPR

Non-locking Components

Locks and switches are only part of the access control system. Doors, frames, and door closers and holders also deserve consideration, particularly in the area of life safety and code compliance. All these components must work together, for example, to create a fire-rated opening. The closer and holders can be tied into the building's alarm controls and serve to automatically close a door if the alarm is activated. This creates a smoke and fire barrier that can contain and limit damage from a fire.

Hinges and pivots also fall outside the realm of locks, but are essential to security. Both should be of the proper weight to fully support the door and prevent damage to the rest of the opening. Electromechanical versions of each may be needed to hardwire an electrified opening.

While these measures help control doorways throughout a building, separate tools can also be employed to enhance safety within the facility. The installation of strategically placed closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras will not physically prevent a crime, but can still act as a deterrent by capturing illegal activity on film. Alarms work in the same manner. This is where building design can also play a role in creating a more secure environment. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) offers a practical resource for security and crime prevention practitioners. Building layout and design elements can greatly enhance or detract from the overall security and safety of occupants and the surrounding community.

A major factor to consider when designing an access control system is geographic location of the site and facility. For buildings in Florida, the Gulf Coast states or anywhere along the coast, codes addressing high winds and hurricanes must be addressed during planning and design. Building codes typically require that products and systems be tested and approved for local use, based on high wind velocity and hurricane conditions. A high-rise building in New York City will have to meet life-safety codes that require an egress marking system on exits.

Being Prepared

Hardware is part of a comprehensive security plan and must be supported by policies and procedures. The latest access control devices can be used to secure a building, but they are worthless if occupants hold the door open for a stranger. Establishing a visitors' policy and requiring all students and employees to wear ID badges will help protect against this type of intrusion. Identification policies should be enforced at all entry points, including the often-overlooked shipping and receiving areas.

Procedures are the final piece that completes the security puzzle. While hardware and policies are preventative measures, procedures are reactionary strategies that protect building occupants during an adverse event.

Schools, for example, use lockdown procedures to secure students inside classrooms when a risk is detected. But an effective lockdown requires appropriate locking hardware, such as a classroom security lock. This demonstrates the tie-in between procedures and hardware and why security must be viewed holistically.

A truly effective security plan must consider all possible risks and dangers, as well as the best way to address these problems without turning the facility into a fortress. A well-planned access control system should deliver seamless safety and security, while remaining largely invisible.

 

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Originally published in Architectural Record.
Originally published in December 2005

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