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Easy Escape With Electric Locks
Pat Jefferies, Commercial Director of Abloy UK explains the benefits electric locks
and why they provide a compliant, cost-effective and energy efficient solution.
» » WHEN IT COMES TO ACCESS
control, it’s important that the occupants
of a building have fluid access and
egress without compromising safety.
Means of escape is critical in the event
of an emergency and there needs to be a
reliable exit route that allows a quick and
easy escape.
Motorised electric locks do not
feature a handle – which is the most
vulnerable part of a door - making them
a hands-free solution that is perfect
for emergency exit access control. So
when a large number of people need a
swift and smooth exit from a building
a motorised lock improves the flow of
traffic through the door.
In addition, solenoid and motorised
locks only use electricity when the door
is being opened or closed. In most
instances doors will be closed for a far
greater amount of time than they will
be open, meaning electric locks are an
energy efficient solution too.
EL495
EL595
SETTING THE STANDARD
There are a number of building
regulation standards in place that relate
to access control, which ensure safety and
security. Electric locks offer a compliant
solution that meet standards BS EN179
Emergency Escape for when the building
occupants are aware of the building
environment, BS EN1125 Panic Escape
for environments used by the general
public, and the new standard BS EN 13637
Electronically Controlled Escape Systems
(for use on escape routes).
These standards state that even if a door
is electronically controlled for access,
there must be a compliant mechanical
means of escape in an emergency.
In the case of fire doors this is essential to
provide fire protection, to compartmentalise
a building and to protect the escape routes.
This is also a critical function in a terror
situation - offering the ability to shut off
certain areas to terrorists and allow egress or
access to ensure the safety of the public.
SAFE SOLUTION
With this in mind, Abloy UK offers a
selection of compliant electric locks that
are ideal for panic and escape doors.
Its range includes motor and solenoid
electric lock - which are the most effective
forms of electric locking – and also electric
strikes.
Spearheading the range are the Abloy
EL560 solenoid lock, which works by
controlling either the latch or the handle,
and the Abloy EL520 motorised lock that
works by motorising the bolt back once a
proximity card is presented or a request to
exit device is used.
High quality locks such as these -
that conform with the aforementioned
standards are also available as packages
that include cylinders, door closers,
concealed door loop and handle sets, to
allow locksmiths to offer their customers
a complete compliant, cost-effective and
energy efficient solution, that maintains
a high level of security whilst allowing for
easy access and egress from a building.
LOCKSMITHJOURNAL.CO.UK | JAN/FEB 2019
EL560
INTELLIGENT LOCKS
Abloy has also recently launched the
EL495 and EL595, which are intelligent
motor locks that give an audible warning
allowing the lock to be replaced before it
reaches the end of its lifecycle. This feature
allows the smoother running of facilities
management and provides peace of mind
knowing that the lock is operating to
specification.
Both solutions are compliant to
British Standards - EL495 is BS EN179
and BS EN1125 approved, and the EL595
is BS EN179 approved. There are three
variants of the EL495 and EL595 available,
including a Fail Unlocked (FU) model, Fail
Locked model (FL) and high security lock
case with mechanical exit feature.
For information on all products and
services available from Abloy UK visit
https://bit.ly/2ABqSiW, call 01902 364
500, or email [email protected]