44 • ACCESSCONTROL
PROUD SPONSORS OF THIS PAGE
Access all areas
»»
DOUGLAS MASTERSON, technical manager at the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers( GAI), answers your frequently asked questions about access control and electric locking.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF ACCESS CONTROL?
Access control is used to ensure that only authorised people can move around certain areas of a building. It prevents unauthorised people from entering those parts of a building where or when they are not allowed.
WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT – SAFETY OR SECURITY?
Specifiers, suppliers and installers have a duty to ensure that all products specified and sourced comply with the appropriate relevant regulations and legislation. There can be a conflict between‘ security’ and‘ safety’. In the event of an emergency, locked doors would prevent free exit, so electric hardware can be linked to a fire alarm system.
WHAT KIND OF ELECTRONIC LOCKING SYSTEMS ARE AVAILABLE?
Digital push button locks are widely available, from mechanical digital devices through to sophisticated networked devices. An electric strike is one of the most common type of locking devices on a controlled door, although care needs to be taken in selecting these when side load pressure is an issue. Other devices available include electromagnetic locks, solenoid locks, solenoid bolts, motorised locks, mechatronic cylinders, and panic hardware.
DOES ANY ELECTRIC LOCKING DEVICE- WHETHER ELECTROMAGNETIC LOCK, ELECTRIC STRIKE OR ELECTRIC LOCK- HAVE TO BEAR A
CE MARK BEFORE IT IS FITTED TO A FIRE RESISTANT OR ESCAPE DOOR?
Where a product falls within the scope of BS EN 14846, it must be CE marked. It is illegal to place it on the market without a valid CE mark. Also, when fitting an electromagnetic lock to a fire door, the lock needs fire test evidence to prove it is suitable.
CAN AN ELECTROMAGNETIC LOCK BE USED AS A SOLUTION FOR ESCAPE DOORS WITH CONNECTION TO A BREAKGLASS CALL POINT, THE FIRE ALARM AND AN EXIT SWITCH?
Despite not complying with BS EN 179 or BS EN 1125, magnetic locks are acceptable according to Approved Document B 5.11 as long as there is a manual override on the escape side, and they are fail open if there’ s a fire alarm or power failure. This scenario is subject to risk assessment of the type of over-ride provided.( Please note that Scotland has a different approach to magnetic locks on escape doors.)
ARE THERE ANY STANDARDS I NEED TO BE AWARE OF REGARDING ELECTROMAGNETIC LOCKS?
The Technical Standard TS 010:2016 for Electro-Magnetic Locking Devices is a performancebased standard. It will give specifiers and manufacturers of doorsets the confidence that the electromagnetic locking device will perform to the required level. It covers face-toface fixed, mortice, shear and external electromagnetic devices. Although the test method will test the holding force as a direct pull, the electromagnet, like many individual products that are tested to a product standard, will perform differently in a doorset
‘ Where a product falls within the scope of BS EN 14846, it must be CE marked. It is illegal to place it on the market without a valid CE mark’
‘ systems are now available for homes which can link electronic door locking with CCTV cameras and home alarms’ test such as PAS 24. However, TS 010 will give the manufacturer / distributor the confidence of consistency in electromagnetic lock performance.
WHAT OTHER SYSTEMS CAN I LINK TO THE ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM?
Modern technology means it’ s possible to link all sorts of other systems into access control. These can include: clocking in and out at a commercial property; cashless vending systems in schools and colleges; audit trails in sensitive environments and integration into building management systems.
IS ACCESS CONTROL PURELY USED IN COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS?
No. The‘ internet of things’ means systems are now available for homes which can link electronic door locking with CCTV cameras and home alarms. All these can be controlled through an app on a mobile phone.
WHAT IS THE GAI ADVICE ON BEST PRACTICE REGARDING ELECTRONIC LOCKING?
The GAI advises that you supply only CE marked products( where a CE mark is possible). Some products can’ t be CE marked( where there is no harmonised standard available), in these circumstances use products you know or can prove to be of good quality. You can give your client guidance on Building Regulations and standards requirements, but it’ s the Responsible Person and the Fire Risk Assessment they create which take the responsibility for how the building will comply. The flexibility allows the right solution for the particular application to be selected, as long as the right standard of fire safety is achieved – i. e. the possibility of escape when there’ s a fire.
LOCKSMITHJOURNAL. CO. UK | JUL / AUG 2018 Sponsored by APECS