The Locksmith Journal May-Jun 2015 - Issue 38 | Page 46

46 • accesscontrol PROUD SPONSORS OF THIS PAGE Cost-Effective Solutions for Upgrading Security During Refurbishment Projects »»Sourcing and installing effective security equipment is always an important consideration within commercial buildings. Even when appropriate measures are in place, security risks will often need to be reassessed and expanded as a result of any refurbishment work, especially if the building is being extended or new access points are installed. Businesses and organisations are also under pressure to keep costs low while still meeting all relevant health and safety requirements, says Jeremy Cassady, Managing Director of Securikey, in this article for The Locksmith journal. Thankfully, there is a wide range of low cost safety and security solutions available designed to meet any requirement, ensuring that the refurbishment budget does not have to be stretched to ensure a safe environment is maintained. This breadth of choice, however, goes hand in hand with the need for reliable advice so customers can traverse the array of options, and an experienced locksmith is well-placed to offer advice to ensure the right solution is chosen for each application. Convenience without Compromise Access control is one of the primary security concerns in many commercial buildings, particularly applications such as student accommodation, hospitals and educational buildings which have a high number and turnover of traffic. Business owners or facilities managers usually want to implement a more streamlined way of maintaining lock security, as inconvenient or time-consuming security measures can lead to their being used intermittently by building users or, in the worst case scenario, disregarded altogether. ‘A master key system can provide a very practical and userfriendly solution’ A master key system can provide a very practical and user-friendly solution, as well as being easy to schedule as part of planned building refurbishment works. This type of system allows key holders to access both the main door of a building and other interior doors using the same key, offering maximum convenience by eradicating the need for excessive quantities of keys to be carried around or stored safely. Master key systems are ideal for a wide range of commercial properties, from offices to commercial buildings, retail stores, hotels, and student accommodation, and can be easily planned for installation where doors or locksmithjournal.co.uk | MAY/JUN 2015 Sponsored by ASSA ABLOY locks are being fitted or replaced, or even on all existing doors where compatible to further reduce costs. As long as doors feature the euro profile cylinder key lock, the capability to switch to a master key system is set up even if only required at a later stage. Leading suppliers such as Securikey expand the possibilities still further by offering a ‘one key’ option that not only works on doors but can also be used to access key cabinet ranges, cash safes, high security post boxes and emergency key holding boxes, which can be located around the building. Keyless Access For applications where the allocation of keys or cards is impractical owing to the volume of people entering and exiting the building, digital door locks are widely used because they provide a low cost, easy to install access control solution. As with the ‘one key’ euro profile cylinder, digital door locks can be installed on new or existing doors as part of an ongoing refurbishment project. As they require no additional hardware and are completely self-contained, they are quick and easy to fit as well as being ideally suited for retrofit on a small budget. When undergoing building upgrades, building owners want to know that the work being carried out will last in order to justify any expenditure. This longevity extends to the requirement that any products installed be adaptable to meet changing needs within the building. As digital door locks offer a simple solution compared to ‘high tech’ electronic