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National Key Scheme
give greater benefits
to the Disabled
»»DISABILITY RIGHTS UK
(formerly R.A.D.A.R.) is
promoting a national scheme
in the UK meaning that all
public disabled toilets across
the UK are fitted with specially
manufactured locks which only
use a RADAR key - offering
disabled people independent
access to locked public toilets
around the country.
Toilets fitted with N&C
Phlexicare RADAR National
Key Scheme (NKS) locks can
currently be found in shopping
centres, pubs, cafés, department
stores, bus and train stations
and many other locations in
most parts of the country.
DEVELOPMENT OF NKS (THE
NATIONAL KEY SCHEME)
In 1981, a universal lock
was introduced by N&C
Phlexicare, a company with an
established record in promoting
ironmongery and other building
products to the disabled
market. This introduction saw
the launch of the National Key
Scheme, which today is fitted in
over 10,000 toilets around the
UK.
The scheme allows for public
facilities that have previously
been locked due to vandalism
and misuse, to be available
to disabled users by local
authorities. This allows some
users to feel confident enough
to travel and reduces the
number of some disabled users
from being house bound.
The scheme first grew UK
wide, when the National Rail
installed the locks in over 40
stations across the country, and
by the mid 80’s, the National Key
Scheme was seeing at least one
N&C Phlexicare RADAR lock
being fitted every working day,
which meant it was growing at a
rapid rate.
The scheme was becoming
a normal part of provision in
many parts of the country,
becoming an integral part in
developing vandal resistant
‘superloos’.
THE ORIGINAL RADAR
LOCK SYSTEM
The new 5th generation lock
design still uses the original
lockset manufactured by
N&C Phlexicare as a trusted
mechanism that today still
accepts the very first keys that
were launched over 35 years
ago. The lockset use a six lever
lock operation, which benefits
in its simplistic mechanism
to allow unmaintained locks
to work for decades. It is not
intended as a security device,
but has been designed to ensure
facilities are available when
necessary.
However, the new Radar
handset has been improved to
include an extended cranked
level handle for improved
ease of use and satisfies the
requirements set out in the
Equality Act (BS8300). It
achieves a category of use to
Grade 2 EN1906.
The new Radar lock latch
head has also been tested to
1,000,000 bolt slam operations
with the lock follower for the
lever handle also being tested
to 1,000,000 cycles. A Neutral
Salt Spray test has also been
carried out to 480 hours to
meet the requirements set
out by EN1670:2007 Grade 5
representing exceptionally high
corrosion resistance.
All new generation locks
have been powder coated blue
to help customers differentiate
them from copy locks in the
market place.
Radar locks should only
be used, using approved
N&C Phlexicare RADAR keys
that have been tested with
the locks. There are a large
number of copy keys out in the
market place claiming to be
the genuine, official radar key,
however , if it is not the official
N&C Phlexicare key it is not
classed, according to Disability
Rights UK, the official key.
The problem that can occur
by not using an official N&C
Phlexicare key is that the
performance of copy keys
cannot be guaranteed because
there is no quality control and
poorly cut keys that result
in poor torque resistance
COPY LOCK
Radar Key
Left: Copy lock
Right: 6 lever RADAR lock
have resulted in vulnerable
people being unable to open
the lock. Failed keys result in
embarrassment, inconvenience
and reduced independence of
the user.
N&C Phlexicare is part of
the Nicholls & Clarke Group
established in 1875 in the
heart of London. N&C are
longstanding members of
GAI, and manufacture and
distribute quality ironmongery
products.
RADAR LOCK
1 Levers (Aluminium)
6 Levers (Steel)
Die Cast Casing
Steel Case
3 Fixing points
On Cover Plate
5 Fixing points
On Cover Plate
Latch and Lock have not
been tested
Latch and lock have
been tested to meet
and exceed BSEN12209
Latch Head
(Slam Test of 1 Million
cycles)
Lock follower for lever
handle
(Pull-down test of 1
Million cycles)
Due to lack of levers, any key
with a initial (Cut/Tooth)
can operate the lock
Levers are designed to
work only with the official
N&C RADAR Key Scheme
LOCKSMITHJOURNAL.CO.UK | MAY/JUN 2016
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