10 Years Ago
Locksmith Ledger’s March 2015 cover focus was school security, always an important topic. Jerry Levine reported on a preschool security upgrade from mechanical locks to the electromechanical Schlage CO-200 Series. Levine also covered the installation of a mortise indicator lock on classroom doors. In another article, Levine looked at classroom function intruder locks that allow the teacher to lock down a classroom from inside, via key, thumbturn or fob. In an article titled New Views on School Security, Tim O’Leary looked at combining video surveillance with access control. SDC’s HiTower Electric Frame Actuator Controlled Mortise Lockset was an article subject. O’Leary wrote about Happy Endings: Installing RJ-45 Connectors. Steve Young tackled auto lock decoding and recommended some useful tools. The article “Going Green” looked at manufacturers’ efforts at sustainability, which continue today.
20 Years Ago
Tim O’Leary showed ways to retrofit electronic locks in place of mechanical versions. Jerry Levine installed a CompX eLock into a gun safe cabinet. RCI described their QS-4K001 single door access control system. Kaba Access Control reported on an E Plex 5000 system installed at a popular California boat harbor. Tom Gillespie shared 10 Tips for $uccessful $afe $ales. Jerry Levine visited AMSEC Security Products and reported on their new safe cabinet products. Gale Johnson offered instructions on making a homemade illuminated plug follower, great assistance for older eyes. Johnson also reported on the "case against tubular locks." Robert Thomas described the exciting 2005 year for the Institutional Locksmith Association. Steve Kaufman wrote an article on the characteristics of a successful locksmith business. Tiny serviced a GM in-dash ignition cylinder.
Problem Solver: Code-Compliant School Security
In a timely but still valid article 10 years ago, Locksmith Ledger stressed the importance of school security devices that are code-compliant, warning about the dangers of some barricade devices. Most of these proposed code changes have been adopted.
School officials are under immense pressure to increase security in their schools. But many school districts are making decisions on their own and some of those decisions are enhancing their lockdown capability at the expense of day-to-day life safety.
All manner of retrofit security devices that allow for lockdown are being marketed to schools whose tight budgets and lack of understanding often lead to purchasing devices that are not code-compliant. Many of these devices fail to comply with requirements for egress – requiring more than one operation to release, not being mounted between 34 inches and 48 inches above the floor, requiring tight grasping, pinching, and twisting of the wrist to operate, or requiring special knowledge and/or effort. Access to classrooms by first responders or school staff is frequently restricted by these devices. They also often create the risk that an unauthorized person could gain access to them and initiate a lock down to facilitate far more common crimes like assault, vandalism, theft, and sexual assault.
In response to this growing problem, the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) has recently submitted a code change proposal for the 2018 International Building Code and International Fire Code that would address classroom locking in new and existing buildings respectively. The proposal would require all Group E classroom doors to be lockable from the inside of the classroom without the need to open the door.
1010.1.4.4 Occupancy Group E Classrooms. In Occupancy Group E, classroom doors shall be permitted to be lockable from within the classroom without opening the classroom door. All the following conditions shall apply:
1. The classroom door shall be unlockable and openable from within the classroom and shall comply with Section 1010.1.9.
2. The classroom door shall be unlockable and openable from outside the classroom by the use of a key or other credential.
1010.1.4.4.1 Remote operation of locks. Remote operation of locks complying with 1010.1.4.4 shall be permitted.
The need to ensure free egress as well as authorized access from the ingress side of the door makes many of the retrofit security methods unsuitable for use in a classroom. Locksmiths should guide their customers to choose the product that allows for lockdown in the event of an incident, but is also code compliant.
Read the full article at www.locksmithledger.com/12039706
