Modern systems can now offer real-time control, with doors scheduled to automatically unlock during certain times of the day. Capabilities such as allowing a door to remain unlocked for a certain amount of time after the door has been opened from the inside are also available.

These systems can also provide an audit trail for any lock, key or system user, at any time – making a proper investigation of any breach not just feasible, but straightforward.

Furthermore, as any lost access card can simply have its access rights revoked, there’s no longer any need for the expensive, time-consuming process of changing the locks when someone loses a physical key. Audit trails can now be generated at the touch of a button, another saving on the substantial cost – in both staff time and money – of administering a mechanical master-key system.

A clear benefit to wireless access control technology is also that no wiring or cabling is involved, meaning no electrician or core drilling is required. Plus, the latest battery-operated systems means maintenance simply involves typically changing a standard lithium-ion battery once every two to three years.

David Hodgkiss, National Sales Manager, ASSA ABLOY

The post Real-time control of doors now a reality appeared first on City Security Magazine.

We often hear the phrase ‘time is money’, meaning people are not measured on age, success or wealth, but in the hours, minutes and seconds they have to offer. When you consider the fast paced world we live in, it’s not surprising that many think the most precious currency is time – and if your time is limited, your value is decreased.

What would you do with an extra minute each day? Imagine for a minute – if you can spare one – that we were able to measure the value of those units of time. Would a second taken from a busy CEO be as valuable a resource to an elderly man or woman satisfied that they have achieved all they need to?

The value of time

Would an extra month in each of the difficult last 10 years have been enough to save some of the brands we used to love? Would an extra week in that pressured final quarter help you reach those goals you set out 12 months previously?

We are looking to break barriers to success and we have a big one in mind – time. One sector is constantly reported to be particularly time stretched, although a big focus is placed upon the efficiency of staff: that’s the healthcare sector.

We often see news stories of an NHS stretched to its limits, and two areas that come under scrutiny are the efficiency of nurses and how their time is being spent, along with the effectiveness of the medicine management systems they utilise. However, the latest security technology is revolutionising the way nurses work and how medicines are distributed to patients.

Time-saving tech

Web-based management systems are offering a solution for busy nursing staff – they provide users with an electronic key, cut to the same code as their mechanical ones but with the addition of time-based access rights and flexible opening permissions.

These systems now allow for the remote management of disparate or large electronic master-keyed sites at any time, with comprehensive audit trails on locks and padlocks and the ability to invalidate lost or stolen keys, assuring tight key management at all times.

The latest systems also take advantage of highly encrypted wireless technology, enabling users to update keys wirelessly with a smartphone.

The inception of such devices started with the idea that being able to deactivate lost or stolen controlled drug keys may be of benefit to those responsible for security within the healthcare sector. An additional benefit was that this not only gave them an enhancement to their security but a significant efficiency measured in time.

Reducing risk

Traditionally, nurses have been at risk of losing a mechanical medicine cupboard key. This would mean a new mechanical suite of locks would have to be introduced in order to gain back security – at an unwelcome cost.

To mitigate such risk, nurses can now use one key per ward – so that only one set of keys exists and therefore one point of risk.  In the past, this was a pipe dream for ward sisters or pharmacy technicians eager to improve our ever-demanding healthcare service.

But this system is now a reality, providing a way for each staff member to have their own key, to access their assets when and where they need. Now thousands of these keys and cylinders have been issued to the UK healthcare market.

In fact, the BBC reported a time saving equivalent to 24 nursing shifts every day across three early adopters of the solution. It was found that nurses would spend an average of 40 minutes per shift looking for keys, this equated to 250 minutes lost on a ward every day. Over a year the lost time would be the equivalent of having an extra 24 nurses on duty every day across a Trust.

So how do you manage access to remote assets, sites or those other difficult but necessary security situations? Do you still believe you should place your trust in a purely mechanical solution?

If you do, then I urge you to consider how much time is spent collecting, storing, searching for, replacing and ultimately worrying about where those keys are, what they are for and what you would do in the unthinkable scenario that they fell into the wrong hands.

Pip Courcoux

Sales and Product Manager – CLIQ® Systems at Abloy UK

www.abloy.co.uk

The post Web-based management systems: breaking barriers appeared first on City Security Magazine.

The scale and public prominence of recent cyber attacks has created a shift in focus from protecting physical assets to digital resources and the new online methods of intrusion, but with the UK still on a severe terror threat, continual improvement in counter-terror security should be reviewed and implemented across the board.

It is estimated that 60% of SMEs only have locks and security lights as a deterrent, whilst 36% have no visitor security in place. These statistics, although based on research with SMEs, fundamentally sum up the existing problem in security specification across commercial office developments.

Quite rightly, there is renewed investment in cyber security and the focus for counter-terror measures continues to be on visible physical security, quite often at the main entrance and exit points of a building.

Counter terrorism

Counter-terror is also an issue once inside a building, whether that’s regulating visitor access or creating restricted access zones. This is the physical element of security that is often unseen, and as a result can be forgotten.

The debate around creating a ‘fortress’ approach to security continues, especially with the ever-present issue of terrorism and the need, in some cases, for public reassurance. As well as creating a cultural statement, the highly visual representation of security is often easier to consider and design in at the perimeters of a building. It becomes a far more intricate balancing act between the seen and unseen when considering internal security, such as access control.

Visible security deterrants

A custodial building or high profile residency is expected to have a high level of visible security deterrents as one of the many measures to its counter-terror programme. Buildings, however, where essentially people have to work, rest and live, such as office buildings, healthcare or hospitality facilities, will still be susceptible to a terror threat. They will also have to balance the need for people to flow around the building and not feel intimidated by the level of security present.

The RIBA paper ‘RIBA guidance on designing for counter-terrorism’ advises that businesses should ‘incorporate counter-terror measures into their buildings and public spaces whilst maintaining the quality of the place’. This clearly places the emphasis on a building being safe in proportion to the level of the threat, but with the original intent of the Design firmly at the heart of it.

Access control

Whilst counter-terror measures often refer to ballistic-proof exteriors and perimeter deterrents, considering the flow and access in a building is equally important but needs more careful consideration in the subtley of its application.

Access control systems are an important part of counter-terror design and support RIBA’s message of ‘design in security features from the outset’; this way they fit the overall architecture of a building but also its purpose and the needs of the building users.

Access control systems not only help to regulate visitors in and out of a building, as well as regular users, but can also be integrated into other security systems to create a holistic security approach.

Security culture

The implementation of any counter-terror measure should be supported by a security culture. As the RIBA report suggests, a security concept is ‘physical, technical and procedural’, meaning an access control system or complete secure doorset is only as effective as the knowledge and culture built around it. This is why considering security systems at the building design phase is crucial, so it can capture not only the security needs of the building but the ethos and culture of the design and the people using it.

For example, the culture of a custodial or critical government building will be far more attuned with visible and prominent security and checking systems, and therefore doorsets and specifications can be designed around this. Conversely, in a more commercial and aesthetically pleasing development, the security needs to be present but not obvious. It needs to protect the valuable assets and offer integrated audit solutions for building owners and managers, but it also needs to be sensitive in its implementation and not affect the overall design aesthetics and philosophy of the building. Safeguard doorsets offer advanced protection in discreet designs that will fit in with commercial environments.

It is important to secure all aspects of a building when designing to counter terror. In most cases there will be balance between cyber, visible physical deterrents and ‘invisible’ integrated solutions, which will be proportionate to the level of threat and also the purpose and design intent of the building. Working with manufacturers who take a holistic view of a building and its users will help to achieve the combination of security elements needed to counter terror, while encouraging the flow around and efficient use of the building.

Gareth Ellams

Managing Director, ASSA ABLOY Access Control, a UK division of ASSA ABLOY

www.assaabloy.co.uk

The post Access control: counter-terrorism design appeared first on City Security Magazine.

What will the introduction of the government’s Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) mean for the security industry and how can energy consumption can be reduced via the use of specialised access control systems?

Since the launch of ESOS, companies are now finding that greater emphasis is being placed upon how much energy is being wasted in buildings.

ESOS is a new mandatory energy assessment scheme for organisations in the UK, which audits the energy used by their buildings, industrial processes and transport to identify cost-effective energy saving measures.

It applies to large UK undertakings and their corporate groups. It mainly affects businesses but can also apply to not-for-profit bodies and some public sector organisations that are large enough to meet the qualification criteria.

The introduction of the scheme means specifiers and building owners are now assessing the areas in which their premises can be more energy efficient, for example in lifts, heating, ventilation and lighting, to name just a few.

Access control is a vital area in which significant energy and cost reductions can be gained. In addition to this, installing a bomb blast energy saving window film can save up to 30% on your air conditioning costs, with a Return on Investment within 1-3 years. Power monitoring is key to benchmarking all energy saving.

For the security industry, this means it is crucial that we are looking at access control, and related security provisions, and creating effective solutions that are more energy efficient than those currently in place.

Electric vs magnetic locking

Security will always be paramount in public buildings, and although this cannot be compromised, systems need to be adapted to reduce energy consumption. So what are the most energy efficient access control solutions that still ensure a high level of safety?

In many cases, door magnets have traditionally been the ‘go-to’ device for access control points in commercial buildings, as their upfront cost is lower than alternative products. However, in instances where the energy consumption of a building needs to be reduced, electric locks are an ideal solution to help increase energy efficiency.

By selecting electric locks, specifiers can ensure that they are choosing a system that not only allows for swift and easy access and egress alongside an enhanced security provision, but they are also reducing the energy consumption and carbon footprint of a building.

The reason that door magnets are less efficient is because they require an electric current to lock the door. This current then breaks with the use of a request to exit button, cutting the lock’s magnetic hold and allowing the door to be opened. In contrast, a motorised or solenoid electric lock only uses power to open the door, so energy can be saved because doors are closed for the majority of the time.

To put this into context, 13 door magnets use around the same amount of electricity as a kettle being constantly boiled all day. In comparison, electric locks will only require around 10-20% of this amount of energy to operate for the same amount of time. So although door magnets may have a smaller initial cost, in the long run electric locks are substantially more energy efficient.

Safe and secure

Electric locks also offer greater security in comparison to door magnets, which is paramount for public buildings. This is because there can be fire risks associated with installing a magnet on a door which is used as a fire escape, because they require special arrangements to be made to guarantee they are fail-safe at all times in the event of an emergency. It may be that an alarm or ‘request to exit’ mechanism is required for electromagnetic locks to allow someone to exit.

This is a great concern as it could hinder the safety of the occupants by not allowing for swift and easy access and egress. In contrast, motorised and solenoid electric solutions satisfy the needs of both fire doors and emergency and panic situations where a mechanical means of escape is required.

Motorised locks are also ideal for emergency exit access control as they do not feature a handle – which is the most vulnerable part of a door – making them a hands-free solution. This can improve the flow of people through the door, which is especially useful when a swift and smooth exit is needed for a large number of people. Therefore, electric locks are the superior device, not only in terms of energy efficiency but also public safety.

So, it’s important that the security industry is taking notice of schemes such as ESOS and energy efficiency, as it’s likely that access control will be one of the areas that will be under scrutiny, and so being able to offer more energy efficient solutions in the form of electric locks will be greatly beneficial.

Jonathan Burke

Marketing Manager, Abloy UK

www.abloy.co.uk

The post Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme ESOS uncovered appeared first on City Security Magazine.

Standards EN179 and EN1125

When it comes to access control in public buildings, compliant electric locking solutions that meet building regulation standards – such as EN179 Emergency Escape (for when the building occupants are aware of the building environment) and EN1125 Panic Escape (for environments used by the general public) – are essential to ensure safety and security.

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, compartmentalise a building, and protect the escape routes.

Electric locks are a more compliant access control solution in comparison to door magnets, as magnetic systems are often not guaranteed to be fail-safe. This means that if there was an emergency, they may not allow the occupants of a building to make a quick and safe exit, which could possibly result in fatalities.

CE marking

A CE mark should be present on locking devices, confirming they comply with EU legislation. It is now a legal requirement for manufacturers of construction products in the UK to apply CE marking to items that are covered by harmonised European Norms (hEN).

A CE mark shows that the minimum performance requirements of the product have been met; however, it is not always a sign of high quality. Alongside the CE mark, a Declaration of Performance (DoP) document has to be made available to the customer upon request.

It’s vital that each party – whether an architect, specifier, facilities manager or installer – takes responsibility for ensuring the correct compliant systems are in place to guarantee safe egress for the occupants of the building in the event of an emergency.

Jon Burke, Marketing Manager, Abloy UK

www.abloy.co.uk

The post Locking: the standards to apply: EN179 & EN1125 appeared first on City Security Magazine.

Having taken a knock to their collective reputation in recent years, banks can ill-afford the repercussions of a security breach. Against a backdrop of aging physical security systems and restrictive maintenance budgets, how can banks  effectively negate the risk when it comes to security?

Banks have struggled with their public image for some time now; the last thing any financial institution needs is to deal with the fallout of a break-in.

Spending on bank security is key

While being secure is a fundamental and essential function of a financial building, many banks are unable to afford a complete overhaul of their security system. Further, the aging, segregated physical security systems that are in place expend a high portion of maintenance budgets and could leave a building vulnerable to the more modern methods of attack.

It is essential, though, that a banking building finds a solution to this catch-22; a security breach could not only lead to a loss of money, equipment and sensitive data, but could also cost them more indirectly, in damage to the company’s reputation and brand.

At the same time, it is essential to prioritise continued day-to-day operations of the building. An industry driven by customer satisfaction targets with a 24/7 nature can little afford to shut down for a number of hours, at any time of day, for any such improvement work to its security system. A drop in service is neither tolerated nor cheap.

Under lock and key

When looking to upgrade the security of a whole building, in particular when there is a tight budget, the first step is to look at the absolute fundamentals of the system; the lock and key. Any system, whether being installed on a new build or providing an update to an existing system, is built on the foundations of a reliable mechanical lock and key. Without that, a system is vulnerable to intrusion.

While a complete security system can often be too costly, by addressing the most fundamental elements in the system, a security upgrade can become more realistic, providing a cost-effective security solution for retail banks, as well as their headquarters or corporate office space.

As well as offering a cost-efficient upgrade to security, systems like this have been developed to be quick and easy to install – more agreeable to the day-to-day operations of the building. Operations can continue as normal while the system is integrated, with no loss of trading or damage to customer opinion of service.

Sophisticated bank security

Whilst a high security cylinder is still a core component, it can now incorporate sophisticated technology. With the functionality to provide ‘live’ wireless access permissions and denials from a local or remote site, the traditional mechanical cylinder can now benefit a building both in convenience and stringent integrated mechanical and electronic credential security; in the name of convenience, a person can quickly and efficiently be granted temporary controlled access to sensitive areas, and in the name of security, an intruder’s method of access can quickly be shut down remotely.

Bringing many of the benefits of an entire access control suite, a system such as this can also provide audit trails, documenting movements around a building and its segregated areas, providing both ‘live’ and ongoing monitoring of access.

Spending on bank security for the future

It is crucial not only to look at the immediate capital cost and installation time of any such upgrade, but to look at its performance in the future. A system such as this, where it is possible to ‘learn’ keys in and out of the system, means that if a key is compromised, should it be lost or stolen, it does not compromise the integrity of the entire system. Rather, you can remove the key from the system to eliminate any risk of unwarranted access. With this flexibility affording credibility throughout the lifetime of a security system, there will be low costs on replacement or repairs in the medium to long term.

The finance sector must spend to save – presenting somewhat of a dilemma at a time of increased scrutiny on how banks are managed and how they perform. This expenditure can easily be justified by looking at its benefits in the future; by building a flexible and integrated security infrastructure now, it facilitates a more secure, manageable and cost efficient banking service in the future.

Furthermore, in integrating newer technology to existing systems, this approach allows for growth as new technologies develop, and as new threats and methods of attack emerge. These flexible access control solutions allow a security infrastructure to grow and change in response to the most current and up-to-date security industry issues.

ASSA ABLOY Security Solutions

www.assaabloy.com

The post Bank security – spending to save appeared first on City Security Magazine.

Tom Jenkins, Master Locksmith, explores the history of security locking.

High security locks from the Victorian era are still in use today, the specifications have not changed, the inventors providing us with excellent platforms to build on: Chubb, Bramah, ASSA, Hobbs and Abloy are all found in the modern world and I’ve spent the last 30 years working with them all.

In many of London’s landmarks, some of our finest Master Locksmiths have interfaced today’s 21st century technology with 17th and 18th century design, so as not to lose our craft.

Charles Chubb, Alfred Charles Hobbs, Joseph Bramah, August Stenman and, in more recent times, Emil Henriksson. Five names synonymous with locks, but what do we know about them?

Charles Chubb

Around 1800, the company Chubb was started as a ship’s ironmonger by Charles Chubb in the south of England. After building a secure business, Chubb then moved to Portsmouth, around 1804. Circa 1820, Charles then moved the company into the locksmith business and relocated to the West Midlands. Here he founded the famous Chubb Factory in Railway Street, which is now still known as the Chubb Building in Wolverhampton.

Jeremiah Chubb

Charles’ brother joined the company and they produced Jeremiah’s patented detector lock. Later, in 1823, the company was awarded a special licence by HM George IV and later became the only supplier of locks to the General Post Office, these locks are still used today on every Red Post Box and they were also a supplier to Her Majesty’s Prison Service. These locks are still produced today in Wolverhampton. The only thing that has changed is the enhanced design and the company name. In 1835, they received a patent for a burglar-resisting safe and opened a safe factory in London around 1838.

The largest IRA Bomb on the UK mainland was in 1996, 3,500kg of explosives devastated buildings throughout Manchester City Centre, as they had done the City of London. Unbelievably, the only door held locked outside the Arnedale centre was the Red Pillar Box in this picture, locked with a “Chubb Lock”.

Today the name Chubb is still a household name; I remember back in the 1980s working on Chubb locks as an apprentice. As Chubb grew, the name moved into many areas of safety, security, and fire protection. It will always be associated with locks as far as we are all concerned. There are Chubb locks on banks, prisons, historical palaces and they are used by the Royal Mail, our military and government, all of which is managed by master locksmiths around the UK.

Alfred Charles Hobbs

Born in 1812, he was an American locksmith. Hobbs visited London as a representative of the New York company Day & Newell and was exhibiting at the Great Exhibition of 1851, known as the Crystal Palace then built in Hyde Park. Later this wonderful building was re- erected in Penge, South East London, but was sadly destroyed by fire.

Hobbs had brought with him his boss Robert Newell’s Parautoptic lock, designed to compete with, and surpass, the locks available at the time in Britain. He had this on show at the exhibition of industry. Hobbs was challenged to pick open the Bramah Lock. It is documented in many history books that he was the first one to pick Bramah’s lock, even though he spent some six days doing so!

He also opened the Chubb detector lock at the Great Exhibition, which then forced lock manufacturers to improve their designs. Having worked for Bramah myself, I learnt that this claim caused great controversy as Hobbs completed the trial behind closed doors! But the gentlemen of Bramah ‘paid up’ the offer of 200 guineas prize money. Today’s security locks are still tested by ‘master locksmiths’, and I have been involved in testing.

Hobbs made quite a name for himself in the UK, especially in London. He later became one of the founders of the lock making company Hobbs Hart & Co. Ltd. The name then changed to Hobbs, Ashley and Fortescue, and was based in London at 97 Cheapside. With almost 100 years at a new address, 76 Cheapside, the Hobbs lock continued to secure many of London’s historical Royal Palaces, Banks, Livery Halls, Masonic Halls and some of our finest buildings.

Joseph Bramah

As a well-established inventor from Yorkshire, he attended some lectures on the technical aspects of locks. Bramah then designed a lock of his own, receiving a patent for it in 1784. This was the same year he started the Bramah Locks Company that resided at 124 Piccadilly. Bramah is today based in Marylebone, London and also has a factory in Romford, Essex.

I worked for Jeremy Bramah in the 1990s at what is now known as Bramah Security. The locks produced by Bramah were famed for their resistance to lock picking and tampering. I can honestly say that the Bramah, along with the Abloy lock, designs are the best in the world today, in resistance against picking, bumping, and manipulation in general.

The company most famously had a ”Challenge Lock” displayed in the window of its London shop from 1790 mounted on a board inviting people to try and open it: “The artist who can make an instrument that will pick or open this lock shall receive 200 guineas the moment it is produced.”

The challenge stood for over 67 years until, at the Great Exhibition of 1851, the American locksmith Alfred Charles Hobbs, as previously described, was able to open the lock.

The Bramah Challenge Lock is in the Science Museum in London.

August Stenman

In 1881 a blacksmith called August Stenman, owner of a small hinge manufacturer in the town of Eskilstuna, Sweden, returned home to find his good lady had embroidered a pillow slip with his name on it. Her design was forwards and backwards, “August Stenman, Stenman August”, Taking the first letter from each name ASSA. August thought it would be a good idea to name the company with this name. Sounds like ABBA had a similar idea?

In 1939 ASSA was registered as a company, and in 1959 produced its first five-pin high security cylinder. ASSA later became a leader in designing ‘master key systems’, and today is a world-class lock company.

The locking systems today are designed on the principles taken from August Stenman, and have not changed specifications. Typically the “Swedes” do things differently, but it all makes perfect sense, and we have adopted these principals with our own household names. These make up almost every key ring selection in 21st century Britain.

Emil Henriksson

The unique ABLOY lock and key was invented in 1907 by Emil Henriksson, an office machinery mechanic in Helsinki, Finland. While repairing a cash register, he realised that the rotating cylindrical disks of the machine were eminently suitable for use as a lock mechanism.

The first locks went on sale two years later and lock production at Ab Låsfabriken Lukkotehdas Oy began in 1918. If you can pronounce that, well done! We all just call it “OY!” The name ABLOY is formed from the letters of this company’s name in a similar fashion to ASSA.

Today, Henriksson’s disk lock invention can reach 1.97 billion combinations.

With this fantastic history and experience, the future proofing of this industry is safe in our hands. I am just one of 33,000 employees and today we focus on education in safety and security standards across the world and share this through our academy.

Tom A Jenkins

Master Locksmith

Abloy

Assa Abloy was formed in 1994 when ASSA AB joined the Finnish high-security lock manufacturer Abloy Oy. The company was introduced to the Stockholm stock exchange later the same year. Assa Abloy now owns an estimated 25% of the world’s locking “Household” names, some of which are mentioned in this article.

The post Security locking: from the Victorian era to today appeared first on City Security Magazine.

Security in the financial sector has come a long way in the last 30 years. Trading floors across the Square Mile that used to rely on standard five-lever mortice locks now employ electromechanical and access control systems that are encrypted to multiple secure levels.

In fact, the most notable shift has been from masterkeying to access control. That is not to say that masterkey systems have no place in the financial sector; an ongoing trend is for mechanical solutions to be added to an access control system as secondary line of defence. This follows the CTSA’s advice in regard to “A Layered” security system using the “Deter, Detect, and Delay” strategy. A simple solution that has a proven track record.

Access Control

Trading floors can certainly benefit from access control and mechanical solutions.

These areas are potentially vulnerable to disruption from protestors or action groups, making controlling movement without compromising accessibility essential. This is just one of the challenges that the industry faces, and it is only by working closely with the police, approved locksmiths and systems integrators that outdated security can be adequately replaced.

It is not only a case of upgrading mechanical security. The latest British and European Safety and Security Standards are critical in a duty of care, and the latest building regulations. Some institutions may need to modernise aging access control systems that no longer comply, and the most cost effective and least disruptive way of achieving this is by using electric locking, and electro mechanical cylinders. This method transforms a mechanical door into an access-controlled door without the need to lay metres of extra cable, while this simple process reduces the disruption in the workplace.

Integrating Physical Security

Integrating an electro-mechanical access control system not only reduces maintenance costs, it is easily employed as part of a two-tiered system for a higher level of security. This type of system has proven results in terms of attack resistance and reliability, and can help to reduce high insurance premiums, and is also environmentally friendly in regard to installation and performance.

Areas that might need tighter security include server rooms and plant rooms as well as Human Resources, Payroll and the Asset Warehouse, which stores thousands of pounds worth of IT equipment. These can be secured instantly with ease, and more importantly cope with future change with minimal disruption.

A fully integrated system offers further benefits in terms of the audit trail that online software can produce, allowing facilities managers to track exactly who is using which door and when. This comprehensive auditing is for the safety and care of everyone in the building, while also offering obvious security benefits.

Less common, but certainly increasing in popularity, are building management systems. Lighting, CCTV, integrating the building’s security with wider technologies within the building, including elevators are all easily added.

Conclusion

The ongoing move towards system integration and access control can only benefit the financial sector, but there is still an opportunity for the security industry to work even more closely with the end users.

Tom Jenkins

Abloy UK

Regional Sales Manager

www.abloy.co.uk

The post Access control is securing the financial sector appeared first on City Security Magazine.

The first key

Theodorus of Samos in the 6th century BC invented the first key, according to Pliny the Elder. Stories in Greek and Egyptian history refer to locks and keys, which can also be found in the Old Testament. Egyptian locking (wooden) was first used 4,000 years ago, and what is fascinating is that the principle of their invention is still used for today’s mechanical locking devices.

The wooden peg key was recorded at 14 inches long for doors and if the lock was on a main gate the key could be 30 inches long. These were made from timber with a single peg on the end which corresponded with pins on the inside of the gate or door. Then the  key holder would place his whole arm through a hole with key held, and operate the locking bolt. This was the first key hole.

New designs and materials

Over the coming centuries Bronze and Ivory were included in the designs as inventors and craftsmen continued to produce locks and keys of various shapes and sizes. From around 870-900AD the first all-metal locks were produced under Alfred the Great.

Around 1411, Charles IV of Germany established the “Master Locksmith” and there followed many years of skilled craftsmen developing metal locking throughout the Gothic Period.

In the Renaissance period, the dressing of locks and keys with figurines and sculptures continued from France, Germany and England, producing some of the world’s finest locks. This has been documented with museum pieces from across Europe of beautifully engineered locks and keys.

In the 18th century lock design continued from Charles & Jeremiah Chubb, we also had the great Joseph Bramah & A.C.Hobbs; these names are synonymous still today in our world of locks and keys.

Tom Jenkins

Master Locksmith Abloy UK

www.abloy.co.uk

The post A brief history of locks and keys appeared first on City Security Magazine.