ASSA ABLOY Offers Year-End Advice for Security Review, Upgrades

With the holidays fast approaching, facilities from college campuses to office buildings will see a lull in activity as occupants are away in the final weeks of December. For facility managers, building owners, and integrators offering security as a service, this reduction in tenant foot traffic can serve as a quiet and calm time to reflect and improve on building security.

ASSA ABLOY suggests a few simple ideas for security professionals to undertake before they head home for the holiday break. With just an hour or two of reviewing your door hardware, security plans and processes, you can set your building up for a more secure start to the New Year.

Maintenance
Now is the time to take a full walk about the facility and check all doors and door hardware for any damage or potential failure. Wear and tear, vandalism and even alterations made by individuals with the best of intentions — think tape over locks to make entry easier or third party alterations that aren’t up to code — will compromise security and safety.

If you find a problem, fix it. If you find an alteration has been made, plan to discuss it with the occupant when they return. If you discover an issue with ingress or egress, review the safety and security plan and make sure it's followed appropriately.

Upgrades
Along with maintenance, now is a good time to make upgrades with simple items — such as changing out mechanical cylinders with e-cylinders for improved access control auditing. It can also be a good time to review the current state of the building and plan for future upgrades.

Seek out areas that might need more security or different types of access control and then work with your integrator or manufacturer to find solutions.

Key Inventory
Now is an excellent time to take account of your mechanical key inventory. This can be time consuming, but ensuring that you have all your keys on hand is a critical step in maintaining a safe and secure building.

If you’ve had staffing changes where keys haven’t been returned, or are suddenly missing a key, the holiday lull is a perfect time to rekey doors and enter the New Year with the peace of mind that the building is secure.

Credential Review
In the same vein as checking keys, if you’re using digital credentials — be it proximity card, smart card or mobile technology — make sure all your access rights are appropriately assigned. Check that all cardholders are still current employees and remove access rights for temporary users or guests.  This is another quick fix that can greatly boost the security of the building.

Automation and Scheduling Check
Finally, make sure any automation processes set up are prepped for the official days off in the final few weeks of the year and into the New Year. It’s likely that your system is already accounting for these days, but it is still worth a check.

These are just a few ideas worth considering over the coming weeks as occupancy is reduced. And again, as you do this quick check of your system, consider long-term planning. What upgrades can you make for 2018 that will result in improved safety and security for your facility? Or, if you have any questions on best practices, contact an ASSA ABLOY expert and have them help make your security resolutions a reality with the many door security solutions available.