Why Card Access Systems Beat Key Lock Systems for Access Control

The invention of a key lock security system is over twenty-five hundred years old. Needless to say, much has changed since then. Surprisingly, however, many businesses continue to utilize the key lock system sharing and distributing keys to their employees. Clearly, there is a better solution; that is a card access system, with a modernized more effective and efficient approach which offers greater security, practicality and lifecycle cost.

Whenever a card is presented to a reader there is the benefit the event being logged in the card access control system, which includes the card-holder’s identity and the time of the access event. The advantage to any organization is an instant detailed record of every employee, contractor or cleaner entering the different areas of your business. Obviously, there is no such possibility with a key lock system.

In commercial buildings, a card access system enables you to program schedules and timelines for individual access. Most staff can be assigned a schedule allowing access during business hours while managers can be programed to access at any time. Obviously, a feature not present with an outdated lock and key system.

Lost keys and unreturned keys by dismissed or past employees have always posed a security threat to businesses and organizations. Missing keys often result in the re-pinning of doors which becomes costly and inconvenient. Again, a card access system is clearly a better solution given that lost cards or dismissed employees can have their building access revoked instantly. Each time a card is presented at a reader it confirms the card holder’s access to a database. And should the access be revoked the user’s card will not release the door. A further benefit, of course, is that a lost card will not impact adversely on the other card users, they are independent of each other.

Compared to a mechanical key lock system, card access systems present a variety of new features.  As an example, for the main entrance of a building, doors can be scheduled to be locked and unlocked automatically. A business can choose to program what doors would remain open during business hours and then have them automatically locked at the end of the day. On entrance systems equipped with accessible automatic door operators, it is possible to program certain card-holders for the automatic operator to always open. In a key lock system, it is clearly more cumbersome, if not inefficient. It is also important to note that card access systems reduce the incidence of false burglar alarms. Integrating your alarm system with your card access system will ensure that only those with an alarm code have access to armed areas, thus decreasing the number of false alarms.

In short, the modern card access system gives you much better control over access to your facility. Individuals can be restricted with schedules, operational efficiency is improved, and security is enhanced. If you are still using key locks as a form of securing your business it’s time to consider a more modernized, efficient and effective approach in the way of a card access solution.

 

Mark Kostiw is the president of Square Security Inc. which provides a customer centric approach to commercial security systems. Square Security Inc., designs, installs and maintains card access control and camera systems for clients throughout Southern Ontario. To learn more about Mark Kostiw and Square Security please visit www.squaresecurity.com   

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