The security of your business is vitally important, and ensuring that your locks are up-to-date is a crucial part of this. It’s critical to know when it’s time to change locks or rekey your existing locks, so you can keep up with the ever-evolving security protocols. The safety and security of a business is the responsibility of its owner. Let us consider the scenarios that could necessitate changing locks or rekeying of the locks.
Key Control
Rekeying is often required when there is a lack of key control. This involves replacing existing locks or having them rekeyed and issuing new keys. Though rekeying is expensive, with costs including employee lost time, setting up and distributing keys, and other expenses, it is necessary when key control is not sufficient. Frequently, employees are given keys to keep with them, even when they are not working, and there is a risk of them not reporting a lost key.
You should change locks or rekey your existing locks when the following scenarios have occurred.
- If an employee departs the company and their key(s) are not recovered.
- Keys are lost.
- Your existing locking system has not been updated in a long time.
- Your current keying system is not patented, and others can have duplicates made at will.
- You have moved into a new office or retail space
- If you have recently had a security breach
You should also change your locks at regular intervals, typically between 2-5 years. This is because locks can become worn and unreliable over time. It’s important to keep up with regular maintenance, or you could put your business at risk.
How do I achieve effective key control?
A patented key system is the first step to ensuring your security. This system ensures that only authorized individuals, such as you and your lock provider, can cut a key. Locksmiths, hardware stores, and other entities do not have the required key blanks or key cutting machines to duplicate the keys.
“A patented keyway offers protection against unauthorized key duplication. A manufacturer with a UTILITY patent key system design controls the manufacturing and distribution of the cylinders and keys (key blanks). To the customer, this means that keys and key blanks are not readily available in the open market. Only authorized individuals, whose signatures are on file with the factory, can order key blanks, cut keys, and add combinated cylinders for a key system.”
Next step in key control
A master keying system can be used to have keys arranged in tiers. As an example, the business owner may have one key, the Grand Master key, that is able to open all locks at all locations. On the other hand, the manager of location 1 would have a Building Master key that only opens all locks at location 1. This system can be extended further so that the production manager at that location would have access only to the doors and cabinets that they need. This same system can be utilized for any other locations that the business may have.
Regardless of whether you use electronic card access for some or all doors, locks, and keys are usually installed as an emergency backup. If a key is misplaced or not returned, the cost of rekeying the system is typically minimal, as only a small part of the master system needs to be changed.
Other recommendations
Electronic key boxes are an ideal way to keep track of key sets. They provide an access control system that allows employees to use keys at work without leaving the premises, thus preventing lost keys. When they arrive, they can retrieve their keys from the box and when they leave, they can store them back. You can also set up parameters for when the keys can be taken out and for how long. It is a real-time system and can notify you when keys are not returned in time or for any other condition.
Electromechanical keys and locks offer a convenient and secure way to manage access control. Programmable keys allow you to customize which locks an employee is able to access, and when they can access them. Furthermore, an audit log is stored in both the key and the lock, and can be easily accessed from the database. As a bonus, no wires need to be installed since the key itself powers the lock.
When it is time to change locks or rekey your existing security locks, let a RA-Lock security specialist help you. Our team is ready to assist you with any level of security locks your business needs.
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