With security top of agenda for commercial buildings, here Phil Clark, Industrial Service Manager at Hörmann UK, explores the latest entrance system technologies available, including Secured By Design industrial sectional doors and loading bays.
Hörmann UK.
According to the Crime Against Businesses: findings from the 2017 Commercial Victimisation Survey, there were 8.1 million incidents of crime within the Wholesale and Retail Sector throughout the year, with 44 per cent of premises within this sector a victim of crime. Following an initial reduction between 2012-2014, these figures have once again started to rise, prompting the need for owners to reevaluate the security of their buildings, particularly vulnerable areas such as doors and roller shutters that will be a potential access point.
For internal areas of the warehouse, owners and managers should consider functional doors constructed of heavy-duty steel as these offer the highest standard in security. The doors should also be compliant with EN 1627 building regulations and offer a minimum protection of Resistance Class 2. This can be achieved by selecting products that feature multiple-point locking with additional steel bolts and profile cylinders that are drill proof.
The doors should also be supported with aluminium levers with short escutcheons, which are also compliant with Class ES 1 and offer complete pull-off protection for additional security and peace of mind as this protects the profile cylinder from being drilled open or twisted off.
Owners should also consider internal sectional doors that are supported by industry associations, such as Secured By Design, which offer additional reassurance that the systems they are purchasing are designed to withstand attempted break-ins and have been rigorously tested. This includes Hörmann UK’s SPU F42 and SPU 67 steel Thermo industrial sectional doors, which have recently achieved the Secured By Design status, offering optimum safety requirements by featuring an additional shoot or rotary bolt, and if automated, an extra anti-lift kit.
The option of solid steel bolts on the hinge side of the door profile also makes it practically impossible to force the door open, with up to 11 multiple-point locking making it more difficult for the door to be pulled apart or forced open.
Whilst glazed internal doors may be required throughout the warehouse for greater visibility and safety, this can potentially pose a security risk. Owners can overcome this potential problem by specifying laminated safety glass glazing systems, where the glass splinters are bound to and adhered to the interior plastic film, making it harder to break through into the unit.
High speed doors should also be considered by owners as a way to not only optimise traffic flow and save energy, but to also increase the overall security of the environment in a safe and economical way. The high speed technology should be considered in combination with sectional doors and rolling shutters, as well as with powerful spiral doors.
For unloading and loading areas of the warehouse that are frequently opening, shutters and loading areas should be fitted with Break-In- Resistance as standard, preventing the ability for unauthorised individuals to push the door open, with wind resistance also eliminating any opportunity for the opening to be blown open. Electromagnetic locking options also provide automatic locking that can be connected to a central control system for additional security.
This can be further enhanced with radio systems, such as Hörmann’s BiSecur technology, which provides secure and convenient operation of the industrial doors through an extremely secure BiSecur encryption protocol that prevents any copying of the radio signal through a 128-bit encryption. Radio finger-scans also prevent unauthorised individuals from accessing certain areas of the warehouse, with only approved individuals (up to 12) able to operate the scanner.
Regular servicing here also plays an important part in improving the security of a loading area, as if the technology is broken or malfunctions, this may cause the door to remain open, providing an ideal entrance for thieves. This is why it’s vitally important that all areas of the technology are supported by a servicing agreement that will see the loading bay fault fixed within a matter of hours, to allow operations to return to normal and also ensure no unauthorised access.
For further information on Hörmann UK’s servicing department and loading technology, call 01530 516850 or visit: www.hormann.co.uk/industrycommerce- and-publicauthorities/ service.
HÖRMANN UK
Tel: 01530 516850
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