Archive for the ‘access’ Category

Our various Florida divisions and websites for security, maintenance, and construction products or services has been placed under CDA Solutions, Inc., and this corporate headquarters blog will provide news and advice from our division websites:

• Commercial Door and Access for door and access control products or services
• CDA Alliance for corporate client information

Our new organization with CDA Solutions, Inc. as the parent corporation will be followed soon with the opening of our corporate headquarters building at 1701 Robert J Conlan Blvd NE #1, Palm Bay, Florida 32905 USA. In addition, we opened a new satellite office at CDA Solutions, Inc., 936 9th Way, Unit D5, Vero Beach, Florida 32960 USA.

We cover Central Florida communities serving Brevard County including Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Malabar, Melbourne, Merritt Island, Palm Bay, Port Canaveral, Port Saint John, Satellite Beach, Titusville, Indian River County including Roseland, Sebastian, Vero Beach, Wabasso, Winter Beach, and Saint Lucie County including Fort Pierce, Hutchinson Island, Port Saint Lucie, and Martin County for Hobe Sound, Indiantown, and Port Mayaka.

Our news and advice blog will cover the following topics: access, advice, camera, cctv, construction, controls, doors, florida, gates, handicap, inspection, installation, locks, lubricant, maintenance, news, products, reviews, safety, security, and service.

Questions about Florida security, maintenance, and construction products or services? Email us from any page or contact us toll free by phone at 1-888-411-2424 or fax at 1-888-411-2457.

There are many different forms of access control. The main reason for access control is just as phrased. To control the access of an area or areas throughout a structure. This is of course not just limited to free standing structures but also includes gates and passageways.

One example is the common door. Certain considerations need to be addressed when applying access control to a simple door. One of the most important being whether the door in itself provides the amount of security needed for the application. If the door is easily bent, damaged, or bendable this should be reconsidered for the application. Another is safety. If the door is a designated fire exit it needs to allow egress (exit) at all times. Simple ways to determine this is to either look at the fire exit plan, or just look to see if the door has a lighted sign above, or anywhere around the opening. Special considerations need to be taken in to the planning of doors like this.

Convenience is always a good reason for access control. Some businesses have doors that will “Buzz” patrons, or employees in or out from a common area. These can be seen in banks, offices, and after hours convenience stores. I say convenience because these rarely offer true security but more of ease of access so a receptionist, teller, or clerk doesn’t have to open the door manually. This allows for less fatigue and keeps the person who authorizes entry in a safe place.

Another important consideration is credentials. Not passports, or papers, or ranking, but something that says you are supposed to be there. These come in the form of cards, codes, key tags, keys themselves, and even remote transmitters. There are so many different forms it can be staggering. When planning a system you need to figure out how, where, and when the system will be used. An example is if you have a common situation where some ones hands are occupied a RFID system can be used. This uses a reader that is installed in the ceiling and automatically detects the credential that the person has on their person, eliminating the need to pull it out and hold it up to something.

Credentials can carry information on them as well such as, ID numbers, names, departments, and time zones. All of this information is transferred to a host terminal or stored inside the unit and can be reviewed later. This is called an audit trail. An audit trail allows a system to track when someone entered and or exited an area that is controlled. This feature can be handy such as rollcall tracking. This allows a real-time view of where someone is in the building. In industrial applications this can be a life saver. Imagine if a disaster happened in a facility. A muster station is installed in a designated evacuation site. This will allow everyone to check into the station as they come to safety. The administrator can then view who is, and who is not, evacuated from the facility and can direct search and rescue to the areas that are needed immediately.

There are many, many, different reasons for access control, both in business and in residential applications. From convenience to security, there are demands everywhere. There are also many different forms, from automatic gates, to maglocks, to electronic strikes, to pushbutton locks. The forms are endless.

We are happy to help answer any questions that you may have, and tailor a system to suit your needs, no matter the size or scope. From the customer that is thoroughly confused, to someone who knows exactly what they need, we are here to help. We can design, sell, and install, whatever you may need. We also offer programming and data maintenance services to keep you going with little or no need to change codes or assign credentials. Feel free to call us or send us an e-mail with any questions and we will contact you ASAP.

On May 7, 2007, another installment from the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. DOJ was released adding chapters 5 and 6 to their series of technical assistance documentation for state and local officials. Commercial buildings and government facilities within Central Florida are subject to the code requirements for door and access construction, and our company can help.

Government and commercial businesses are expected to comply with building code and requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in their programs, services, activities, and facilities. Commercial Door and Access is ADA compliant, and stands ready to assist with advice for new construction or retrofit of existing buildings.

Here is a link to the latest information just released entitled ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments. As stated on the home page of our main website, we stay on top of ADA developments for our Florida clients, so call or email us if you have any questions about ADA compliance and your next project.

As you review safety and procedures for exit doors in your Florida commercial business, the most important thing to remember about safety is ease of use. When someone needs to get out of a building they must be able to leave without having to ask directions to exit signs, get special tools like keys to open doors, or have special knowledge and training to operate locks. All openings must be capable of activation with one motion such as lever handles.

If several people congregate in a room, all your exits must be able to open with very little outward force by leaning into a safety device like panic bars. Your Fire Marshall is the one who will make final decisions for his jurisdiction, so do not buy hardware for your property without getting their okay or from your local authority having jurisdiction (AHJ). You can always find out who that is through your local Florida community or city building department.

These rules are interpreted differently by whoever reads them. For example, when I took a class on the subject our two instructors were not in agreement with many of the issues. This brings me to a simple conclusion; they get paid to make decisions, so go ahead and let them, but if the project is long term or there are several of them in that office, get approvals in writing.

When I decide on a certain way I want to set up my commercial door safety hardware I will normally bring floor plans in with a hardware schedule and say “This is the way I think will be best.”, and ask for advice on any weakness in the plan. Work with local Florida commercial building authorities a few times and they will know you well enough that they will tell you to quit bothering them. When you’re really up on the material they may call you for special advice, and may even recommend your company as the experts that will get the job done right.

Return often for more on access, advice, cctv, controls, doors, gates, installation, news, reviews, safety, security, and service for your commercial door and access requirements.