Enhance your security with a cutting-edge Master Key System from OC Services

Martyn's Law: Deny and Defend with an OC Services Master Suite Locking System

Today, schools, community centres, arenas, and businesses face two critical realities: the paramount importance of safety and security, and the constraint of tight budgets. These priorities often leave managers, headteachers, and board members with more questions than answers. They ponder how to address rising violence with effective security solutions and how to implement these measures without breaking the bank. The challenge lies in enhancing both security and operational efficiency simultaneously.

Investing in an OC Services Master Key Strategy, or Master Key System, is a comprehensive locking solution for a building or complex, allowing a single key (the Master Key) access to all locks. This system regulates access to different areas, or zones, within a facility, such as a school. Each zone can be controlled with individual sub-master keys, allowing teachers access exclusively to their designated classrooms. For example, all math classrooms could operate under one sub-master key, while science classrooms would operate under another. This zoning approach ensures that if an attacker obtains a key that is not a Master Key, their access remains limited to one specific area. Only one or two individuals, typically administration staff, would carry the Master Key, maintaining access to all rooms.

In terms of office access, offices scattered throughout the school can have their own sub-master keys. Instead of issuing a single key to everyone, individual keys would only be provided to office staff and relevant teachers, allowing them access solely to their offices, in addition to the Master Key holders—usually the head teacher, deputy head, business manager, and caretaker(s).

This Master Key concept can be scaled to fit any facility size and can integrate multiple buildings, streamlining access control and permissions down to specific doors or groups of doors.

Effective security measures for any facility are heavily reliant on a solid physical security framework. When implementing such systems, we usually evaluate security from the outermost points inward, starting with perimeter barriers and progressing to internal gates, CCTV, access control, and finally, Master Key Suites. Customised risk assessments will identify the unique security features necessary for each location, but an effective locking system remains a fundamental aspect. For instance, internal threats from a disgruntled employee may circumvent standard security protocols simply due to their status as a regular employee. Hence, a reliable locking mechanism that allows rooms to be secured even in the absence of a key holder is vital for creating a physical barrier against unwanted intrusion.

A Master Key Suite aligns with the principles of "defend" and "deny" within the 5 Ds security strategy. While establishing a Master Key Suite, facilities often place significant emphasis on internal security measures, sometimes at the expense of external boundary doors. Although some of these doors may have access control solutions, not all do, and it is crucial not to overlook these external factors, especially in the face of potential threats from outside, such as an aggrieved customer.

Access control regulates who enters and exits a building but does not provide complete security on its own. In situations like power outages, where access control systems may fail and doors revert to a “fail open” state for fire safety, both students and staff might inadvertently become vulnerable to external threats. Therefore, even with access control in place, it's essential to physically secure external boundary doors, particularly during security incidents or lockdowns.

The Significance of Key Control

Key control is crucial for the success of a Master Key Suite. It's essential to monitor how many keys are in circulation and who possesses them. During the planning phase, identifying key holders early on is vital, particularly if staff will be accessing different areas of the premises. This information allows for effective cross-keying within the suite. The greater the number of keys in circulation, the higher the likelihood of loss or theft, so the focus should always be on minimising the number of keys while ensuring functionality. Additionally, the Master Key Suite should operate under a restricted profile. This means designating a single point of contact for key cutting and authorising authority, typically the director, business manager or headteacher, allowing for better control over key distribution. On the other hand, an open system allows anyone to duplicate keys anywhere, leading to an influx of unauthorised copies and jeopardising key control, which increases the risk of theft and eventually renders the Master Key Suite ineffective. Thus, restricted profiling is essential in any organisation where key management is critical.