Access Doors: Security and Managing Risk

Unlike fire safety, which has clear code requirements and certification standards—access control has no universal codes or requirements. That means administrative oversight and access management are entirely up to you. And if you're managing multiple locations with traditional keys, you already know the challenges: lost keys, unauthorized copies, and no visibility into who's actually accessing your facilities.

Choosing and managing an effective access control system has several factors. This guide will help you evaluate your door access needs, understand available credential options, and identify potential vulnerabilities.

To start, ask yourself:

• Who are the doors for?
• Do they fit your specific security needs?
• Are the doors functioning?
• Are they well-lit and Visible?
• Will exit doors function in case of an emergency?
• Are doors better suited for keypads, cards or fobs?
• Do your doors support the kind of access you want?
• Will new doors need to be installed, or existing ones retrofitted?

No matter what your access needs are, an updated plan should include:

• Process for outgoing and incoming employees and seasonal staff.
• Access to service vendors and how they’re monitored.
• Company policy and protocols for reporting stolen or lost cards, fobs or credentials..
• Safety process to follow if there is an access breach, such as cards or fobs being shared without authorization.
• Consulting with your door provider when adding new doors or retrofitting.

Why Modern Door Access Control Makes a Difference

Modern door access control systems offer significant advantages over traditional key-and-lock systems:

• Instant control: Delete door access permissions immediately when someone leaves your organization
• Complete visibility: Create detailed audit trails showing who opened which doors and when
• Automated scheduling: Program doors to lock and unlock automatically based on time, day, or special events
• Centralized management: Control doors across multiple locations from a single interface
• No re-keying costs: When credentials are lost, simply deactivate them—no need to change door locks

These capabilities turn door access into a strategic security asset.

Understanding Your Door Credential Options

Today's door access systems support multiple credential types, often within the same system. Each credential type works with readers installed at your door entry points:

• Proximity cards/fobs: Simple tap-to-unlock devices for everyday door access
• Smart cards: Higher-security credentials with encryption for sensitive door locations
• Mobile credentials: Smartphone-based door unlocking via Bluetooth or NFC (Near Field Communications).
• Biometrics: Fingerprint or facial recognition readers mounted at door entries
• PIN codes: Numeric keypads installed beside doors

Door Access Needs Vary

Every industry has different requirements for door access based on the protocols and policies of their risk management:

• Senior Living: Management sets access levels based on resident needs and care requirements. For example, independent living access needs are different than memory care. Staff have different levels of access based on their positions, work hours and areas of responsibility. Access options include keys for external and internal doors where there is a vestibule in between, and the use of cards, fobs, or keypads elsewhere.

• Memory Care: Nurses' stations typically control all entry and exit. Outside doors remain locked to prevent residents from wandering, but during fire emergencies, the system automatically deactivates to allow evacuation. This creates a brief window when residents might attempt to leave. That's why having both a comprehensive access control plan and a detailed evacuation protocol is essential for memory care facilities.

• Airports: On average, over 40,000 employees have access to the security-sensitive areas of airports across the country, such as general employees, airline hangar tenants, vendors, contractors and ground transportation. That’s considerable activity and a lot to keep track of. In most cases, employees have an ID badge with a card/fob to access specific areas.. Lost, stolen, or misplaced badges must be deactivated and replaced, but are not always reported. This can lead to serious fines or eviction from the airport.

• Schools: Public and private schools have distinct access control needs. Public schools typically keep doors unlocked during school hours, while private schools often remain locked, using shared access codes, cards, or fobs for students.
  
  Common security challenges include easily-shared codes, lost or unreported credentials, credential sharing between students, and vendor access management. Additionally, doors can be physically pried or propped open—test your system annually to ensure alarms activate properly.
  
  Automated scheduling is particularly valuable for schools: doors can lock and unlock automatically based on your calendar, eliminating manual oversight during events, sports practices, or evening hours. Don't forget to update your system annually for floating holidays like Thanksgiving and Martin Luther King Jr. Day to keep access synchronized with your school calendar.

Making Your Access Control Decision

The one thing that all businesses have in common is that any breach of access can cause vulnerabilities to the people and places being protected by the system. Code, card, and fob access are great, but only as great as the people who use it and administer it.

Access control involves many considerations, and you likely have questions specific to your business. Brothers Fire & Security can help you evaluate your needs, understand your options, and design a solution that fits your operational requirements and budget.

Most access control implementations take 4-6 weeks from planning through installation, so we recommend starting the conversation early.