Last summer’s riots in England placed a huge strain on the security measures of many organisations. Police custodial and Court suites had to cope with the large number of arrests made following the widespread disorder, while physical protection like perimeter fencing was also put to the test as many high profile sites came under attack during the disturbances.
Restricting unauthorised access to secure locations and keeping miscreants safely locked up has become significantly more complex and challenging for all major industries. Security procedures and technology will be under constant review, whether they are in place for the defence of high risk sites or for high street jewellers looking to protect their premises.
If potential terrorist attacks, organised criminal activities, casual vandalism or politically-inspired direct action are to be deterred, integrated measures need to be established to offer a comprehensive and modern defence against the growing frequency and ferocity of both targeted and casual attack.
Meanwhile, the large number of people detained during, and in the immediate aftermath of the riots, tested the security and safety of custodial facilities at police stations across the country as thousands of people passed through cell doors.
Traditionally, the mechanical cell lock has been common right across the custodial market but it has become mature technology and, whilst still relatively effective, is less appropriate to modern demands, making the development of robust locks such as the 8-lever Kaye Class 1 Custodial Cell Lock from Pickersgill-Kaye Ltd a positive step forward.
Pickersgill-Kaye has over 150 years’ experience in manufacturing door locks for the architectural and railway industries. It diversified into security products and developed the Class 1 cell lock in response to a growing demand for more choice and innovation in the custodial sector.
The Class 1 cell lock is a heavy duty lock which can fit most standard UK cell doors. It has been installed by door manufacturers at a growing number of custodial facilities for authorities across the country, including the Metropolitan Police, Cleveland, West Yorkshire and Two Counties.
Cleveland Police specified the lock after it was suggested by the contractor for its state-of-the-art headquarters in Middlesbrough, which includes a 50-cell detainee centre and a segregated and secure Prevention of Terrorism Suite, believed to be the most advanced in the country.
Designed to be ligature resistant, the locks help in the provision of safer cells, whilst providing excellent levels of security and resistance against wear and tear. It exceeds the criteria provided by the Building Design Guide and sets new standards in terms of its modern design, the way it is constructed and its high level of performance.
Pickersgill-Kaye state that the Class 1 cell lock also provides a more robust key management regime than its competitors, as business development manager for security and engineering products, John Moore, explains: “We offer customers the choice of exclusive key suites for each location, which means they know there are no other keys anywhere else in the UK that can operate the same locks, other than the master key in the event of a unit lock-down, for instance.”
The Kaye Class 1 cell lock meets the demanding requirements laid down in the respected SS317 standard: An international specification that accurately measures the lock’s resistance to wilful damage, physical security, ergonomics, cyclic testing and performance in a hostile environment.
Tested to 300,000 handle operations and door slams and 100,000 key operations, the lock is also resistant to a 12-hour saw attack, as well as a side load on the deadbolt of 25kN and to an end load on the deadbolt of 25kN. The SS317 standard also means it is now necessary to prove that attacking the handle does not prevent unlocking and use of the wrong key does not stop subsequent unlocking with the authorised key.
Mr Moore, said: “Custody cells in police stations are designed for short term and rapid re-use. However, following the riots there was increased pressure as thousands of people were being put through the justice system and sentenced in the Courts. Police cells are designed to accommodate both violent and vulnerable detainees and Kaye locks are able to resist and withstand all sorts of abuse.”
Pickersgill-Kaye’s products are now also in demand overseas, with orders from police and prison authorities in Europe, the Middle East and South East Asia testifying to the success of an on-going export drive.
If high performance cell locks are the key to keeping people safely locked up, perimeter fencing is just as vital as a deterrent to keeping intruders out of secure locations.
However, because of the wide area it normally covers, perimeter fencing can be a weak link in the chain of defence. A more collaborative approach to perimeter fencing is called for, particularly at high risk sites that not only require reliable individual components but need fence, gate, lock and systems manufacturers to work together to develop a co-ordinated solution.
One of the UK’s largest energy providers recently installed Pickersgill-Kaye’s slide bar and claw gate locks as part of an integrated strategy for perimeter fencing at an Above Ground Gas Intake (AGI) site in Nottinghamshire.
Chris Laughton, company director of Crime and Fire Defence Systems Ltd, who manufactured and installed the gates at this critical site, said incorporating robust and interactive security measures within perimeter fencing was vital to deter or combat potentially destructive acts.
He said: “To offer critical infrastructure the best protection, security systems need to be robust and able to run seamlessly. The energy company’s security consultant specified Pickersgill-Kaye’s locks because they are used by government and are extremely resistant to attack. We then manufactured the gates so that they would accept the locks.”
Robust and reliable locks are the cornerstone of effective protection against attack, however, perimeter security must also be flexible enough to allow the legitimate and effective flow of people and assets – such as during the emergency evacuation of personnel – which is why Pickersgill-Kaye’s slide bar and claw gate locks can be interfaced with most existing access control systems and security devices to enable the easy evacuation of personnel, without compromising external security.
Pickersgill-Kaye has also attained the BS EN 1125:2008 and BS EN 179:2008 ratings for the emergency escape devices included in its High Security Multipoint range of locks. These have been specifically developed to meet exacting standards of physical attack but maintain safe and easy exit, when needed, without compromising health and safety issues.
Threats to the security of organisations and their staff are constantly evolving and locks are at the heart of any physical deterrent. In the light of the recent riots, Pickersgill-Kaye is urging the private sector and also the government to review sites at risk for security weaknesses, as soon as possible.
