It is an unfortunate fact
that
,
if given unlimited time and resources
,
a
determined burglar will likely find a way to
break
into your facility.
For anyone responsible for loss prevention and security in general, the objective is to
make
the burglar's task
as challenging and as time-consuming as possible
... and in the best case,
to
delay the burglar
long enough for law enforcement to arrive and take care of the problem before
entry is achieved
.
Even a building that has not recently been subject to a threat can benefit from an occasional and objective review of its security parameters. What follows below is
a
"
back to basics
" review of
some
fundamental
components of a solution that can help
thwart
external
efforts
to break in and steal property
.
The
integration of
more of these
components into the overall security picture will result in more secure doors
. In many cases,
creating
highly secure points
of ingress
will discourage
would-be thieves
from
approaching a facility
in the first place.
Start with a Heavy-Duty Door
Perhaps the
most fundamental weakness of an entry point is
the door itself. Placing a strong lock
ing mechanism
on a weak door defeats the purpose and makes it very easy for intruders to break in. A 16-gauge door and frame is
preferable to
a 20-gauge door and frame
because it is stronger;
however, it should be reinforced for
the
security hardware
that will be installed on it
.
A
door security hardware distributor or a third
-
party integrator can be an invaluable resource regarding this and other break-in prevention
issues
.
Consider a Full-Length Hinge
With
a strong door
in place
,
the
next consideration is how it
is hung
.
It is common to see
doors
hung
with three
or perhaps
four hinges. Since every door on a commercial building must swing out in the path of egress, the hinge knuckles are on the outside
, exposed and vulnerable to attack by a
potential burglar.
U
sing one long continuous hinge
that
run
s
the length of the door
is recommended
because
(1)
it supports a heavier gauge door better than
several
discrete hinges and
(2)
is
more difficult
for a
n
intruder
to manipulate or vandalize.
10,000 Pounds of Pull Force
Now
the
locks
themselves should be considered
.
Regardless of which of the many available
products
is selected
, it
should be able to withstand
thousands of pounds of pull force
...
preferably 10,000 pounds
or more
.
A
lock that has as much bolt penetration into the door frame as
possible is the goal
.
That being said
,
it is
recommend
ed to
lock into the floor as well as the door frame
, since a potential
intruder will
often
try to p
ry
the bottom of the door
upward
.
A
floor bolt that locks the very bottom of the door helps prevent
(or at least delay)
that particular approach.
