Access control swaps the key for a credential — a fob, a card, a code or a phone — and in return gives you something keys never could: the ability to change who can go where instantly, and to see who went where afterwards. For any business beyond a couple of doors it is often the natural step up from a bunch of keys. This guide explains what it does, the parts involved, and the two things you absolutely must get right: fire escape and data.
The core appeal is control without re-keying. You can grant or withdraw a person’s access in seconds, set it by door, by individual and even by time of day, and keep an audit trail of entries. Lose a fob and you simply disable it — no locksmith, no lock change, no calling everyone in for new keys. That flexibility is the whole reason businesses move to it.
Several kinds of credential are in common use:
A credential is only half the system; something has to hold the door. The key distinction is how a lock behaves when the power goes off. Fail-safe locks — typically electromagnetic locks (maglocks) — hold while powered and release when power is lost, which makes them right for escape routes. Fail-secure locks — electric strikes and motorised locks — stay locked when power is lost, protecting a perimeter, while still allowing free exit from the inside via a lever or pad. The mode is chosen door by door: a typical office runs fail-safe on internal escape routes and fail-secure on perimeter doors.
This is the part that turns a convenience into a legal duty. Any door on an escape route must release on the fire alarm and on power loss, and must open with a single action and no credential. In practice that means a maglock has to be interfaced with the fire panel so it drops power the instant the alarm sounds, with a green emergency break-glass at each controlled exit as a manual release. The mechanical exit hardware — BS EN 1125 panic bars in public areas, BS EN 179 lever or pad devices in staff areas — always overrides the electronics, and the release wiring itself is governed by BS 7273-4. We set out the same principle in our commercial overview: control who gets in, never stop anyone getting out.
A maglock on an escape door must drop on the fire alarm, release on power failure, and have a break-glass override. Access control governs entry; it can never become the thing that traps someone in a fire.
An access system quietly collects personal data — fob identifiers tied to named people, entry logs of who went where and when, and with biometrics, especially sensitive data. Under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 that makes you responsible for storing it securely, keeping it no longer than necessary, restricting who can see the logs, and being clear with staff about what is recorded. Biometric data carries the highest duty of all, so it should never be the default choice without good reason.
Electronic access control buys flexibility, instant changes and an audit trail — at the cost of power, maintenance, data duties and a higher price. A mechanical master key system is simpler and needs no power, but changing access means cutting or re-pinning. Many buildings sensibly use both — access control on the main entrances and high-traffic doors, master keys behind them. Whatever you choose, plan for battery backup, offline operation if the network drops, regular servicing and kept records.
A named, vetted master locksmith covers your area — no call-out fee.
Access control is only as good as its weakest link — and that link is usually the fire-escape interface or the data handling, not the readers on the wall. Every LocksmithLocal locksmith can design, install and maintain access control that is genuinely secure and compliant, properly integrated with your fire system. Find your local locksmith to arrange a survey.
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