During the holidays, it is especially important to observe all safety and security practices in your facilities so that the season can be enjoyed by all. Among other measures, a reliable key control and management system can help to ensure holiday peace of mind.

The conventional method of accessing a key control cabinet is with the built-in keypad and a pre-authorized PIN (personal identification number) code. The user simply enters their PIN code to unlock the cabinet and retrieve or return a key for which they are authorized. In addition to the standard keypads, key control systems may also be designed with other types of access devices.

Selecting and implementing the best key control and management system can help to ensure that its full potential in an overall security operation is reached. One of the main attributes of a high performance key control system is out-of-the-box ease of use. From system design to installation to everyday use and control to system expansion, a well-designed key control system will deliver straightforward operation for everyone.

Imagine this scenario. It’s late in the evening on a holiday weekend. A security officer is making his rounds of the multi-building campus and sees a light in a window where there shouldn’t be one. He calls in the report and is requested to investigate the situation. His access card allows him entry to the building, where he again uses his card and his personal identification number (PIN) to access the building’s key control cabinet. The particular key he needs is not in the cabinet and the message screen tells him that the key is currently located in the key cabinet in the adjacent building. The security officer retrieves the key and is able to confirm that a light was left on and everything appears normal. He returns the key to the key cabinet in the building and resumes his rounds.

Implementing a key control and management system is a straightforward process that involves three basic steps; take inventory of the facility to identify all access points and installed locks; ascertain the operational needs of the employees as well as others who may need access to the facility (i.e. service repair, cleaning crew, etc.); and establish a policy with easy to follow procedures for effective key control and management.