by Brianna Crandall — October 28, 2020 — With schools and universities reopening across the country, the safety of students and staff has never been more important, says security expert Mul-T-Lock. The company recognizes that every educational facility has a different security requirement, and effective management of everyone who comes and goes is paramount — not only to save time and expense, but to also tighten security.
For schools that are looking to upgrade or extend their current master key suite, Mul-T-Lock offers a wide range of cost-effective solutions to address the varying needs of education buildings. These incorporate patented mechanical and electromechanical technology, providing enhanced security with increased control over access, and at the same time reducing the number of keys that can be lost or stolen.
Mul-T-Lock’s master key platforms are customizable depending on requirements, with a wide range of products including various lock and cylinder types. The systems are designed to serve dynamic and growing environments, so each master key solution is scalable to suit an education building’s needs both today and in the future, says the company.
New antibacterial key
Mul-T-Lock has also recently launched a new antibacterial key solution to provide a more hygienic solution for education applications. The keys feature an antibacterial plastic head that contains an agent that suppresses the growth and spread of unwanted bacteria. The new key has been successfully tested to ISO 22196, showing significantly lower bacterial contamination compared to other keys, says the company.
Mul-T-Lock’s new antibacterial key provides a more hygienic solution for access control in education facilities. Image courtesy Mul-T-Lock
If education facilities want to move away from mechanical to an access control solution, Mul-T-Lock specializes in a number of systems that can help. Mul-T-Lock also recognizes that while access control is a fundamental element of security in higher education especially, many aging systems urgently need to be upgraded.
According to a recent survey, higher education security and information technology (IT) professionals are ready to embrace more modern technology as a way of improving the experience for students and staff. The findings showed that over half (54.2%) of respondents want to unify their access control credentials to support multiple applications, while 44% want better integration with other security systems.
With current requirements for education buildings to provide a safe and hygienic environment with reduced touchpoints for pupils and staff, Mul-T-Lock’s SMARTair access control system replaces keys with a wireless locking system operated by smartcards and even smartphones when used in conjunction with Mul-T-Lock’s Openow app.
With SMARTair, lost cards can be canceled, and replacement cards reprogrammed for increased security. The system can be tailored to meet each building’s needs and can be reprogrammed using the latest in access control management software as those needs evolve, without having to replace any physical locking systems — making it a cost effective and straightforward solution for all education buildings, says the company.
With no hardwiring, the system can be installed at low cost with minimal disruption to education facilities. Designated system managers can also monitor and control access rights — allowing personnel access when needed and revoking access once it is no longer required.
By utilizing the Openow app, facilities managers (FMs) and security administrators can instantly send, revoke or update virtual keys from the designated SMARTair software or web browser, allowing staff to access specific buildings or rooms via their smartphone.
System managers can be anywhere in the world when controlling access rights, making the whole process more convenient and secure for everyone. This can also significantly reduce whole-life costing, as it removes the need to replace key cards when they are misplaced.
To learn more about Mul-T-Lock’s various security solutions for education facilities, including the new antibacterial keys, SMARTair access control system and Openow app, visit the Mul-T-Lock website.
