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Access Control is just a fancy word (or two!) for controlling who gets to go to certain parts of a room or building. Think of a security guard or bouncer that stops you from entering a club or a part of the airport terminal – that’s a form of access control. A metal turnstile or an electric keypad where a badge must be swiped, are more examples. Access controlhelps us account for people’s locations throughout an area. It can be used in homes as well as in commercial uses. We actually see forms of access control every day. Even TV and movies show access control being utilized. Government offices, hospitals, hotels, museums and military locations all make use of access control daily.

Why do we need access control?

Anytime you have people, you will need to have access control. Go into any Cambridge, MA jewelry store and you’ll see a good example of it. The owners and staff are allowed behind the counters and jewelry cases – the shoppers are not. Go into restaurants and watch the diners and staff. They can access kitchens, walk-in freezers and cook stations that patrons do not usually have access to. Even public restrooms use access control as they almost always have signs that say “men” and “women” thus deciding who can or should be entering.

How can access control benefit us?

One good example is a school lockdown. If a danger or possible threat to the students is detected (stray dog on the playground, someone with a gun, etc.) the school can initiate a temporary lockdown. This is usually announced over the intercom and the teacher locks the classroom door while the students stay in their room, away from the danger.

Access control also denies access to unwanted intruders like burglars and thieves. When combined with electronic surveillance and other commercial lock technology, it helps promote visitor identification and remote monitoring of areas for residential, institutional, commercial and industrial locations all over the world. Some examples of this include theaters, hospitals, museums, restaurants, shopping malls, casinos, post offices and lots more.

Access Control – Different Types of It

Cambridge Locksmith Services specializes in access control, and as you can imagine, we make use of numerous ways of producing and using it for ourselves and our customers. One of the most basic access control applications is the keypad. Here, a number sequence or code is punched into the keypad for direct access. Using keypads, it’s easy to control who has access and also to monitor user activity since accessibility can be time stamped for record keeping and payroll purposes. Whenever possible, video surveillance should be paired with keypad access. After all, a key code or number sequence can be given to someone else and used by that person to gain access as the original user. Keypad access is often used in auto locks, high rise hotels and condo locks and hospitals.

Bar Code Access

You often see these used in call centers, banks and credit card companies. Their staff members can use these as badges to swipe themselves in. Again, the access is time stamped for record keeping and payroll purposes and often, a photo of the employee is embedded on the swipe card for further identification. While these cards/badges are often used, they are NOT good for high security access control as they can be duplicated with the right equipment and techniques.

FOB Keys

These are similar to the above cards as an electronic chip is embedded into the card. This chip contains information on the staff member or employee such as what areas are authorized for access and other forms of identification. Again, the user holds the card up to an electronic device that reads the data and allows access to the building or area.

Biometric readers

This is an advanced form of access control that does not require the user to carry any keys, badges, cards or anything! Biometric readers make use of fingerprint lock technology. You may be familiar with these biometric readers as they are already in use in smart phones and laptops all over the world. This amazing way to control access is practically fool-proof as you can’t exactly “lend” your fingerprint to a friend or try a dozen different fingers to maybe find one that works!

Other forms of biometric access control include retina scanners, hand identification, voice recognition (also used in smart phones) and signature recognition. As technology advances, you can expect much more of this type of security to become common.

Access Control For Different Budgets

From used clothing stores to high-end hotels and shops, access control is being used more and more frequently in commercial applications. High rise residences and institutions use it so frequently that many most of these now budget access control directly into their construction budgets. Many times adding access control to a building or business can result in big tax breaks. Also many insurance firms are offering lower premiums for customers that add or use access control systems as this is proven to result in lower crime and theft incidents.In fact, the FBI reports that organizations that don’t make use of access control are 3 times more likely to be robbed or vandalized than those that do.

Is Access Control For You?

Guess what? You are already using access control to a degree. Any time you restrict access to your home, vehicle or business area you are utilizing a form of access control. This affords you more privacy and better control over your property and surroundings. Keys are usually essential and they do a great job of controlling access for the most part. Keys are also easy to duplicate and break. If you are interested in learning more about access control and how it can help make your home and/or business life safer and better organized, be sure to call our Cambridge Locksmith Services shop and we will be delighted to speak to you about it. We offer dozens of unique and useful techniques that use access control as well as hardware that can further implement this method of security and that can fit any sized budget that you may be working with.

First and foremost, maintain absolute safety. Without a doubt, if you own a gun, it’s important to safely keep your weapons at all times by totally protecting them inside a reliable gun safe. Access control is indeed fundamental. Whether you own a gun for work, target practice, skeet shooting, hunting, or protection, it’s vital that you keep your weapons appropriately stored.

Be a responsible gun owner: Safeguard your guns. Don’t risk any dangerous or fatal circumstance that could occur if one of your guns were to get into the wrong hands.

A proper gun safe will keep your guns away from potential criminals, and most important of all, away from children. The truth is: No one besides you ~ children, teenagers, other family members, friends, babysitters, house-sitters, care-givers, exchange students, neighbors, and so on ~ ought to be able to gain access to your weapons.

Obey the law. Know the particulars of your local state laws. In most states and in the District of Columbia, the law requires that your guns be locked up to prevent access to children ~ in some cases even though you don’t have your own children. You’ll likely be breaking the law if any child should get a hold of your firearm. Penalties vary for allowing a child access to a gun, but the truth is, you can be held accountable for negligent storage, whether or not a child actually gains access to your gun, or uses the gun to cause an injury or death.

Keep burglars away with a heavy-duty gun safe. Otherwise, a thief could steal and resell your gun, or use it to commit a crime. The unthinkable may happen: For example, someone could steal your gun, and, use it to commit a robbery. If that thief shoots and kills someone in the process, then if you didn’t own a safe, the victim’s family could claim that your weapon was improperly stored, and choose to file a lawsuit against you. It’s really better to guard your weapons inside a safe, because if your guns were ever to be stolen, it will help significantly if you can prove that you took the right measures to keep the weapons safe and secure.

Sometimes a burglar will break in your home without doing any damage. If you can’t prove there was a forced entry, then without evidence that you had your guns locked in an appropriate safe, this fact may work against you if someone commits a crime with your gun, especially if it’s a person you know.

Protect your weapons from fire and flood. A maximum-quality fire-rated and waterproof gun safe will give you optimal protection from fire or water damage for your guns and other valuables, in case there’s a fire or flood.

You can often save on taxes. In some states, gun safes are exempt from sales tax. Some states give you a tax credit if you purchase a gun safe. A federal tax credit is also a possibility.

Fully insure your guns. Keeping your guns in a top-quality safe may be the only way you’ll know that your weapons are totally insured. Guarding your guns in a safe can frequently mean a discount on your insurance premium. Simply ask. Check your firearm coverage limitations and the details of your home or renter’s insurance policy. Your insurance company might require you to put your guns in a certified gun safe, maybe even dictate that you have an alarm. Depending on how many guns you own, and what type of weapons they are, ask about adding a rider for extended coverage. If you own a great number of guns, your insurance company’s safe certification rules may compel you to divide your gun collection into more than one safe, which reduces the likelihood of it all being stolen at once. If you ever had to make an insurance claim, being able to demonstrate that you took all the correct steps to protect your valuables makes it much more probable that you’ll be completely compensated for your loss.

Guard your investment. Some guns can be replaced or upgraded. But older vintage weapons are often irreplaceable and may have sentimental value. With just the right gun safe for you, you’ll effectively keep all your firearms away from burglars.

With an excellent-quality safe, you’ll protect all your other valuables. When you have a trustworthy safe in the house to keep your guns fully secure, as well as protected from theft, fire, and flood, you may as well include other significant items, too. Because of a gun safe’s extraordinary size, you’ll probably have some room left for valuable items such as: birth certificates, passports, property deeds, tax records, stock certificates, jewelry, collectibles, photographs, or emergency cash.

Store your guns with style. Most people would agree: Wherever you display your top-of-the-line gun safe, it is attractive. Often painted with a shiny finish, and ornamented with polished hardware, a gun safe’s remarkable size and weight are impressive.

You’ll have extra home protection. If you own a firearm for protection, in case of emergency, clearly, you’ll want easy access to your gun. Some manufactures make their gun safes with locks that can be opened in seconds. Of course, it’s imperative that you are the only person who knows how to get it open.

Take precautions regarding your concealed-carry weapon. If you have a license to carry a concealed weapon, pay attention to the legal requirements that pertain to your city and state. A portable gun safe, for instance, is a good choice for your vehicle.

How do you find the right gun safe? If you are located any place in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and you have questions or concerns about which gun safe is going to be best for what you have, it will be helpful to consult with a reputable local company, such as Cambridge Locksmith Services. Their mobile staff safe specialists would be glad to share their expertise so you can make well-informed decisions about your home security.