Commercial Safe Drilling Services are a Dying Art. We’ve Got You Covered

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By Ryan Kaullen, Field Services Manager at Kenton Brothers

Commercial Safe DrillingSafes are made to keep items secure and for the most part they do a really good job, sometimes too good a job. When safe locks fail, get tampered with, and can’t be unlocked, you have a few options.

One option is having a certified and trained safe professional try to manipulate and open it using a variety of techniques. Second, depending on the type of safe, you can cut the hinges or bolts. And third, you can perform a drilling process. Using the drilling technique can take hours to even days, especially if it is a GSA high security safe.

There are preventative measures you can take to try and help avoid a safe lock from failing:

  • Preventative maintenance. Having a certified professional come on site to perform quarterly or yearly maintenance. They can assess how the safe is operating, provide proper testing, apply proper mechanical lubricants, and advise of any issues before a lock fully fails. Sometimes, locks just fail… but at Kenton Brothers we have seen time and time again preventative maintenance extending the life of the locks. This helps our clients get ahead of any potential issues with their safe(s) which helps financially in the long run.
  • Do not use WD-40 on locks. WD-40 will do more damage to your safe lock than helping it. If you want to apply the right lubricant, please contact Kenton Brothers and we would be happy to sell you the correct products to use on your safe.
  • Use the right locks for the right applications. This is a consistent issue. Our techs go on site and find safe locks that are not the correct rating, or not the right application, for their use requirements. Depending on the nature of your business, or what you are storing in the safe, there are certain requirements from a government level (GSA) that have to be met by law. We are obligated to report these situations when we find them. There are two options to resolve this situation: 1) Provide pricing to bring the safe up to standard or 2) Strip the safe of its certifications and fill out appropriate paperwork.
  • Always keep track of your safe combinations in a safe/secure location. This is an easy way to avoid service calls.
  • Make sure the company you are hiring to work on your safe/safe locks is certified. Your security provider must have experience with safe locks. Just because they are a mechanical locksmith does not mean they are certified to work on safe locks. Unauthorized fixes or attempts to fix can void warranties and cause damage to the equipment.

Commercial Safe Drilling Commercial Safe Drilling Commercial Safe Drilling

A real world story about why this matters.

Recently, we received a service call about a high security safe that was not opening. When our technician arrived on site, he found seven GSA Red Label containers. All seven had the wrong locks on them. (Remember, we are required to report these types of infractions.) We provided our customer with two options: replace all the safe locks or strip them of their certifications. The customer chose to bring one of their safes up to code and strip the rest. This was an expensive process for the customer because we had to drill one of the safes and supply the correct lock, and then do a considerable amount of government related paperwork.

Our customer could have avoided the expense of fixing incorrect locks if they had reached out to a certified GSA company when installing the containers in the first place. We would have advised them on the proper procedures and protocols. They wouldn’t have had to make the decision to decertify six expensive safes. The moral of the story is that hiring certified professionals to work on your safes may be more expensive initially, but in the long run it will be worth the investment!

We have been fortunate to work on safes of every size and level of security.

We have three GSA certified, trained, and continually educated technicians on our team. Let Kenton Brothers be the partner who keeps your safes operating correctly (or allow us to open them when you can’t!)

To schedule service of your safe please give us a call or email service@kentonbrothers.com.

Video: Planning and Implementing Elevator Security

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By Erik Andress, Sales Management Professional at Kenton Brothers

In today’s video we’re discussing elevators. In particular, how to secure them with cameras and access control. Elevators can be tricky… They require a lot of planning and coordination with the elevator company. We’ll get into some of those details today and what you need to know!

Step one is by far the most important stage and that’s planning.

Securing an elevator requires collaboration between the elevator company the security integrator as well as the client. The client lets the security innovator know how they want the elevator to function and behave. The security integrator works with the elevator company to make that possible.

Let’s use a an example: Where do you want the card reader mounted? Is it on the outside of the elevator denying access altogether or is it on the inside of the cab denying access just to certain floors? Or both? You may want to deny access to the elevator because it’s not for the public. You may also want to deny access to certain floors because it is a secure facility.

There are details we have to understand. Is there already traveling cable in the elevator? Is there space for us to install our equipment? Where is the control panel for the elevator, and where should our control panel go for access control? It can get complicated quickly.

Step two is integration.

We work with a professional elevator technician to make sure the proper cables are in place and integrate the card reader into the elevator’s controls.

Step three is configuration.

Now that the systems are integrated, we need to make sure that we go back to the client’s expectations of how they wanted the elevator to function. We need to make sure that our configuration is lining up with exactly what they asked for.

Step four is to test and calibrate.

When you put security inside of an elevator, you’re introducing a lot of moving pieces. With access control or commercial video surveillance, we need to make sure that we spend time testing the system. We need to make sure the camera’s field of views are dialed in correctly.

The final step is training.

We need to make sure that the admins and users of the system understands exactly how the system works and how changes can be made.

If you need help securing the elevators in your company buildings, we can help. Just give us a call!

Top 10 Technician Tips to Keep Your Commercial Security Systems Up and Running

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Top 10By David Strickland, Vice President of Kenton Brothers

At Kenton Brothers Systems for Security, we believe that the best advice comes from the field. Our technicians are fantastic at taking great care of our customers.  So we asked them about creating a Top 10 list for our customers on how to keep their commercial security systems running well. Here’s what they told us.

Top 10 Technician Tips:
What customers can do to keep their commercial security systems running well.

  1. Top 10 Proactive Tips to Keep Your Commercial Security Systems Up and RunningPut a recurring reminder on your calendar to replace batteries.
  2. Test and verify system functionality on a monthly basis.
  3. When you see damaged, loose, or missing devices, address the problem sooner than later.
    (Replace these weathered devices proactively to prevent a cascading failure later.)
  4. Put the KB service phone number and email in your contact list. This will help identify us when we call or email.
  5. Put KB service contact information on all control panels, NVRs, power supplies, etc.
  6. Have a system inspection and maintenance program. (This extends the life of your system.)
  7. Properly train your team members on the proper procedures of how to interact with system and devices.
  8. Limit personnel with system keys and passwords. (Provide separate login credentials for each authorized user and don’t share passwords. Limit the physical access to those same panels.)
  9. Top 10 Proactive Tips to Keep Your Commercial Security Systems Up and RunningPoint out system devices and cabling to contractors when remodeling to prevent damage or system interruption.
  10. Keep equipment access areas clean and clear for technicians to work and service your systems.

Our technicians take a lot of pride in providing the very best service in the region. They are all factory certified. In an age where customer service is often an afterthought or an annoyance, the KB technicians stand out as champions for our customers.

Please let us know if we can help support you in implementing these Top 10 Technician Tips!

Building a Commercial Security Training Wall for Scenario Testing

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Building a Commercial Security Training Wall for Scenario TestingA customer, Rich, recently came to us with a problem. His access control environment has three generations of Software House’s access control boards as well as a fourth type of access control board, the Edge panel. Software House has done a good job of adding features as the boards have been upgraded over the years, but this means that the older boards do not have the same feature sets as the newer ones. Understanding the capabilities of each board is not always easy.

Rich also wanted to understand some of LifeSafety’s Power Supply features, something not currently being used in his environment.

He could have separated out seven or eight of the doors in his environment and used those for testing. However, testing in the production environment could have led to customer dissatisfaction (when things didn’t go as planned.) So, our best option was to build a training wall.

The Training Wall

Building a Commercial Security Training Wall for Scenario TestingCreating a training wall with four different boards and two doors per board would take up a lot of room and be fairly costly. We ended up creating two demonstration doors where they could be switched to one of the four access control boards. One of the doors we set up as fail-secure, meaning the door is still locked if power is removed. The other door was set up as fail-safe, meaning the door is unlocked when the power is removed. We did this to demonstrate the different ways of connecting the power supply and to provide a realistic scenario that might be found in the field.

Now, Rich has a way to test the different locking scenarios with the different feature sets of each board. Since two doors are connected to the boards, he can also test read in/read out, piggybacking, tail-gating, interlocked doors, and other scenarios involving more than one door. The training wall can also serve as a training area for new programmers, or new installation crews to show how the doors should be programmed or how the wires need to be connected.

We love unique challenges.

This certainly was a unique challenge for us. It’s the first time a customer has asked us to create a training wall for them. If you need a training wall or have another unique challenge, let us know! At Kenton Brothers, we embrace new challenges. Innovation is in our blood.

Bluetooth Access Control Credentials

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By Erik Andress, Sales Management Professional at Kenton Brothers

Bluetooth Access Control CredentialsBluetooth Technology

In recent years, access control systems have become an essential part of security measures in various industries, including healthcare facilities, educational institutions, government buildings, and commercial properties. These systems rely on credentials, such as keycards or fobs, to grant access to authorized individuals. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased demand for touchless access control solutions.

Bluetooth access control credentials have emerged as an innovative solution that provides enhanced security and convenience while reducing the risk of germ transmission.

What are Bluetooth Access Control Credentials?

Bluetooth Access Control CredentialsTouchless Bluetooth access control credentials are an alternative to traditional access control systems that rely on physical keys, cards, or fobs. These credentials use Bluetooth technology to communicate with a reader installed on a door or gate. Users can unlock doors or gates by simply presenting their Bluetooth-enabled device, such as a smartphone or smartwatch, to the reader.

How do Bluetooth Access Control Credentials Work?

Touchless Bluetooth access control credentials work by establishing a connection between the user’s device and the access control reader via Bluetooth. When a user approaches a door or gate, the access control reader sends a Bluetooth signal to the user’s device. The user’s device then responds with an encrypted signal that is verified by the access control reader. If the signal is authenticated, the access control reader unlocks the door or gate.

Bluetooth Access Control CredentialsWhat are the Benefits of Bluetooth Access Control Credentials?

  1. Enhanced Security: Bluetooth access control credentials provide enhanced security by reducing the risk of credential theft or loss. Traditional access control credentials, such as keycards or fobs, can be lost, stolen, or copied. However, Bluetooth access control credentials are tied to the user’s personal device and cannot be easily transferred or duplicated.
  2. Convenience: Touchless Bluetooth access control credentials provide greater convenience compared to traditional access control systems. Users no longer need to carry a physical keycard or fob with them at all times. Instead, they can simply use their smartphone or smartwatch to gain access.
  3. Reduced Germ Transmission: Bluetooth access control credentials are an effective solution for reducing the spread of germs. Traditional access control systems require users to touch keycards or fobs, which can potentially spread germs. However, Bluetooth access control credentials eliminate the need for physical contact, reducing the risk of germ transmission.
  4. Scalability: Bluetooth access control systems can be easily scaled up or down depending on the needs of the organization. Adding or removing users is a simple process that can be done remotely, providing greater flexibility and convenience.

Bluetooth Access Control CredentialsOther key benefits:

  • Works with Apple Watches
  • A Mobile Friendly App allows you to customize your experience with readers. Rename them on the phone to make them make sense to the user, put them in a Favorites tray,  hide readers your user does not have access to and customize the reading distance per door up to 30 feet.
  • Multi technology Reader – 125Khz prox, iClass CSN, iClass Classic, Mifare, Desfire EV1 and EV2, Legacy GE format and Bluetooth (iOS and Android)
  • May purchase the readers by the credential or by the reader.  If purchased by the reader then customer has unlimited credential capability at no extra charge.
  • Very secure using encrypted Bluetooth data transfer

Conclusion

Bluetooth access control credentials are an innovative solution that provides enhanced security, convenience, and reduced germ transmission. As the world continues to adapt to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, touchless access control solutions will play an increasingly important role in ensuring the safety and security of organizations and individuals.