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As the natural entrances to your building, doors offer the preferred means of entry to many criminals. Doors should be viewed as the second line of defence, after the perimeter.
The effectiveness of a door does not stop at preventing unlawful entry. Large items stolen from places of worship are invariably removed via a door. It is equally important, therefore, to ensure that when locked, doors cannot be opened from the inside. Mortise deadlocks are the most effective means of achieving this.
All doors should be substantially constructed with strong hinges and effective frames. The strength of a door is only as good as its frame and hinges. Any slight movement in the door structure or in the hinge fittings renders the door insecure and should be immediately repaired. Good maintenance not only improves physical security but also acts as a deterrent.
Locks should, wherever possible, be mortise deadlocks to a minimum of British Standard 3621. Many old locks currently fitted to doors are inadequate, with relatively simple internal mechanisms and are easily defeated by the professional criminal. If older locks are to be kept, additional secure mortise locks should be added.
Key Security
Keys should NEVER be left in locks, even while the building is occupied, nor should keys be hidden on the premises to allow access by those “in the know”. The best approach is to have as few keys / keyholders as possible and to ensure that keys are ALWAYS kept in the possession of a named responsible person and a register of holders is maintained.
