It’s no secret that banks and credit unions house valuables in the form of trusted employees, cash, and items that belong in safe deposit boxes. Building entrance security is a critical element in the design and effective protection of these treasures, and in today’s market, there are many tools with which your branch can accomplish that.
As experts in both physical and electronic security, Wittenbach has partnered with Cincinnati, Ohio-based industry leader Hamilton. Not only have they served in this sector since 1967, their products and solutions are designed to resist intruders, environmental threats, and in some cases even prevent fires. In addition to the financial industry, Hamilton entrance control products serve across industries: government and law enforcement, libraries, pharmacies and medical buildings, schools and campuses, and more.
What are the most common methods of building entrance security?
- Entrance control systems such as those offered by Hamilton provide a sturdy, reliable layer of physical security custom to the needs of your building’s design, foot traffic throughput, and required level of security.
- Biometric readers and facial recognition software provide entry based on fingerprints and facial scans against databases photos and other data.
- Video surveillance systems provide an additional layer of crime deterrent at building entrances and inside, keeping a watchful eye over your branch while backing up all footage to a hard drive or to the cloud.
What should I consider when choosing a building entrance control system?
Hamilton’s parent company, Gunnebo, has suggestions on a few main considerations when choosing the building entrance security solution that works best for your financial institution or business.
- Local regulations: Ensure that the building entrance control system you choose complies with all local regulations around employee security and building construction.
- Flow rate: Consider the peak times of foot traffic through your branch, whether it is at the beginning of the day, around lunch, or towards the end of the business day. How much entry system throughput will you need to accommodate? It is important to choose a solution that will keep everyone safe, and also keep entry to your business running efficiently.
- Design: Aesthetics can be another consideration when choosing your entrance control system! If your business or building requires strict and durable access, then appearance may matter less. However, if you are a bank or credit union branch, office, or other slightly less rigid environment, a welcoming appearance to your entrance control system plays a dual role as your clients’ first focal point while still protecting your employees.
- Return on investment: Are you installing entrance control systems in multiple locations? Take advantage of economies of scale when purchasing several of the same product for your branches. Per Gunnebo, you can also take into account “product lifecycle, uptime, and energy efficiency” in the calculation of your ROI.
Hamilton entrance control products to consider
There are a few of Hamilton’s main suite of building entrance security products that provide superior protection against threats to your branch or business. Wittenbach has curated the below list with your safety in mind:
- Entrance System Vestibule: per the manufacturer, “Hamilton’s Entrance System Vestibule provides a tough first line of defense in preventing fire-arms from entering your building, school or university. The unit incorporates key features such as metal detection, motion sensors and door locking controls with warning alerts to help prevent takeover robberies.” Not only do they offer standard units with hurricane-rated and bullet-resistant materials, they also build custom vestibules to retrofit your branch.
- Hamilton also offers a variety of gate security solutions that control movement around your business. The most relevant options to the financial industry include:
- Speed gates: Customizable entrance security for public and commercial buildings.
- Revolving doors: Motorized revolving doors for high profile buildings requiring high security.
- Tripod turnstiles: A compact, cost-effective entrance solution with low power consumption and high reliability.
- Full-height and half-height turnstiles: Entrance Gates designed to combine smooth operation with uncompromised security. Ideal for buildings where style and design are important.
Hamilton’s drive-up solutions also offer a layer of security for your branch’s open points of vulnerability. They again have designed these products with employee safety at the forefront, protecting your team from both potential criminals and extreme weather.
- Their pneumatic tube systems, the HA-47 and HA-43, are both built with maximum security and high reliability, and they both have a “just push send” button that makes the tube especially user-friendly. These are coated with weather-resistent polymers, and are set apart in the industry due to high-quality video and audio features. The HA-47 is designed for light commercial use, while the sturdier HA-33 is meant for heavy-duty commercial use up to 25 pounds at a time!
- Transaction drawers, otherwise known as “deal drawers” or “security drawers”, are another Hamilton product that can provide security at an entry point of your branch or pharmacy. In an earlier blog post, Wittenbach outlined four of the most popular: the Hamilton DD-8 compact deal drawer, the Hamilton 300WW walk-up drawer with manual rotary function, and the models 400DD and DCD-18 which both have superior audio, are sealed to open air, and are great for both new installations and replacements.
- Windows in the Hamilton Vision Series are built with durable stainless steel and bullet-resistant glass. These come in a variety of standard sizes, meet hurricane coding and Florida building code compliance, are approved for second-story installations, and both the glass and frame are UL-rated for bulletproof resistance.
Conclusion
Wittenbach understands that employee and branch security is of utmost importance to you; physical security is one of our foundational pillars, too. The Hamilton entrance control product lines can fortify both your building and your peace of mind, allowing your employees to focus on their day-to-day without hesitation. Contact us to learn more about how to outfit your branch or business with the optimal building entrance security solution.
