Many of the people who try to gain entry into your building will attempt to use forced entry, rather than hacking an access control system or stealing a keycard. Forced entry attempts are especially likely in areas that are prone to rioting or buildings that are more likely to attract rioters, like government buildings. Forced entry is also a risk for businesses with inventory or intellectual property that attracts thieves (which, frankly, is most businesses.) That’s why every business needs to think about how secure their property is from forced entry. There are ways to reduce this risk and keep your business more secure.

1. Balancing Security Needs

Ironically, having too many security measures can make your building less secure. When authorized users have to jump through hoops they think are unnecessary, they tend to find ways around them that leave the building vulnerable. The classic example is the apartment residents who prop open their building door, but similar contraventions are made in work environments too.

Besides, adding too much security can also make your building more expensive, inconvenient and time-consuming to manage. So, while it may sound counter-intuitive, you should assess your risk for forced entry before you take steps to mitigate it.

2. Assessing Your Risk

Facilities with high risk for forced entry typically include government buildings such as courthouses, jails, military facilities and assemblies. Power infrastructure, including nuclear plants, are also at high risk. Research facilities, large corporation headquarters, and more may be high-risk. The risk is not just based on what you house, but what the consequences are if someone can break into your facility.

Most retail stores, health care facilities, small corporate offices and warehouses should consider themselves medium risk for forced entry. Thieves and rioters may try to enter the building through brute force. However, you need to balance these risks with keeping these buildings accessible for customers, clients, patients, staff and other authorized users.

3. Choosing the Right Security Door

Just understanding your full options when it comes to security doors can help you make wiser decisions to reduce the risk of forced entry. There are three main test standards for safety. You can choose a standard that makes sense for your building and then find a door that meets these standards. Thus, you avoid being bogged down in specific product details.

  • ASTM F1233: This test assesses how well a door can resist being struck by a ballpein hammer, a good assessment for various kinds of forced entry. Class V doors, the best, can withstand 41 strikes with the hammer and an additional 50 with a fire axe.
  • ASTM F3038: In this test, six men attack the door with various tools from 5 to 60 minutes, whatever the door can withstand. The US Department of State SD-STD-01.01 standard is similar but for government facilities.
  • UL 752 Standard for Bullet-Resisting Equipment: The doors that pass these standards can resist bullets but are not bullet-proof.

4. Get Professional Advice

The world of security doors in Jackson is complex, and professionals can guide you to make the right decision for your business.