printer friendly version

Controlling pedestrian access

Controlling physical access into tertiary facilities is an ongoing priority. Turnstiles can be used throughout a site to monitor and protect different areas, for example student residences, dining facilities, computer rooms and libraries – wherever there is a need to allow access only to authorised individuals.

“There is a fine balance between ensuring high levels of security, while at the same time not unnecessarily hindering pedestrian traffic flow. This is particularly relevant given the ever-looming presence of protest action at South African universities, where a barrier needs to be created that will curb the influx of protesters while still allowing non-protesting students and educational facility employees through,” says Craig Sacks, CEO of Turnstar.

Users of entrance control systems should also have the assurance that a potential intruder will be stopped from entering, without experiencing any frustration that their own free movement is hindered. There has to be little or no delay between an authorised person presenting their credentials at the turnstile and access being granted. The Turnstar Titan industrial turnstiles allow this compromise to be met.

A case in point is the contract recently awarded to Turnstar to upgrade a number of pedestrian entrances at one of South Africa’s leading universities. The upgrade included the fitting of over 20 Titan 4 full-height industrial turnstiles. The Titan 4 is geared for secure access and offers long-term reliability, with its 10-year guarantee underlining this fact.

Another regular challenge for South Africans is load shedding. Fortunately, the Titan 4 turnstile can be factory-set for either fail-secure (auto-lock on power failure) or fail-safe (auto-unlock on power failure) operation. The turnstile can also be unlocked by means of the mechanical key override which is supplied standard with the turnstile. A battery backup system is also available on request, which will provide normal operation under conditions of no power. This means that the system will continue to provide uncompromising access control in the event of a power failure.

“In spite of the fact that lockdown restrictions have meant that fewer students are accessing the campus at any one time, controlled access remains top of mind for campus security. The safety and security of students and university staff is a non-negotiable priority, so the Titan 4 turnstiles, in combination with the associated access control software used by the institution, play an important role,” says Sacks.

Share this article:

Further reading: