Keylex mechanical digital locks have been installed on the doors of the staff rooms and the first aid room at the new North Somerset Enterprise and Technology College campus, just completed by main contractor BAM Construction. The locks were supplied by Relcross via IRM of Yate, near Bristol.

The majority of doors at the new £12m complex are controlled by proximity cards issued to all students and staff but some areas are designated for separate control by mechanical digital locks. These are the four staff rooms plus the first aid room and similar Keylex locks are already fitted to all the other staff rooms and first aid rooms on the other college campuses. This provides a common access control solution for all of these areas giving immediate access for authorised users without the need for a proximity card.

The K700 lock that was specified is a standard duty, high security lock ideal for many hundreds of operations per day. It has an entirely mechanical operation with no electronics or electrical wiring involved. Code combinations from twelve buttons provide over 4,000 code permutations from the recommended three to six digit codes. The slipping clutch mechanism nullifies forced attack or vandalism from the outside and the stainless steel buttons will not indicate regular usage patterns. Free exit is allowed from the inside, without code entry, regardless of the lock status. The lock can also be set to allow free access from both sides when required.

Relcross Sales and Marketing Director, Stuart McMaster, said “while electronic access control can be very effective there are still circumstances where a mechanical digital lock is the best option. It’s a quick fix solution. No wiring is required, there are no batteries to replace, just solid mechanical reliability for which Keylex locks are renowned.”

North Somerset Enterprise and Technology College is a free school for 14-19 year olds and has a strong focus on science, technology, engineering and maths. The school opened in 2014 based at Weston College’s South West Skills Campus but has now moved to its brand new, purpose built home. The new £12m building is in Weston-super-Mare’s Junction 21 Enterprise Area and includes an all-weather sports pitch, canteen, lecture theatre, sports hall and technology and enterprise spaces, as well as a purpose-built science floor with laboratories and an outdoor terrace for experiments. NSETC is part of the Inspirational Futures Trust, which is sponsored by the Weston College Group.

For further information on Keylex locks, call Relcross on 01380 729600, email sales@relcross.co.uk or visit www.keylex.co.uk.  For other Relcross products, visit www.relcross.co.uk.