Access Control Systems for Commercial Premises
Knowing who is in your building, where they are, and when they entered is not a luxury - it is a basic operational requirement. Locks and keys cannot tell you who used them or when. They cannot restrict access to specific areas at specific times. They cannot be revoked remotely when a member of staff leaves. And they cannot be overridden automatically by the fire alarm to unlock escape routes in an emergency.
An electronic access control system replaces physical keys with credentials - cards, fobs, PINs, mobile devices or biometrics - that can be issued, revoked and managed centrally. Every access event is logged, creating a complete audit trail of who entered which door and when. Permissions can be set by individual, by group, by time of day and by zone, giving you precise control over who can access what areas of your building.
Electrifire designs, installs and maintains access control systems for commercial premises across London, Kent and the M25 corridor. Because we also install and maintain fire alarm systems, we design the integration between the two from the outset - ensuring that access-controlled doors on escape routes default to unlocked when the fire alarm activates, as required by BS 7273-4. One provider, one design, one tested integration.
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Commercial access control design, installation and maintenance
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Card, fob, PIN, mobile and biometric credential options
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Fire alarm integration to BS 7273-4 - escape routes default to unlocked
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Lockdown capability for Martyn's Law compliance
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Complete audit trail of all access events
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Remote management and multi-site administration
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Integration with CCTV and intruder alarm systems
Discuss access control for your premises >>
Access Control Design and Installation
The right access control system depends on the size of the building, the number of doors and users, the level of security required, and how the system needs to integrate with other building services. A small office with a single entrance needs a different solution from a multi-tenanted commercial building with hundreds of users, multiple access zones, and integration with CCTV, intruder alarms and the fire alarm system.
Electrifire designs access control systems for commercial premises from single-door standalone systems through to fully networked, multi-site installations. We carry out a site survey to understand the building layout, the access requirements for different user groups, the integration points with other systems, and the fire safety considerations that affect door security on escape routes.
- Proximity cards and fobs - the most common credential for commercial premises. Easy to issue, manage and revoke centrally
- PIN codes - suitable for areas where card readers are impractical or as a secondary authentication layer
- Mobile credentials - access via smartphone app, eliminating the need for physical cards or fobs
- Biometric readers - fingerprint or facial recognition for higher-security areas
- Wireless door handles - battery-powered handles with integrated credential readers, reducing cabling requirements for retrofit installations
For FM and property management companies managing access control across multiple buildings, networked systems allow centralised administration from a single platform. User credentials can be managed across the entire portfolio, access permissions updated remotely, and audit reports generated for any site from a central location. This is particularly valuable for managing contractor access, temporary credentials, and the onboarding and offboarding of staff across multiple locations.
Access control systems can be integrated with CCTV so that every access event automatically triggers a video clip from the nearest camera. This provides visual verification of who used a credential and when, which is invaluable for security investigations and incident response. Integration with the intruder alarm system allows access control to automatically arm or disarm zones based on building occupancy and time profiles, reducing false alarms and simplifying out-of-hours security management. See our CCTV page.
Fire Alarm Integration and Lockdown
BS 7273-4 - Fire Alarm Override
This is where access control and fire safety intersect, and where getting it wrong has serious consequences. BS 7273-4 requires that when the fire alarm activates, all electronically secured doors on escape routes must default to a safe, unlocked state. The fire alarm is the safety-critical master system - it overrides access control. A door that remains locked during a fire because the access control integration was not correctly designed is a compliance failure that could cost lives.
Because Electrifire installs and maintains both fire alarm systems and access control systems, we design this integration from the outset as a single coordinated system. The fire alarm panel provides volt-free relay outputs that de-energise the locks on escape route doors when an alarm condition is triggered. The integration is hard-wired (not network-dependent), monitored for fault conditions, and tested as part of every fire alarm maintenance visit. See our fire alarms page.
This is fundamentally different from engaging one company to install the access control and another to install the fire alarm, with neither taking responsibility for the integration between the two. In that scenario, the gap between the two contractors is where the compliance risk sits.
Access control is a key component of a building lockdown system. In a lockdown event, the access control system can override normal permissions and secure all access points, restricting movement to authorised security personnel only. For buildings affected by the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 (Martyn's Law), lockdown capability within the access control system may form part of the wider protective security measures required. See our lockdown systems page.
The interaction between lockdown and fire alarm override must be carefully designed. If a fire alarm activates during a lockdown, the fire alarm must still override the access control to unlock escape routes - life safety always takes precedence over security. This cause-and-effect logic must be programmed, documented and tested as part of the system design.
Access control systems maintain a real-time record of who has entered the building through controlled access points. In the event of a fire alarm, this data can be used to generate an automated roll call report showing who is currently inside the building and who has exited. This supports the evacuation coordinator and the fire and rescue service in confirming whether all occupants have been accounted for. See our evacuation testing page.
Access Control Maintenance and Support
Access control systems require regular maintenance to ensure reliable operation. Readers, controllers, locks, power supplies, batteries and cabling all need periodic inspection and testing. Software requires updates to maintain security and functionality. Credentials need to be managed as staff join, leave or change roles.
Electrifire provides planned maintenance for access control systems as part of a wider security and fire maintenance contract. A typical service visit includes functional testing of all readers and credential devices, door lock and release mechanism checks, power supply and battery backup verification, controller and software status checks, cabling and connection inspection, and verification of the fire alarm integration. For premises managed in accordance with SFG20 building maintenance standards, access control servicing aligns with the security system tasks specified in that framework.
When a reader fails, a lock malfunctions, or credentials stop working, you need a response that does not leave your building unsecured or your staff locked out. Electrifire provides reactive call-out support for access control faults, with the same response commitment as our fire alarm call-out service. For maintenance contract customers, call-outs are available at discounted rates with priority response.
If you have an existing access control system installed by another company, we can inspect it, assess its condition and functionality, and bring it into a planned maintenance schedule. Where the existing system is outdated or no longer supported by the manufacturer, we can advise on upgrade options and manage the transition to a new platform with minimal disruption to building operations.
Access control maintenance can be incorporated into your wider planned maintenance contract with Electrifire, covering fire alarms, extinguishers, security systems and passive fire under a single agreement. See our planned maintenance page.
Frequently Asked Questions
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