subject: Of Entrance Gates, Barriers, And Warm Welcomes [print this page] Nothing can be as simple, yet quite as effective, as entrance gates when it comes to access control for business establishments. At its most basic, a gate gives safety to personnel and guarantees the security of assets enclosed in an area. Meanwhile, gates also deny entrance to those without the necessary security clearances.
A gate is usually installed in the most public and accessible side of a building. Since the gate serves as the 'face' that the building is showing the public, it is important to select the gate that matches the organisation's 'persona'.
To allow or to deny entry
Entrance gates can either welcome visitors, or it may serve to shoo them away. Whichever of these two aspects the organisation picks could reflect on the gate design.
For example, a shiny, streamlined, full metallic gate could exude a sense of strict control and business rigidity. It's like the gate is saying: you are not welcome. At the opposite end are transparent gates, which can give a sense of welcome and warmth to the public. This gate is saying an entirely different message: you are most welcome here.
When choosing the right type of gate for a building, these two aspects of the barrier-welcome dilemma should be taken into consideration. Whichever of these two sides is emphasised depends upon the overall strategy of the organisation.
Types and functions
The purpose of the gate, as well as the barrier-entrance dilemma mentioned above, must be considered when selecting from different entrance gates. But it must not be forgotten that the main reason for having a gate installed are: levels of security required, the security mechanisms of the gate, and the amount of foot traffic or throughput that it will be subjected to.
Gate size range from full-height gates to the half-height variants; they also come in a variety of designs. How they open and lock differ from type to type; they also differ in the way they turn from their axle. There are entrance gates that are classified as sliding, swing gates, or rotationary gates.
Another way to classify gates is by the way they can be made secure (locked) and the way they give access (open). Some gates don't need a key to open, the passer must only push his or her body through the gate. There are also many types of entrance gate security keys -- mechanical keys, electronic keys, biometric measurements, among many others.
