Locks and Security News: your weekly locks and security industry newsletter
17th April 2024 Issue no. 701
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New Kitemark standard for cylinders and associated security hardware
The eagerly-anticipated domestic lock cylinder standard -Technical Specification 007 (TS 007) - has been published.
The Kitemark security retrofit standard features enhanced security performance requirements for replacement lock cylinders and associated security hardware such as handles. It enables lock and hardware manufacturers, suppliers and installers to give vital security assurance to householders. The correct combination of lock cylinders and protective handles or hardware that carry the Kitemark to TS 007 will resist cylinder snapping, bumping and other forms of cylinder attack.
The TS 007 Kitemark has been developed by the Door & Hardware Federation and the Glass & Glazing Federation with consultation and support from leading industry associations and from Secured by Design, the police security initiative.
The standard is the industry response to growing concerns that an increasing number of homes are under threat from burglars who learn lock attack techniques from the internet. If external doors or locks comply with the latest security standards (PAS 24 for doors and BS 3621 for locks) then they will already offer cylinder protection. However, the majority of existing domestic doors do not comply and TS 007 provides the means to upgrade them to resist cylinder attack.
The new TS 007 specification has been modelled on the cylinder security requirements of the long established PAS 24, the security "gold standard" for domestic doors that come pre-fitted with security locking systems.
The TS 007 standard incorporates the use of a Kitemark symbol and star ratings that range from one to three stars. TS 007 is designed as a three star solution. Security can be achieved by either a combination of a cylinder (marked with one star) and security door furniture such as a strengthened door handle (marked with two stars); or a "super cylinder" (marked with three stars) that successfully resists snap attack. In both cases, the same degrees of resistance against attack will be provided.
Said Michael Skelding, DHF secretary and general manager: "The flexibility to meet the TS 007 Kitemark standard by either cylinder alone, or a combination of star-rated cylinder and door handles or hardware, is fundamental to the success and long term future of the standard.
"If a manufacturer or supplier of a lock cylinder can meet the TS 007 standard by offering an uprated three star cylinder alone, then that's completely acceptable. It is equally acceptable to employ a combination of uprated cylinder and security door furniture to achieve the three star status.
"Along with the police and security professionals, we are acutely conscious that burglary techniques are constantly evolving and that methods of attack are publicised on the internet. As manufacturers we need to keep one step ahead, and the ability of being able to use both cylinder and door handles or hardware upgrades to achieve TS 007 gives us this vital flexibility."
For more information, visit www.dhfonline.org.uk
15th February 2012