COMBINING SAFETY AND SECURITY

Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM

Delayed exit devices and electronic strikes play a key role in maintaining building security without compromising life safety at the world headquarters of Delphi Automotive Systems in the Detroit suburb of Troy, Mich. By combining electronic door hardware with a card access system. Delphi maintains control of its building exits as well as interdepartmental traffic within the building.

Delphi Automotive Systems is a supplier of automotive component and systems technology, with annual revenues in excess of $29 billion. Delphi became an independent global automotive supplier in 1999, following its separation from General Motors. The company is a supplier to every major vehicle manufacturer, in addition to the worldwide automotive market and many premier international motorsports activities.

A LANDMARK BUILDING

It is almost impossible not to notice the impressive Delphi world headquarters building on a hill overlooking Interstate 75. The 267,000-square-foot structure houses the Delphi offices, a customer center, and several test lab and experimental garage facilities. The growing company has more than 700 employees working in the building. Enron Building Services Inc., Pittsburgh, handles the technical building operations, which are overseen by chief engineer Fred Reddig.

Product development is essential to Delphi's business. Coupled with the need to protect its trade secrets, door security is an integral part of the building's operating system. A magnetic stripe card access system controls all entrances and exits at all exterior doors and from the main lobby. With two-way control, management also has a positive record of who is in the building at any given time.

COMBINING SAFETY WITH SECURITY

To protect the life safety of its employees and meet fire code regulations, Delphi equipped the exits with Von Duprin Chexit-controlled exit devices. The systems will allow exiting after sounding an alarm for 15 seconds, or immediately if the building's alarm system is activated, thus protecting someone without a card from being locked in the building. Under normal conditions, when a card is used to exit the building, the alarm is disarmed and the door can be opened freely. From the outside, it remains locked except when a card is used; thus, the opening is protected from unauthorized use, but emergency exiting is allowed.

To control interdepartmental traffic and restrict entry to sensitive areas after business hours, each department has its own card access. Reddig says many of the doors are controlled with Von Duprin electronic strikes, since exit devices are not required for the occupancy levels involved.

In some cases, such as the glass front entry doors, magnetic locks are used with the card readers. During business hours, the doors are unlocked, and a receptionist welcomes visitors. Access to the building from the main lobby requires a card or an employee escort.

Other areas that do not require card access control, are equipped with Schlage L9000 locks, and keys are restricted to authorized users, according to Reddig.

FOR THE RECORD

ABOUT THE COMPANIES

For information, please circle the Reader Service number (listed below) on one of the Reader Service cards in the issue or visit infoLINK at www.securitysolutions.com.

Enron Building Services Inc..	27
Schlage.	28
Von Duprin.	29

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