Facilities Management - Keys and Locks

Policy

The University has a varied population of staff and students who require access to different sections of buildings for various purposes. It is therefore essential that the University's security system is consistent with such needs. It is also important that the University secures its installations and assets so that the possibility of theft and damage is minimised.

The responsibility for procedures for key control has been delegated to the Security Manager, within Facilities Management.

Specific functions relating to the ordering, issuing, maintenance and auditing of University locks and keys are delegated to the Security Manager.

The issue of keys to individual staff and students of the University must be regarded as a privilege, not a right. The Head of Department has the right to terminate key privileges for any staff or student in their department.

Areas of Control

Procedures

Responsible person

Action

Director of FM or delegate

Determines responsibility for key control of areas whenever a new facility is completed or space is reallocated.

Security Manager

Checks keys in new buildings prior to hand-over to the incoming department.

Issues marked keys to department and obtains signatures.

Issue of Status 6 locks (until September 2003) then 2003 onwards BiLock

Procedures

Responsible person

Action

Architect and departmental representative with consultants

Designs Master Key Schedule for each building to fit keying plan of the University.

Security Manager

When a decision is made by the Head of Department and the Manager of Security and Parking to re-key an entire building or sub-section of a building under the control of one department, the Security Manager determines the suitability of such a decision, compiles the necessary paperwork and obtains a quote from the University's key consultant.

Re-keying will occur in accordance with the University Keying Plan.

Re-Keying Plan

Policy

One only external designated after-hours door shall be allocated to each building which will be fitted with the University Electronic Card Access Control System as per University Card Access Specification. All other external doors will be keyed alike to a different services level key. None of these keys shall be on general issue. This increases the security of the building as all after-hours access to the building is through one controlled door.
Areas shall either be keyed alike or keyed differently. No maison keying is to be authorised in this University. Common use areas should be keyed alike to limit the number of keys that need to be issued.
Areas shall not be re-keyed to a system where people are reliant on Master Keys to obtain access to several areas; these areas should be keyed alike.
One room key will be issued to each occupant of a separate room (general, research and academic staff), and in other cases at the discretion of the Head of Department or departmental representative.
Key/s to common use area/s will be issued to people who require access to common use area/s on a daily operational basis.
The total cost involved in the cutting of new/replacement keys and locks, once approved by the Security Manager, will be at the expense of the department making the request unless the work is a new building, or replacement due to wear and tear.
Maintenance due to wear and tear of locks and keys, as determined by the Security Manager, will be paid for and carried out by the Security Manager.
Recovery of monies from the person who lost the key is the responsibility of the department.

Procedures

Responsible person	Action
Security Manager, University key consultant, Head of Department and, departmental person responsible for room allocation and key issues.	Draw up re-keying plans.
Head of Department or departmental representative	Signs receipt for keys (see policy outlined above).
Departmental representative	Sends T form to Security Manager if additional keys are later required. After re-keying, keys will only be cut on a 'needs' basis.

Key Control

Policy

Control of keys on a day to day basis is decentralised and is the responsibility of the department.

Issuing of keys and maintenance of records is the responsibility of the Head of Department or their appointed delegate.

Master and Grand Master keys are not to be issued and are to be kept in a maximum security area for emergency use only. These keys are only issued under special circumstances.

It shall be the responsibility of the Head of Department to ensure that all keys that are not on issue are stored in a purpose-built secure key cupboard.

Keys on issue to the departments on first issue or on whole building re-keying will be tagged and labelled ready for use.

The departmental keyboard is to house a duplicate key of every key that the department has been issued. It is preferable that the keys kept on this board not be issued for any reason except to cut copies for re-issue. This means that an original issued key is used to copy and there should be no problems with newly cut copies not working.

The department key cupboard shall be kept locked at all times and the keys for its operation are to be held only by the departmental representative and one other delegated officer authorised to operate the cupboard for urgent requirements in the absence of the departmental representative.

Registers/indexes shall be kept by the departmental representative :

Separate "Permanent Key Issue Register Books" shall be used to record the issuing of keys on a long term and short term basis to staff, students and others. This must include the date of issue, hook number of the duplicate key, key number, name of the person receiving the key, department the person is from, a column for initial of the issuing officer, column for receiving person's signature, date returned, and column for issuing officer to initial when key is returned.

A computerised "Key Index" shall be used to trace keys in the key cabinet. It should include hook number, key number, building name, function of the room or key. This will allow Key Control Officers to have quicker access to their keys.

A computerised "Key Cutting Record" shall be kept by the Security Manager to record how many of each type of key has been cut. This will assist the Security Manager in departmental key audits and allow advice to be given to departments if excessive key cutting is taking place.

It is the responsibility of the Head of Department or their delegate to ensure that these registers/indexes are kept up to date and in workable order.

All registers/indexes shall be held in a secure place, away from the key cupboard.

Key Audits

Periodic spot check key audits shall be conducted on each Department to ascertain that key security is kept to a maximum. The Security Manager will inform the Departments of the spot check key audit dates one month in advance. Departments should conduct their own key audits annually.

At the completion of the audit, the Department shall recover any keys that cannot be accounted for within one working week. If there are still keys outstanding, re-keying will take place as above.

Key Responsibility and Security

Policy

The Manager, Security and Parking has the authority to recall keys.

If a department is re-keyed or relocated to a new area then all "OLD" system keys must be returned to the Security Section of Facilities Management prior to the issue of the new keys. The returned keys are to have tags with the following information displayed:-

• Building name

• Door number

It is the responsibility of the Head of Department or their delegate to ensure that keys are retrieved from staff and students when they cease employment, studies or go on extended leave.

Each staff member and student who has been issued a key is responsible for its safe keeping.

If a member of staff or student ceases employment or studies or goes on extended leave, they are required to return all keys issued to the Key Control Officer for that department.

If a person does not return their issued keys to the Key Control Officer before or on their last day of work, it is the department's responsibility to ensure the key is returned, or the areas are re-keyed as per the procedure for lost keys.

Cutting of Additional Keys

Policy

Most of the original Lockwood and all of the new Status 6 system and BiLock are RESTRICTED profile keys. These systems are used throughout the University to minimise unauthorised cutting of keys. Additional keys may only be obtained from the Security Office with specific authorisation through the Security Superintendent.

The Security Manager and only one locksmith in WA are authorised by law to cut Status 6 and BiLock restricted keys for the University. If departments require extra keys to be cut then they should complete a T form and forward it with a sample of the key to be cut to the Security Office. For BiLock the key is not required at the Security Office to have another key cut. All that is required is the 6 digit number stamped on the side of the original key written on the T Form and it will be ordered from the locksmith.

Procedures

Responsible Person	Action
Security Manager	Upon completion of key cutting, informs department that the key/s are available for collection. NB : Once the keys have been handed to the key representative (or their delegate) the keys will be in the care of that department and all relevant sections of this document shall apply

Ordering and Re-pinning of Locks

Policy

The specific authorisation for ordering new and re-pinning of existing locks and padlocks is limited to the Security Manager or delegate or the authorised locksmith.

Procedures

Responsible Person

Action

Departmental representative

Sends T form to Security Manager if additional locks or padlocks are required or existing locks require re-pinning.

Security Manager

Authorises new locks and padlocks and re-pinning of existing locks and charges full cost to department when locks have been fitted by locksmith.

NB : The cost of re-keying and key replacement will be charged to the department.

Lost keys

Procedures

Responsible Person	Action
Person who has lost key	Reports to the Head of Department which issued the key, immediately the key is found to be lost.
Departmental representative	Notifies Security Office about the loss of the key/s as soon as possible so that an extra surveillance can be kept on the premises by Security Officers.
Person who has lost key	Lodges Incident Report Form with Security Office stating the events which led up to the loss of the key/s. Incident Report Forms are available from the Security Office.
Security Manager	Upon receipt of the Incident Report form, arranges quotes from the University authorised locksmith for the cost involved in re-keying lock/s and issuing of the relevant key/s. Authorises work to proceed after advising Head of Department of quoted cost. This will take approximately 24 hours from the time of the report being lodged with the Security Office. The cost of re-keying and key replacement will be charged to the department. NB : The cost could be substantial, especially if the lost key is a Master or Grand Master key and opens multiple locks in the department.
Departmental representative	Recovers cost from person who lost key.

Non-Serviceable Keys

Keys can be non-serviceable because they were 1) cut incorrectly 2) no longer open doors for which they were designed or 3) are broken.

Procedures

Responsible person	Action
Departmental representative	Returns non-serviceable keys to Security Manager with a T form for replacement of keys. Writes off keys in key register.

Date created:	October 1998	Approved by:	Manager, Security & Parking
Previous edits:		Responsible:	Security Superintendent
Date for review:	2003	File ref:	F7556
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