Are The Locks at Your Business Regulation Compliant?

1. Are The Locks at Your Business Regulation Compliant?

2. Owners of all businesses are required by law to ensure that their premises comply with state and federal regulations, and for many, this includes the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Important regulations, these contain guidelines for the types of door locks that are installed on both new and existing commercial premises, and depending upon the type of business you own, you may need to be in compliance with them.

3. What does ADA door lock compliance mean? Passed in 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA was designed to help prevent disabled people from being discriminated against in the workplace, and ensure that in the event of an emergency, those with mobility issues can exit commercial premises in a safe manner. To be compliant with the regulations regarding this act, all door locks and hardware installed on the businesses buildings must meet the ADA guidelines, and anyone working in the buildings, or visiting them, should be able to easily access and unlock doors in the event of an emergency, or otherwise.

4. What are the specific ADA requirements for commercial door locks? Whatever business you own and run, all buildings associated with your company must meet the following accessibility lock requirements: • Every door lock and door handle must be operable with the use of one hand, and this should not require anything above normal strength to do so. • All door locks and door handles must be mounted below 48 inches above a finished floor, to ensure that anyone using a wheelchair, can easily reach the door as and when needed.

5. Doors with push, lever-operated, U-shaped devices or panic bars that release the lock, are among some of the most commonly used lock mechanisms that are ADA compliant. What does HIPAA door lock compliance mean? Passed in 1996, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA), was designed to help secure confidential health data for patients, and applies to certain, specific industries. For example, most healthcare facilities or businesses dealing with the health records of patients must follow these guidelines set out by the HIPAA.

6. What are the specific requirements for commercial door locks? All door locks, under the HIPAA, must adequately protect patient privacy, and any documents containing sensitive medical information, must be stored safely in areas of high security, and should: • Be accessible only to those personnel who have been authorized to do so, and only with the use of proper keys or an access control system. • Not have any doors that operate with an exterior hinge; if they do, then the owner or manager of the healthcare facility must be able to demonstrate that they are secured firmly and cannot be tampered with or removed to aid unlawful access.

7. • Have hardware that is regularly tested to ensure its continued functionality, and should a problem arise, it must be fixed as a matter of urgency. To find out whether your business is in compliance with all relevant regulations, talk to your local, commercial locksmith today, who can perform an assessment of the premises and advise you of any alterations or upgrades that might be needed.

8. Golden Locks Inc is a local licensed locksmith in Anaheim with years of experience and trained staff skilled in emergency locksmith services for both residential and commercial clients. We also specialize in car key replacement, bikes and trucks and installation, servicing and repair of high quality security systems, access control systems and CCTV systems. If you are looking for a residential or commercial locksmith in Anaheim, call us at (714) 841-0141.