11 Jun 2008
EHC, Electrified Hardware Consultant
The definition of an EHC is as follows; “Electrified Hardware Consultants (EHCs) specialize in the coordination of architectural door openings with the increased security needs of public buildings in today’s society.
EHC’s are experts at interfacing electrified architectural hardware products into access control monitoring and fire alarm systems, while maintaining, compliance with fire, life safety accessibility and building code requirements”.
This is quite a statement considering the many contradictions that it suggests, security and fire, life safety in the same sentence is an opposing force stronger then the north and south poles of a magnet (no pun intended)!
The Security and Access Control Industries protect property by locking doors or controlling people flow, often giving little if any consideration to the opening as to fire labeling or if it is a means of egress. Altering a labeled frame in the field nullifies its label. Simply adding a magnetic lock to an opening keeps the bad people out, but it also keeps the good people in and it opens up a plethora of Building Code issues that will make your head spin.
On the contrary, the Door and Hardware Industry ensure that the Building Codes are met, occupancy loads are taken into consideration and free egress is obtainable at all times. Further, if a fire rated door is being held open electrically it is always wired so that when the fire alarm sounds, the door will close and latch. Where most Door Hardware people are still weak, is in understanding how the electromechanical hardware integrates with security and fire alarm systems and how to relay this information to the Electrical Engineer during the specification stage of the Project.
Having made my living in both industries it continues to amaze me how little each industry know of the others world. Yet both groups often work hand in hand on the same project. Currently, there are still only a handful of Hardware Distributors who are in the Security/Access Control business and I know of only a couple Security Contractors in the Hardware business.
As a result of these conflicting points of view the building owner often has to make a decision that could ultimately result in loss of life, “Security verses Life Safety”. The gap is wide and confusing, this is one of the main reasons the EHC credential program exists today.
My role as an EHC is to bridge the gap and tie all the pieces together, act as both the Security Consultant and the Hardware Consultant, or act as the liaison between the two. To look after the needs of the owner insuring that their “Security decisions do not have an adverse effect on the accessibility or fire, life safety of the building and the people in it”, delivering a “Total Openings Solution”.
The “ Total Openings Solution” covers more then just the doors and frames, as an EHC we are trained to look at every aspect of the security system including, access control, closed circuit television (CCTV), alarm systems and fire alarm integration. Our goal is to deliver a “Total Integration Solution” with all hardware and electronic components working in concert with one and another as one complete system.
In the development stage of the solution we are responsible for the Specification, and the Hardware Schedule, which will include a description of operation for every opening that includes security or electrified hardware. Riser Diagrams and Elevation Diagrams to be included in the Electrical Drawings and after the project is awarded we are responsible for Point to Point, Termination Diagrams detailing the final hook up of the electrical components. Further, we are expected to know how each electrical component functions, how it is to be programmed and what to do if it does not work!
How is all of this possible? What does it take to be an EHC? It sounds like a great deal of work? It is a lot of work and there are no short cuts, but the rewards are numerous. After you have engineered and wired up your first multiple digital camera, with a (DVR) Digital Video Recorder and integrated into an access control system and then have viewed the images over the internet and programmed the cards from a remote location you will ask yourself why it took so long for your leap of faith!
By Mark Sorrent, EHC, technical training manager for ASSA ABLOY Door Security Solutions Canada