Physical Security
Security Airlocks
Controlled passage at sensitive transitions – single-person interlocking and access protection that balance security with operational flow.
Overview
At particularly sensitive transitions, a door with an access reader is not enough. Where tailgating or letting several people through on a single authorisation must be prevented, security airlocks come into play: they ensure that only one authorised person passes at a time.
The range spans from single-person interlocks and turnstiles to personnel airlocks and high-security portals with weight or volume checks. Which solution fits depends on the protection objective, the volume of people and how strictly single-person passage must be enforced – without blocking operations.
This very trade-off – maximum control at acceptable throughput – is at the centre of our planning. We analyse frequency, user groups and emergency requirements and size the airlock so that it does not become a bottleneck in daily use yet still protects reliably in an incident.
We never plan airlocks in isolation, but as part of the access concept. They are integrated into access control, connected to the security control room and aligned with structural and organisational measures. Escape and rescue route requirements as well as accessibility are considered from the outset.
The result is a transition that grants authorised people smooth access and reliably denies it to the unauthorised – planned vendor-neutrally and embedded in the overall architecture.
Standards & norms
- DIN EN 16005 (power-operated doors)
- Workplace & escape route requirements
Frequently asked questions
What distinguishes a security airlock from a normal access door?
An airlock enforces single-person passage: it prevents several people passing on one authorisation (tailgating). A normal access door only checks the authorisation, not the number of people passing through.
How do you avoid bottlenecks in daily operations?
Through correct sizing. We analyse the volume of people and select the airlock type and quantity so that the required throughput is achieved without weakening single-person enforcement.
How are escape and rescue routes taken into account?
Airlocks must meet escape and rescue route requirements in an emergency. We plan emergency release and alignment with fire safety and escape route planning from the start.