A door access control system is a security solution that regulates who can enter or exit a building, room, or restricted area. Instead of traditional keys, it uses credentials such as key cards, PIN codes, biometrics, or mobile apps.
Common types include:
Card/Fob-based systems – Users tap or swipe an RFID card.
Keypad systems – Access is granted via PIN codes.
Biometric systems – Use fingerprint, facial recognition, or iris scanning.
Mobile access systems – Smartphones act as digital keys.
Multi-factor authentication systems – Combine two or more credentials for higher security.
A basic system includes:
Credential (card, PIN, fingerprint, mobile app)
Reader (detects credential)
Controller (verifies access rights)
Electronic lock (maglock or electric strike)
Access management software
When a user presents their credential, the system checks permissions and unlocks the door if authorised.
Provides audit trails (who entered & when)
Allows remote access management
Enhances building security
Easily add/remove users
Integrates with CCTV & burglar alarm systems
They are commonly used in:
Office buildings
Apartment complexes
Hospitals
Schools & universities
Government facilities
Warehouses & data centres
Yes. Most modern systems integrate with:
CCTV surveillance
Burglar alarms
Visitor management systems
Time & attendance software
Building management systems (BMS)
Most systems include:
Backup batteries
Fail-safe or fail-secure lock configurations
Emergency exit compliance features
Consider:
Security level required
Number of users & doors
Integration needs
Budget
Future scalability
Ajax is a professional-grade wireless security system trusted by businesses across Europe. Caldera FS installs Ajax because of its outstanding reliability, encrypted communications, and sleek modern design.
Yes, Ajax is designed with commercial security in mind. Caldera FS regularly installs Ajax across offices, warehouses, retail units, and multi-site businesses throughout Hampshire and the surrounding area.
Ajax uses multiple communication channels including Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and GSM mobile network. If one channel fails it automatically switches to another, ensuring your system stays connected at all times.
Yes, Ajax can be integrated with a range of third party systems. Caldera FS will assess your existing setup and design a solution that brings everything together on one platform where possible.
Ajax has its own dedicated app giving you real-time notifications, live system status, and remote arm/disarm from your smartphone — all installed and configured by the Caldera FS team.
Yes, Ajax supports professional monitoring centre integration. Caldera FS can set up your system with a monitoring centre so that any alert triggers an immediate response.
Every Ajax device has built-in tamper detection. If any device is moved, opened, or removed from its mount, an instant alert is triggered — giving you an additional layer of protection.
Simply get in touch with our team for a free site survey. We’ll assess your premises, recommend the right Ajax configuration, and provide a full installation and aftercare package tailored to your needs.
A burglar alarm system is designed to detect unauthorised entry into a building or area. When triggered, it alerts occupants, security personnel, or a monitoring service.
- Control Panel: The central hub that monitors all sensors.
- Sensors/Detectors: Detect intrusion (motion, door/window opening, glass break).
- Alarms/Sirens: Audible alerts to deter intruders and notify occupants.
- Keypads/Access Devices: For arming and disarming the system.
- Monitoring Service (optional): Alerts a security company or authorities automatically.
- Wired Alarms: Connected via cables; highly reliable and difficult to tamper with.
- Wireless Alarms: Use radio signals; easier to install but rely on batteries and stable signal.
- Monitored Alarms: Connected to a central monitoring station that notifies police/security.
- Unmonitored Alarms: Sound only a siren; do not alert external authorities automatically.
- Smart Alarms: Integrate with smartphones and home automation systems for remote alerts.
Common sensors include:
- Motion Detectors: Use infrared or microwave sensors to detect movement.
- Door/Window Contacts: Triggered when entry points are opened.
- Glass-Break Sensors: Detect vibrations or sounds of breaking glass.
- Pressure/Seismic Sensors: Detect footsteps or structural disturbances.
Yes, they act as both:
- Deterrents: Loud sirens and visible devices discourage intruders.
- Response Triggers: Immediate alerts allow quick action by occupants, neighbours, or authorities.
Effectiveness increases when combined with CCTV, lighting, and access control.
Yes, they are widely used in:
- Residential buildings to protect families and property.
- Commercial spaces for inventory, sensitive data, or cash protection.
- Industrial facilities to safeguard equipment and warehouses.
- Public buildings for overall safety and compliance.
- Main Power: Usually connected to the building’s electricity.
- Battery Backup: Ensures functionality during power outages.
- Monitored: Alerts a security company or authorities when triggered. Provides faster response.
- Unmonitored: Only triggers sirens or lights. Relies on nearby people noticing the alert.
Yes, integration improves security:
- CCTV: Automatically records video when an alarm is triggered.
- Access Control: Locks or unlocks doors based on alarm status.
- Smart Home Systems: Remote notifications, app control, and automation.
CCTV (Closed-Circuit Television) is a video surveillance system that transmits video signals to specific monitors or recording devices. It is commonly used for security, monitoring, and deterrence of crime.
- Cameras: Capture video footage (analog, IP, or HD).
- Lenses: Determine the focus and field of view.
- Digital Video Recorder (DVR) or Network Video Recorder (NVR): Records and stores video.
- Cabling or Network: Connects cameras to recording devices.
- Monitors: Display live or recorded video.
- Optional accessories: Motion detectors, infrared lights.
- Dome Cameras: Discreet and resistant to tampering.
- Bullet Cameras: Long-range viewing, typically outdoors.
- PTZ Cameras: Pan, tilt, and zoom capabilities for large areas.
- IP Cameras: Digital cameras that connect over a network for high-resolution footage.
- Thermal Cameras: Detect heat signatures for night or low-visibility conditions.
Yes, modern systems allow remote access via:
- Mobile apps on smartphones or tablets.
- Accredited monitoring stations
- Web-based dashboards.
- Cloud storage platforms for video access from anywhere.
- 720p HD: Basic surveillance.
- 1080p Full HD: Good detail for most businesses and homes.
- 4K Ultra HD: High-resolution needed for license plate recognition or large areas.
Higher resolution provides clearer images but requires more storage when recording.
Storage depends on:
- Number of cameras.
- Resolution and frame rate.
- Retention period (days of footage to keep).
A rule of thumb: Higher resolution and longer retention require larger storage (NVR or cloud).
- Deters theft and vandalism.
- Provides evidence for investigations.
- Helps monitor employee safety and compliance.
Effectiveness improves when integrated with alarms and access control.
Yes, many cameras have:
- Infrared (IR) LEDs for night vision.
- Low-light sensors to capture images in dim conditions.
- Thermal imaging for total darkness.
Absolutely. CCTV can be integrated with:
- Access control systems for monitoring entries/exits.
- Burglar alarms for event-triggered recording.
- Fire and environmental systems for automatic alerts.
- Smart home automation platforms.
Caldera FS is proud to support Prostate Cancer UK and the Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, both of which are causes close to our hearts as a business and a team.
Prostate cancer is one of the UK’s biggest killers of men. We support the Men United campaign because we believe in standing together as a community to raise awareness and fund better treatments for the future.
Rainbow Trust provides vital emotional and practical support to families dealing with a seriously ill child. We support them because we believe no family should have to face that journey alone.
Caldera FS makes regular monthly donations to both Prostate Cancer UK and the Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity as part of our ongoing commitment to giving back to the community.
Absolutely. You can sign up to donate to Prostate Cancer UK and the Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity directly through their websites. Every contribution makes a real difference.
Emergency lighting is a battery backed lighting system that automatically switches on when mains power fails, ensuring people can see escape routes and safely evacuate a building. It can include escape route lights, exit signs and antipanic lighting.
Yes — most nondomestic premises (offices, shops, schools, care homes, common areas of residential buildings, etc.) need emergency lighting under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
The responsible person — typically the business owner, employer, landlord or building manager — must ensure lighting is installed, maintained and tested as required.
According to BS 52661 guidance:
✅ Escape routes — corridors, stairways, changes of level
✅ Final exit doors
✅ Near fire safety equipment (e.g., extinguishers, alarms)
✅ Large open areas (antipanic lighting)
✅ Hazardous areas or task locations as identified in a fire risk assessment
Minimum illuminance levels typically recommended in BS 52661:
- Escape routes: ~1 luxon centre line
• Open/antipanic areas: ~0.5 lux
• Highrisk tasks: higher (e.g., 10 % of normal lighting or ~15 lux) depending on tasks
(Lux is a measure of light level — these levels are considered sufficient to see and move safely.)
Maintained
Lights are on during normal use and remain lit on power failure (often used in public spaces).
Nonmaintained
Lights only come on during a mains failure (common in corridors and stairways).
Failure to maintain and test emergency lighting is a legal breach. Fire authorities can issue enforcement notices, and serious failures have led to prosecution and significant fines.
Yes — a fire safety logbook recording all tests, defects and maintenance is essential to demonstrate compliance.
You’ll hear about:
- BS 52661 — UK code of practice for emergency lighting
- BS EN 1838 — emergency lighting performance (illumination levels)
- BS EN 50172 — emergency escape lighting system testing and logbooks
A fire alarm system is a network of devices designed to detect fire or smoke and alert occupants and, in some cases, emergency services. It helps protect life, property, and ensures compliance with UK safety regulations.
- Control Panel (FACP): Central hub managing detectors and alarms.
- Smoke Detectors: Detect smoke particles.
- Heat Detectors: Trigger alarms based on temperature changes.
- Multi Sensor: Utilises multiple fire indicators, reducing false alarms.
- Manual Call Points (Break Glass): Allow people to raise the alarm manually.
- Sounders / Bells: Audible alerts for evacuation.
- Visual Indicators (Beacons): For hearing-impaired occupants.
- Monitoring Service (Optional): Notifies the fire brigade and keyholders automatically.
- Conventional Fire Alarm Systems: Divide the building into zones; simpler and cost-effective for small premises.
- Addressable Fire Alarm Systems: Each detector has a unique address; ideal for large or complex buildings.
- Wireless Fire Alarm Systems: Communicate via radio; less intrusive to install.
- Hybrid Systems: Combine wired and wireless devices for flexibility.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, all non-domestic premises must have suitable fire detection and warning systems. Typical premises include:
- Offices and commercial buildings
- Schools and universities
- Hospitals and care homes
- Hotels and public venues
- Industrial and warehouse facilities
- Detectors sense smoke, heat, or fire.
- Signal is sent to the control panel.
- Alarms (sounders and beacons) are activated.
- Optional: Monitoring service notifies the fire brigade.
- Evacuation procedures are initiated.
Yes. According to Building Regulations (Part B) and the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015:
- Smoke alarms are required on every floor of a dwelling.
- Carbon monoxide alarms are required in rooms with solid fuel appliances.
- Alarms should be interlinked, either wired or wireless, so that all sound when one is triggered.
- Automatic: Detect smoke, heat, or fire and activate alarms without human intervention.
- Manual: Require someone to activate the system using a call point.
Most systems combine both for maximum safety.
Yes, integrated systems improve safety:
- CCTV: Captures fire-related events.
- Access Control: Automatically unlock doors for evacuation.
- Sprinkler Systems: Trigger suppression when alarms detect fire.
- Building Management Systems: Coordinates alarms, ventilation, and lighting.
- Lifts: lifts are automatically “grounded” when the fire alarm is activated.
- Flashing beacons or strobe lights
- Vibrating pads or bed shakers in residential care settings
- Combination sound and visual alarms
A fire door is a specially constructed door designed to resist fire and smoke for a specified period (e.g., 30, 60, 90 minutes). It’s part of a tested fire door assembly that includes the door leaf, frame, hardware, seals, and glazing (if any).
Fire doors compartmentalize a building to:
- Slow the spread of flames and heat
- Limit smoke movement
- Protect escape routes (stairs, corridors)
- Buy time for evacuation and firefighting
When closed, intumescent strips expand under heat to seal gaps and block smoke and hot gases.
Look for:
- A certification label or metal plate on the hinge edge or top of the door
- Intumescent seals in the frame or door edge
- Self-closing hinges or door closers
- FD30: 30 minutes of fire resistance
- FD60: 60 minutes
- Higher ratings (e.g., 90 or 120 minutes) are used in higher-risk areas
The rating refers to the duration the door assembly has been tested to withstand fire under standardized conditions.
Generally, no—not without proper approval. Drilling holes, changing hardware, trimming the door, or adding pet flaps can void certification. Always consult a certified fire door professional before modifications.
Yes—unless they are held open by an approved automatic release device. Propping a fire door open with a wedge is unsafe and illegal.
Typically:
- Commercial buildings
At least twice a year.
- High-traffic areas
More frequent checks are required, possibly every three months.
Residential Buildings (England)
Communal fire doors: inspected every 3 months
Flat entrance doors: inspected at least every 12 months
These checks apply to residential buildings over 11 metres in height.
Yes, but only with fire-rated glazing installed as part of a tested assembly. The glass must meet the same fire rating as the door.
An integrated security system combines multiple security components—like access control, video surveillance, intrusion detection, fire alarms, and building management—into a single platform. This allows centralised monitoring, automated alerts, and seamless management of all security functions.
Components might include:
- Video Surveillance (CCTV): Monitors and records activity.
- Access Control Systems: Controls entry with keycards, biometrics, or mobile credentials.
- Burglar Alarms: Detects unauthorized entry or movement.
- Fire and Environmental Alarms: Alerts for smoke, fire, or hazardous conditions.
- Perimeter Security: Fences, motion sensors, and gates.
- Building Management Integration: Connects security with lighting, HVAC, and elevators for efficiency and safety.
- Centralised control: Manage all systems from one platform.
- Improved response times: Automated alerts trigger immediate action.
- Data correlation: Video, access logs, and alarms can be analysed together.
- Reduced complexity and costs: Fewer standalone systems to maintain.
- Scalability: Easy to add new components as needs grow.
- Standalone systems operate independently (e.g., a CCTV camera that doesn’t communicate with access control).
- Integrated systems connect all components for coordinated monitoring and reporting, reducing blind spots and manual processes.
Costs vary depending on:
- Number and type of devices.
- Complexity of integration (software and network infrastructure).
- Monitoring and maintenance requirements.
Yes, most modern integrated security systems offer remote access through:
- Mobile apps.
- Web-based dashboards.
- Cloud-based monitoring platforms.
This allows security teams to view live feeds, manage access, and respond to alerts from anywhere.
A flat intercom is a communication system that allows residents to speak with (or see) visitors at the building entrance before granting access. It improves security and convenience in apartment buildings and gated complexes.
When a visitor presses your office number on the entrance panel:
- Your indoor unit rings.
- You can talk to them (audio systems).
- In video systems, you can also see them.
- You press a button to unlock the main door remotely.
Yes — if your building has a smart intercom system. Many modern systems allow:
- Remote answering
- Video viewing
- Door unlocking
- Visitor logs
Benefits:
* Increased security
*Visitor identification
* Package delivery monitoring
* Remote access capability
For buildings with frequent deliveries, video systems are highly recommended.
Passive Fire Protection refers to built-in fire safety measures designed to contain or slow the spread of fire and smoke without requiring activation (unlike sprinklers or alarms). It’s part of a building’s structural and compartmentation system.
- Passive Fire Protection: Works automatically through fire-resistant walls, floors, doors, coatings, and firestopping systems.
- Active Fire Protection: Requires activation (e.g., sprinklers, fire alarms, suppression systems).
Both systems work together to protect life and property.
Fire-Resistant Walls & Compartmentation
- Fire-rated walls and floors
- Fire doors and dampers
- Compartmentation systems
These systems prevent fire and smoke from spreading between areas.
Firestopping Systems
- Sealing gaps around pipes, ducts, and cables
- Intumescent materials that expand when exposed to heat
Firestopping restores fire resistance where services penetrate walls and floors.
Intumescent Coatings
- Applied to structural steel
- Expand when exposed to high temperatures
- Insulate the structure and delay collapse
Most PFP systems are designed to last for the life of the building, if properly installed and maintained. However, modifications (new cables, pipes, renovations) may compromise systems and require reinspection.
PFP is required in:
- Commercial buildings
- Industrial facilities
- Hospitals
- Residential complexes
- Schools and public buildings
Local building codes determine specific requirements.
- Increased fire spread risk
- Potential structural failure
- legal liability
- Insurance claim issues
Regular inspections are critical.
- At installation
- After renovations or service penetrations
- During routine building safety audits
A risk assessment is a careful examination of what in your premises or activities could harm people, so you can decide what measures are needed to control those risks. It should be suitable and sufficient, practical and proportionate to the work or setting.
If you’re an employer, selfemployed person, or a responsible person for premises where people work or visit (including rented spaces), you must carry out a risk assessment.
For fire risk assessments specifically, the responsible person (e.g., owner, employer, landlord) must ensure one is done for most workplaces, public buildings, and common parts of residential blocks.
Yes. Under UK health & safety law (e.g., the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations), employers must assess health and safety risks if work is carried out.
Businesses with fewer than 5 employees you are not legally required to complete a risk assessment. However, it is still advisable to ensure a safe working environment.
For fire risk assessments, law (the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005) requires them for all nondomestic and many residential settings.
Yes. From October 2023, all fire risk assessments must be documented in writing — even for small premises or sole traders — to provide clear evidence of compliance.
For general health and safety risk assessments, if you employ five or more people, you must keep a written record of significant findings.
A good risk assessment typically follows five steps:
- Identify hazards — what could cause harm.
- Decide who might be harmed and how.
- Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions.
- Record your findings and action plan.
- Review and update regularly.
For fire risk assessments, similar steps are used, focusing on hazards like ignition sources, escape routes, vulnerable persons and fire safety measures
For most general workplace risk assessments, you can do it yourself if you understand your risks. For more complex settings or fire risk assessments, the law expects a competent person to conduct it — someone with the relevant knowledge, training and experience.
You must review and update your risk assessment:
- whenever there are changes in activities, equipment or people,
- after incidents or near misses,
- at least regularly (often annually for many premises).
Fire risk assessments should also be reviewed regularly and updated if significant changes occur
Failing to carry out or record a proper risk assessment is a breach of health & safety or fire safety law. Enforcement actions can include:
- fines and prosecution,
- improvement or prohibition notices,
- potential closure of premises.
For fire risk assessments, insurance may also be affected if you can’t demonstrate compliance
Yes — consider vulnerable people such as children, elderly, disabled individuals, or those with special needs in your risk planning.
Yes — you can delegate the task to a competent assessor or consultant, but the legal responsibility remains with you (employer/responsible person).
Caldera FS installs a full range of wired and wireless security systems including access control, intruder alarms, CCTV, and fire detection — tailored to your site’s specific requirements.
It depends on your premises. Caldera FS will carry out a full site survey to assess your building and recommend the most suitable solution, whether that’s wired, wireless, or a hybrid of both.
Yes, wireless systems are one of our most popular solutions for retrofit installations as they require no major cable runs, causing minimal disruption to your day-to-day operations.
Absolutely. We regularly design hybrid systems that combine wired and wireless devices on a single platform, giving you the best of both in terms of reliability and flexibility.
Yes, we offer ongoing maintenance and support contracts to keep your system running at peak performance, whether wired or wireless.
Wireless installations are significantly quicker than wired ones. Most commercial wireless installs are completed with minimal downtime and disruption to your business.
Yes, all wireless systems we install use encrypted communications and anti-jamming technology, meeting industry standards for commercial security.
Caldera FS covers Hampshire and the surrounding counties. Get in touch with our team to discuss your requirements and confirm coverage for your location.