Paul Campbell
Technical Manager
Carlisle Brass
Although introduced in 2011, it was not until the publication of Approved Document Q: Security – Dwellings in 2015, that the requirement to install products covered by TS007 on new dwellings in England and Wales became part of the guidance to meet Building Regulations for England 2010
TS007 covers both enhanced security cylinders and protective door furniture, including security handles and security escutcheons.
It specifies a minimum level of security requirement to defend against the opportunist burglar.
TS007 uses a star rating system for ease of identifying what level of protection each individual product can achieve.
Cylinders can achieve 1 or 3-stars; protective hardware can achieve 2-stars.
Where a cylinder and protective hardware is provided as a package, the star rating of the package is the combined star rating of the two components.
To achieve compliance with the technical specification, the required rating for any package will be 3 stars.
It is the responsibility of the installer to ensure the minimum 3-star rating is achieved.
The main difference between a 1 and 3-star rated cylinder is that a 3-star cylinder is designed to either prevent an attacker from snapping it, or, where it can be snapped, the cam will still be sufficiently protected from the attacker, thus maintaining the security and robustness of the door lock.
TS007 has been revised several times since its original publication to accommodate new attack/manipulation methods to keep one step ahead of the opportunistic burglar.
Unfortunately, in some instances, some cylinders that met the requirements of previous versions of the technical standard no longer achieved passed the new testing and/or manipulation methods and were either redesigned to maintain 3-star rating or reclassified as 1-star rating.
A frequently asked question is: If all 3-star cylinders on the market were fitted today, would they still comply with any future amendments to TS007 and new attack methods.
The simple answer is: There are no guarantees, as we do not know what technology will be available for opportunistic burglars in the future, however, they all achieve the minimum requirements of the current version of TS007.
Although the volume of products for large housing projects, small developments, and/or refurbishment may differ, the responsibility for delivering the correct star rating of TS007 in the specification remains the same.
There are pros and cons of installing either a 1-star cylinder with 2-star security levers/escutcheon, or 3-star cylinder without security hardware.
3-star cylinder pros:
- Can be installed with any lever handle set, or a standard euro profile escutcheon, allowing the selected door hardware to match the door trim finish or design within the rest of the property.
- Selected lever handle and escutcheon designs, these can also work out less expensive than 2-star security lever/escutcheon.
3-star cylinder cons:
- These are generally more expensive that a 1-star variant.
- There is potential that some versions may fail future attack methods.
1-star cylinder with 2-star security lever/escutcheon pros:
- Robust 3-star solution which should satisfy any new cylinder manipulation methods.
- There is the option to use a lever on round rose set that matches the door trim finish or design within the rest of property, along with the security escutcheon.
1-star cylinder with 2-star security lever/escutcheon cons:
- It is generally conceived that the combined cost of this configuration can sometimes work out a little more expensive that a 3-star cylinder with another lever/escutcheon.
Some developers select 3-star cylinders, along with 2-star security levers as an added security element on prestige projects.
Another element worth considering is the implications of having to replace a cylinder where the cylinder has seized and cannot be removed by key or thumb turn operation.
In most instances, a 1-star cylinder will be easier to remove by snapping, whereas many 3-star cylinders have built in cam locking/protection which can be troublesome to bypass.
Accreditation schemes for enhanced security cylinders and levers/escutcheons are BSI Kitemark, CertiSecure, and Sold Secure
“Every project/development is unique, and there may be different requirements relating to aesthetics and design that may impact how you deliver the required solution.
The chosen solution should be one that meets all the requirements of each individual development.”
It is advised to contact manufacturers for additional information where required.