Continuing Education in the Time of a Pandemic

It’s always in the locksmith’s best interest to keep up with new trends and technologies. Hands-on training is invaluable, but, unfortunately, at this writing, the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has forced the cancellation of most in-person training and industry trade shows.

Fortunately, many manufacturers have stepped up to the plate and expanded their online (and generally free) courses. In just an hour and without any travel costs, you and your staff can log in and learn — and in states where continuing-education units (CEUs) are required, you often can satisfy some of your continuing-education requirements.

Idighardware.com Webinar Series

Allegion’s Lori Greene’s popular webinar series continues June 18 with Webinar 3: Introduction to the Code Requirements for Access Control Systems. Following is the course description:

The model codes that are used widely in the United States include sections addressing various applications for electrified hardware and access control systems. The code requirements differ depending on the type of system and the adopted code. This webinar will be the first in a series related to electrified hardware, covering the types of hardware and how the codes might affect them.

How do you know whether to choose a fail-safe or fail-secure lockset? What’s the difference between controlled-egress and free-egress locks? Are you confident that you’re specifying, supplying or installing code-compliant systems? This webinar will help fill in the gaps. There will be time for Q&A at the end of the webinar.

The webinar will be offered at 11 a.m. and again at 2 p.m. EDT and available online afterward.

The live version of this webinar will provide continuing-education credits for the following organizations:

AIA – 1 HSW learning unit

DHI – 2 continuing-education units

ICC – 0.1 continuing-education units

Recorded versions of the first two webinars, Code Changes Affecting Classroom Security and Panic Hardware – When, Where, and Why?, are online but no longer provide the credits.

“It’s also worth noting that there is new information on I Dig Hardware every day, and while it isn’t technically ‘training,’ it’s usually educational and covers topics that are important for locksmiths to be familiar with,” says Greene, DAHC/CDC, CCPR, FDAI, FDHI, manager, codes and resources at Allegion. “Most codes and standards are updated every three years, so there is always something new to learn.”

More info: idighardware.com/webinars/

Allegion Security in 30 Series

Allegion invites security professionals to take a 30-minute break with their experts to learn about trends and topics affecting the security market.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Security in 30 webinars in June and July will provide timely insight around noteworthy topics, according to Greene. She adds that Allegion is seeing an upswing in online enrollment while business is slow.

Upcoming 30-minute webinars are:

Hear from a Peer:  St. Catherine University on Electronic Access Control, Friday, June 5 at 12:30 p.m. EDT.

Mark Johnson, an Allegion customer and vice president of safety, security and facilities at St. Catherine University, will discuss the factors leading to St. Catherine’s April 2019 decision to deploy more than 7,500 no-proprietary MIFARE DESfire EV1 credentials, 290 Schlage NDE wireless locks and 200 Schlage card readers on campus. Johnson will highlight the immediate reduction in campus thefts and the savings from reducing rekeying and coring. He also will discuss the university’s plan to deploy mobile credentials.

Overtur: Collaboration Made Easy, Friday, June 19 at 12:30 p.m. EDT

Openings are tedious and complex to coordinate and manage, particularly in today’s electronics age. Allegion’s Overtur is here to help by getting key participants involved throughout the project, not just at the end. Presented by Shawn Foster, Allegion Overtur content strategist, this session will focus on how stakeholders in the access control space can find value using Overtur to review and search relevant project-opening data, collaborate with project stakeholders and use mobile applications in the field.

Best Practices for Safer Schools, Friday July 10 at 12:30 p.m. EDT.

Mark Williams, vice chairman of Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS), will discuss the PASS mission. Developed with the knowledge of industry experts, including K-12 school-security leaders, the National Systems Contractors Association and the Security Industry Association, the PASS guidelines provide comprehensive information and best practices for securing school facilities. 

More info and online registration: us.allegion.com/en/campaigns/Security-in-30.html

Other Educational Resources from Allegion:

• 44 Educational Videos (e.g., Intro to Door Hardware series, the new Intro to Access Control series, the Decoded series, etc.).
  
• More than 100 How-to Videos.
• 26 Online Courses on the Allegion Learning Center.
• Virtual Events: Webinar Wednesdays ​hosted by the national training team ​and held each Wednesday.

For more information, visit the Allegion training page at us.allegion.com/en/home/training.html; Allegion’s YouTube​ channel at www.youtube.com/channel/UCpnTwsW8phyhR2EWRKCS90A; or the Allegion Learning Center, 360portal.allegion.com/

 
Alarm Lock

Andy Phelps, CRL, CAI, training director at Alarm Lock, typically schedules webinar topics, such as Networx Connectivity, with the following course description: “This session will discuss the Alarm Lock Networx locks, which includes the Trilogy and ArchiTech locks. The gateway connection and discovering of locks will be shown. We will send programming and retrieve an audit trail via the network. The sending Global Emergency Commands, including Lock Down, Passage and Return to normal will be demonstrated.”

Recorded sessions, including Introduction to Networx, DL Windows software, using the Alarm Lock Data Transfer Module and Alarm Lock Trilogy Standalone Locks, also can be watched online. Check www.alarmlock.com/seminars/ for the latest scheduling information.

In addition, Alarm Lock’s library of training videos are online at www.alarmlock.com/resources/training-videos/. They cover programming and installation for Trilogy T2, ArchiTech and Networx locks.

 
ASSA ABLOY Academy

ASSA ABLOY Academy offers a wide range of online and in-person training classes. Locksmiths can earn continuing-education credits for these online courses. ASSA ABLOY Academy issues ASSA ABLOY credit hours for courses that are completed. These credit hours are listed on the learner’s certificate of completion, which can be submitted to the industry partner for CEUs.

Subject tracks include:

• Access Control Technology and Electronics
• Codes, Specifications and Industry Training
• Door Hardware, including Doors and Frames and Installation
• Keying and Cylinders
• Sustainability and LEED

Online offerings generally are free and range from 30 minutes to 2 hours. Hundreds of classes are offered. Although the June calendar hadn’t been released at press time, the following are examples of popular webinars.

Maglocks: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: This course addresses some of the folklore, misconceptions and history of Maglocks. It displays some of the reasons why agencies presented concerns about Maglocks and why the reasons no longer are valid, if they ever were true. In addition, this course shows why there was confusion in codes and compliance as well as how to dispel those myths. This class is eligible for two credit hours: attendees might receive a certificate of completion (as requested).

Storefront Mechanical to Electrical Solutions:  By completing this course, attendees should be able to:

• Identify mechanical and electrical access control hardware available from ASSA ABLOY.
• Provide use-case examples/applications for solutions from six product segments: Deadlocks, Deadlatches, Exit Devices, Trim, Electric Strikes and Power.
• Discuss special considerations and hardware selection with an aluminum storefront opening.
• Suggest possible access control hardware solutions to multiple use-case applications, occupancy uses and surroundings.

Exit devices - What is Code Compliant? ASSA ABLOY takes an in-depth look at the requirements for exit devices from a variety of code perspectives. What are they? Where and why are they required? How do you choose the proper code-compliant solution? IBC, NFPA 101, ADA and NFPA 80 are discussed.

Visit www.assaabloyacademy.com/en/ to learn more.

 
dormakaba Webinars

As a result of the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, all dormakaba training and education sessions in the Americas have transitioned exclusively to virtual classes.  

Electronic access control webinar topics in April and May, now available online, include:

• Simplex and EPlex Product Overview
• BEST Interchangeable Cores: Calculations, Pinning and Key Cutting
• dormakaba DORMA Mechanical and Electrified Exit Devices
• dormakaba DORMA Basic Electrified Hardware Training
• dormakaba ED900 Low Energy Operator and Access Control Training Overview
• Introduction to BEST PRECISION Exit Devices
•  LUNA Overview
• Aurora Site Management Overview

For upcoming webinars, visit www.dormakaba.com/us-en/support/training/webinars

dormakaba also offers the following online, self-paced elearning courses.

Architectural Hardware, ADA Compliance, Standards and Codes. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to all state and local government agencies, commercial facilities and public entities that have “places of public accommodation.” Presented in this course are the fundamentals of what accessibility means in terms of architectural door hardware specification. Topics include available hardware technology, the criteria for interior and perimeter access, and the codes and guidelines pertaining to the ADA requirements that affect door hardware selection.

A Guide to Glass Wall Systems and Architectural Opening Solutions. Glass wall and door systems endow architectural concepts with transparent elegance. This course covers the benefits of interior glass wall and door systems and includes discussions on types of glass walls and operable systems; door types, rails, headers, hardware and applications; glass types; and access control. It presents design and code considerations and specification of glass assemblies.

More info: www.aecdaily.com/sc.php?node_id=1978243&tabidx=education&company=dormakaba+US&subtabidx=osp

Also visit the dormakaba Knowledge Center at www.dormakaba.com/us-en/knowledge-center to view the library of corporate and product installation videos.

Detex Installation Videos

Detex Corp. has halted its in-person training courses but has an extensive lineup of installation videos at www.detex.com/videos#installvid

Products included in this video series are: ECL-230X Three-Point Locking System, ECL-230D exit control locks, Automatic Operators, V40, V50 and V40xEB Value Series exit devices, mullions, Advantex 10 Series exit devices, magnetic switches, and the EAX-300SKI, EAX 500SKI, EAX 500 and EAX 300 exit devices.

Future articles will cover training from distributors, trade associations and additional manufacturers. Please email [email protected] with your courses.