Open or Shut? Why Professional "Lock & Unlock" Services Are Safer Than Relying on Staff

Updated: 12 Nov 2025 · Category: Mobile Patrols / Key Holding

It is 5:30 PM on a Friday. Your office staff are rushing to leave for the weekend. The last person out—perhaps an Office Manager or a junior staff member—is in a hurry. They quickly punch the code into the alarm pad, lock the front door, and jump in their car.

But did they check the back fire exit? Did they close the bathroom window? Did they turn off the portable heater in the warehouse?

On Monday morning, you arrive to find the heating has been running for 48 hours (a fire risk and a cost), or worse—the back window was left ajar, and thieves have stripped the office of IT equipment.

This scenario is common. Relying on staff to secure your premises is often a weak link in your security chain. While they are trustworthy, they are not security professionals. They are tired, distracted, and eager to get home.

At Eagle Security Protection, we offer a dedicated Lock & Unlock Service. We take the responsibility of opening and closing your building out of your hands. Here is why this service is becoming essential for businesses across Birmingham and the West Midlands.

1. The "Lone Worker" Risk (Staff Safety)

The most critical reason to outsource your locking up is Safety. Asking a staff member to be the "first in" or "last out" makes them a Lone Worker.

The Morning Risk: Arriving at a dark industrial estate at 6:00 AM to open up puts your employee in a vulnerable position. If intruders are already inside, or if they are ambushed at the gate, they are alone and defenseless.
The Evening Risk: Leaving a building late at night carries similar risks. Walking across a dark car park after locking up is a prime opportunity for attackers or carjackers.

As an employer, you have a Duty of Care. By using a uniformed Security Officer to perform these duties, you remove your staff from potential harm. Our officers are trained in conflict management, carry radios, and are backed up by a 24/7 control room.

2. Eliminating Human Error (The "Open Window" Factor)

Security is all about the details. A perimeter is only as strong as its weakest point. When an employee locks up, their priority is leaving. When a Security Officer locks up, their priority is securing.

The Eagle Security "Lock-Down" Protocol:

We don't just turn the key. We perform a full internal patrol before setting the alarm:

Windows & Fire Exits: We physically check every window and emergency exit to ensure they are latched and secure.
Lights & Power: We turn off unnecessary lighting and non-essential power (saving you money on electricity).
Hazard Checks: We check for heaters left on, leaking taps, or coffee machines left running—preventing fires and floods.
The Alarm: We ensure the alarm is actually set correctly. If there is a fault on a zone (e.g., a spider on a sensor preventing the set), we don't just ignore it—we investigate and resolve it.

3. Operational Efficiency (Guaranteed Timings)

Have you ever had a morning where the "Key Holder" called in sick, or their car wouldn't start? Meanwhile, ten other staff members are sitting in the car park, unable to start work, costing the business hundreds of pounds in lost productivity.

The "Unlock" Guarantee:

With a professional service, this doesn't happen.

Reliability: We guarantee the building is open at your agreed time (e.g., 07:00 AM).
Continuity: If our regular officer is sick, we deploy a backup. Your doors always open.
Contractor Access: We can also schedule unlocks for cleaners, maintenance teams, or deliveries that need access outside of your core business hours, without you needing to give them a set of keys.

4. Reducing False Alarms

One of the biggest causes of false alarms—and the subsequent police bans—is User Error. Staff often enter the wrong code, fail to exit within the timer, or accidentally wander into a secure zone.

Professional Handling: Our officers interact with alarm panels every day. They know how to set and unset systems correctly.
Verification: If the alarm goes off immediately after we set it (e.g., a door bounces open), we are still there to fix it. A staff member would likely be halfway down the road, leaving the siren wailing all night.

5. Cost-Benefit Analysis

Many business owners think, "Why pay for security when my manager does it for free?" But is it free?

Overtime: Are you paying that manager overtime to arrive 30 minutes early and stay 30 minutes late?
Productivity: That hour a day spent unlocking doors is an hour they aren't doing their actual job.
The Cost of Failure: One weekend of heating left on, or one burglary through an unlocked window, costs far more than a year of Lock & Unlock services.

📋 The Lock-Up Checklist

If you are considering this service, here is what a professional Lock-Up procedure should look like. Does your current staff member do all this?

The Sweep: Walk all floors to ensure no staff or visitors are left in the building (especially in toilets or meeting rooms).
The Shell: Check all external doors and windows are physically locked.
The Hazards: Turn off photocopiers, heaters, and A/C units.
The Set: Set the intruder alarm and verify the "Set" signal.
The Exit: Lock the final exit door and the perimeter gate.
The Log: Record the time of lock-up for the client's records.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do you hold the keys?
A: Yes. This service operates in conjunction with our Key Holding service. We store your keys in a secure, BS 7984 compliant manner.

Q: Can you just do the unlocking?
A: Yes. Some clients want us to open up at 6:00 AM for the cleaners, but their own staff lock up at 5:00 PM. We can tailor the schedule to you.

Q: What if I need to work late?
A: Flexibility is key. If you are working late, you simply call our 24/7 control room to cancel or delay the lock-up. If we arrive and staff are still there, we can either wait (charged time) or ask them to lock up themselves, depending on your instructions.

Q: Can you let deliveries in?
A: Yes. We can schedule a one-off unlock for a specific delivery time.

Q: Does this lower insurance?
A: It can. Insurers prefer professional key holding because it guarantees the building is secured to a high standard every night.

Conclusion

Your staff are hired to work, not to be security guards. By outsourcing your Lock & Unlock duties to Eagle Security Protection, you protect your staff from risk, protect your building from negligence, and ensure your business opens on time, every time.