This is not only cumbersome, but is also far from secure. If the keys are lost not only do they all have to be replaced but every lock in every door also has to be changed if security is not to be compromised.

To overcome this problem Intellikey has developed a tough new key safe which is bonded into an external wall and used to store individual access keys outside a building. This enables authorised maintenance staff to access the facility when required without having to carry large numbers of keys with them.

The Intellikey key safe is housed in a weather resistant, ruggedized casement and designed to be fitted into a wall using a standard drill and masonry cutter and then epoxy bonded into place. The safe is stand alone in operation and powered by 9V lithium battery pack, with low battery warning, good for up to 3 years of use.

Electronics inside the lock communicate with the Intellikey key via infra red encrypted data to provide an audit trail record of the last recent 1000 users (and can retain this information for up to 100 years if required) defined by key identity, date and time. This allows management to track both key holders and key usage with ease. The lock's unique arest feature can also disable unauthorized keys in high security areas and its electronic restricted keyway prevents access by keys belonging to another site.

Its internal storage drawer is large enough to hold a selection of keys if required enabling multiple doors to be accessed once the key safe has been authorised to open. Its controlling Intellikey key can also be programmed to open the key safe on a specific day and/or during a specific time period, with access outside these times prohibited. This ensures that if the Intellikey key is lost, once its permitted use time slot has passed, the key becomes inoperative until it has been reprogrammed by the authorised user.