Master Keying System Set-up Checklist

Personally, I like how ideas for doing jobs better can sometimes hit you.  And how they sometimes inspire my writing for work or for this blog.  In this case, I was listening to a science podcast and it referenced a significant paper on surgery. The researchers had looked at the airline industry and found how common mistakes were avoided simply by having routine functions done with a checklist.  Critical yet routine items were not missed or put in the wrong order.  The thought was to test if similar checklists would help to prevent common surgical errors.  After drafting the checklists, they had a bit of a struggle to find surgeons who would test them.  However, they did find several cooperative surgeons and the checklists had dramatic effect to decrease complication. (1)

The common element is repetition. Errors leak in for a multitude of reasons because the work demands attention to detail but the details are highly patterned and yet not completely identical.

This had me thinking of drafting, designing and implementing master key systems.  It can go 'off the rails' simply by failing to ask one question or think to include one step.  I quickly tossed up a small poster for my shop to prompt me to think of all the issues.  Keep in mind this is a first draft. I will pencil in items the next few times I draw up systems and then amend the list.

With that, here is it.  By all means suggest a line or two to add.  Or suggest some in a different order.  Even now, I am thinking I need some points about the implementation phase where I cut all the keys, pin the cylinders and keep the records.

Master Keying System Set-up Checklist

Do you know the floor plan and room programming?

If extension of existing …
    Do you know the TMK and all issued changes?

If replacing a known MK …
    Do you know the old TMK? Fixed or constant parity?
    Can you select a new TMK to retire all old keys?
    Check all other items as if new system.

If new …
    What is the keyway?  Look up ITL# and MACS.
    How many MK levels are needed?
    Do I need a Control Key?  Auxiliary MK?
    How many changes are needed in each level?
    Are NMK doors known?  Are SKD doors known?

Select a TMK cut sequence.
    Does it have one high cut? One low cut?
    Does key repeat in registry?
    Select H/P and SOP to find available keys.
    Can each branch of system be used under 60%?
   
Are there enough blanks?  pins?  tags?
How many cylinders are there to change?
    KIL__  KIK__  DB__  Mort__  Rim__  Other___
Do cylinders have to be pulled and replaced in boxes?

Of course, this is MY checklist and needs to function for my work. If you do different jobs, then you checklist would be slightly different.

(1) This is research which dates back about 20 years now.  Strangely enough, it is not universally done in surgery even as effective as it proved to be.  I tried to track back the original paper but after getting flooded with hits, had to just move on.  If you know the authors, I would be happy to credit the work. Google Scholar shows the topic is still hotly researched.

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Laux Myth ... Thoughts From a Locksmith
By MartinB, Found @ http://lauxmyth.blogspot.com/