FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Wayne Schaffel Sumner Rider & Associates 212-297-2128 Mike Tierney BHMA 860-533-9382

NEW YORK…The Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) has published a new edition of its American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A156.5 standard for Auxiliary Locks and Associated Products.

According to Mike Tierney, Product Standards Coordinator for BHMA, the revisions reflect ongoing innovations in this important hardware category. "The increased focus and importance of security makes this area a critical one in building design and construction," he says. "BHMA members are committed to delivering products of the highest quality with performance-based standards that ensure reliability and durability."

ANSI/BHMA A156.5 now contains requirements for Auxiliary Bored and Mortise Locks, Rim Locks, Cylinders, and Push Button Mechanisms, and includes security tests, finish tests and dimensional criteria. It also establishes requirements for Indexed Key Control Systems and includes operational and finish tests. Tierney notes that revisions to the standard include removing Exit Alarms, Exit Locks and Electric Strikes from this category. "In an effort to give these products proper attention, they are moving into BHMA 156.29 and 156.31 where architects and specifiers can evaluate them in reference to similar devices."

In addition, the revised BHMA A156.5 standard now includes push button mechanisms and paddle operators. "These new innovations showcase the changing nature of locks. Testing itself evolves and we have clarified test procedures and failure modes for tension tests 10.7, 11.3, 11.6, and 11.7," Tierney concludes.

For more information or to purchase a copy of the ANSI/BHMA A156.5 Standard, please visit the BHMA Web site at www.buildershardware.com.

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