Classroom Locks Installed Across Campus

More than 540 emergency locks have been installed in classroom pool spaces across The Ohio State University’s Columbus campus. The locks enhance safety for students and faculty in 48 academic buildings.

“These enhancements will help our campus community members secure in place during an emergency,” said Robert Armstrong, Ohio State’s director of Emergency Management and Fire Prevention.

Facilities Operations and Development (FOD), the Registrar’s Office and the Department of Public Safety worked together to plan and implement the approximately $1 million project that kicked off in March 2018 and concluded in March 2021.

Hardware was replaced on doors in standard classroom pool spaces and now features a uniform locking mechanism with

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color coded labels that are easy to read from across the room. Auditoriums and classrooms with multiple floors, as well as doors with electronic mechanisms, were outfitted with centrally located switches that will electronically lock all doors simultaneously.

“The project took three years from start to finish and reinforces our commitment to both safety and security,” said Theresa Thayer, FOD’s assistant director of Lock and Key Services.

A video produced in 2019 shows the installation process and provides a closer look at the new classroom locks.