Turnstiles and Security Gates | Falcon Security Systems

When a turnstile is the right answer

A turnstile is not a stronger door. It solves a specific problem that no door can solve: making sure exactly one person passes per authorisation. If tailgating is not a concern for you, a turnstile is an expensive way to slow people down.

Where they earn their place is any site where headcount accuracy matters — a factory where attendance drives pay, a facility with a legal occupancy limit, a site where knowing exactly who is inside during an evacuation is a genuine requirement. In those cases a controlled door is not enough, because one credential lets four people through.

Throughput is the number to check before buying. A tripod turnstile handles roughly 25 to 30 people per minute in one direction; a speed gate handles more but costs considerably more. Divide your peak arrivals by that figure to see how many lanes you need — getting this wrong produces a queue outside the building every morning.

Always plan the accessible route and the emergency case at the same time. A turnstile line needs a wider gate alongside it for wheelchairs and deliveries, and the whole line must free-wheel or drop on a fire signal.