Why your company needs an Access Control solution

Access control is the management of permission for those external to an organisation but also the administration of access to certain restricted areas within a company, and more generally the management of the ingoing and outgoing of people, such as staff, visitors and service providers.

Employee Security Regulations

Employers must do everything possible to ensure the safety of their employees.

The laws from the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, section 2, state:

1. It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees.
2. The employer’s duty extends to: e) The provision and maintenance of a working environment for his employees that is, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe, without risks to health, and adequate as regards to facilities and arrangements for their welfare at work.

The employer must therefore ensure that the work environment is secure, which includes controlling access to the premises and all it contains.

Building Access Control

Controlling access to company premises is both a security issue for the protection of employees but also for the security of its material assets. Unfortunately, the expensive nature of office-based tools and equipment often provokes breaking and entering related crimes and acts of vandalism.

In London alone, from January to December 2023, the Metropolitan Police recorded over 17,000 accounts of burglary. A strong reason to consider security and to ensure that the right access is given to the right person.

Securing Company Premises

Securing the main access to the company is a crucial issue. There are a variety of options for equipping this access according to the needs and configuration of the site, such as barriers and gates for car park access, main doors with access restricted to badges or personal code, bar turnstiles, and security gates. In the lobby, companies can equip themselves with turnstiles or single-person passageways, again activated by a badge.

During the day, it may be appropriate to install an intercom or keypad directly connected to the reception in order to control visits. Another option, to relieve the reception, is to set up independent reception terminals in order to identify visitors and manage their activity.

At night, the use of an extra protection system is recommended, such as a protective gate, or video surveillance system. In addition to the access control system, the use of a security company can be a complementary solution, especially if the premises contain and store valuable products. The presence of a guard during closing hours is an effective way to combat intrusions and theft attempts. Access supervision software enhances efficiency by allowing remote access of the video surveillance cameras.

Setting up an Access Control System

The implementation of a secure access control badge system makes it possible to protect both the premises and the employees. Each employee is given a badge or the option of using their smartphone for virtual access. The employee brings their badge, whether in the form of a card, fob or phone, close to the reader or the access clocking machine and the gates / door opens to allow access to the premises. As a special measure, it is possible to use biometric clocking in with finger print access, or facial recognition.

The badge system is connected to access control software, which allows access rights to be set up for different job roles and levels, as well as external service providers, such as cleaners. The software then allows only employees and badge holders to enter the building. This system also allows the employer to track the entry and exit times, making it possible to trace the history of actions should they be needed in the event of an incident.

With Kelio’s solutions, access control software is linked to a time and attendance management system, which enables access to the company's premises to only be authorised during the working hours of each employee. This is also a huge benefit to companies whose employees work on varying shift patterns, including night workers or staff working on changing schedules. Thanks to this combined system, the employer will be able to ensure that access to its premises is regulated while ensuring compliance with the legal number of hours worked and breaks taken for the employees.

Finally, another significant advantage of centralised badge system is that they allow a badge to be activated and deactivated remotely in a few clicks: the employer will be able to instantly refuse access permanently or temporarily to any employee, such as in the event of dismissal. Better still, access software linked to the Kelio’s HR system, makes it possible to automate the deactivation of the badge at the end of the employment contract period.

Internal Access Control

In addition to protecting external access, access control also concerns the security and management of people inside the company's premises.

A company’s security system also concerns certain restricted areas, for example, rooms housing computer servers and data centres, rooms under protected atmospheres, laboratories or storage rooms for dangerous or precious products. Only authorised personnel should have access to some of these areas. A company is not only responsible for the protection of its data but also for the personal data of its employees hosted in the IT system. Therefore, it is essential to secure areas containing or with access to personal employee information, where GDPR protocols need to be adhered to. To solve this issue, internal doors can be equipped with access-controlled locking systems, also accessed with a badge.

However, staff and the various types of daily visitors, such as customers, service providers, delivery people, or cleaners must be able to access and circulate in the company according to established procedures and access rights. Access software such as Kelio integrates visitor management processes that allow these flows to be controlled in compliance with security standards and GDPR guidelines.