Technology Install Partners

Access control systems play a critical role in keeping companies, employees and facilities safe and secure. In recent years, facilities and information have been compromised due to access by unauthorized individuals. Sometimes, employees have been significantly endangered as a result of these intrusions.

Hardware

As with any physical mechanism, components wear out eventually or cease to function properly. Access management components, such as doors, automatic door closing devices, latches and ID or card readers may become worn or blocked or function improperly. These components must be checked and tested regularly as part of the building’s overall maintenance and inspection process.

Possible outcomes from poorly maintained operating doors and access control mechanisms include:

Unauthorized access via doors that do not close completely

Unauthorized access due to locks/latches not functioning as designed

Access denial due to card or code reader malfunction

As the technology of access control continues to change, older components should be replaced to further enhance the system. Systems that have been in use for decades are simple to breach and should be replaced immediately.

Software and Database

We no longer live in the age when ”handing over the keys” as an employee leaves is sufficient for protecting a company’s assets. Access control systems determine who may enter a building and which specific areas they can go to. Maintaining an accurate database of personnel with access is the main ongoing challenge. New employees come and existing employees leave, which are transitions that require up-to-the-minute adjustments. For larger companies, making these adjustments in a timely manner requires an extensive and uncompromising protocol with a clear assignment of responsibilities.

Adjustments in accessibility are sometimes made when an employee is promoted or given access to secure areas due to a temporary assignment. These assignments may be short-lived, and access can be withdrawn at the end of a project. The department or project head should be required to notify security immediately of these changes.

An improperly maintained access database can result in:

Compromised employee safety

Industrial espionage

Vandalism and destruction of valuable assets

Access denial to authorized employees

The latest access control technology allows for remote access, which may mean locking or unlocking an access point from another location. In the hands of unauthorized individuals, the system can create serious security breaches if the accessibility list is not maintained properly.