FM newsroom – facility security. Managers responsible for securing their facilities have to sort through a growing range of new technology offerings. While many managers are comfortable with their tried-and-true products, more managers are realizing the benefits of advanced security and access control solutions.
Every facility has its own vulnerability areas, though most facilities share common security challenges. Areas susceptible to vulnerabilities in most facilities include the perimeter, building access points, critical equipment and tools, the physical plant and infrastructure, hosting and technology access points and storage areas – Howard Riell, expert of FacilitiesNet points out.
With changing technology come changing risk
According to John Bartucci, vice president at The Master Lock Co., today’s security managers are tasked with juggling countless variables to ensure their operations are equipped with the proper level of protection. Challenges often require solutions spanning video surveillance, cyber security, fire protection, intrusion detection, access control and more. Despite advances in technology, managers can overlook hidden gaps and areas of vulnerability, making it more important than ever to be proactive in assessing potential gaps and implementing end-to-end access control solutions to mitigate them.
Door security: the first line of defence
Access management is a constant work in progress for facilities, but investing in quality door hardware is a key first step as it takes only one door that doesn’t lock, unlock or detect entry properly to make a once airtight security system vulnerable. Door hardware is often the first line of defence for facilities, acting as an operational physical barrier or controlled access point.
Doors are among the most used components in any facility, which means reliable, flexible and effective access management is a fundamental part of business operations. Regular inspections, testing and maintenance can help avoid unexpected downtime. Managers should not reliant on occupants to report issues. Diligent inspection and maintenance protocols are especially important in healthcare and school environments.
The beauty of implementing an electronic access-management system is that many electronic-enabled locks will indicate if there’s a performance issue or a door that was not secured properly via a smartphone app or software platform. This is just one way that transitioning from mechanical to electric security can save businesses both time and money in the long term. – John Bartucci
Maximizing access control
A facility’s access control system is among the most important building systems. At its most basic, access control simply means selectively allowing or restricting access to your building, or to specific areas within it. Modern access control systems are, in fact, highly sophisticated and complex platforms that include hardware, software, services and integrations with other building systems. They are critical for protecting property and assets and keeping people safe and secure where they live, learn, work and visit – Colin DePree at North America with SALTO Systems Inc. claims.
“Access control is no longer purely about control,” DePree says. “It’s now about enabling access to an experience.” – Colin DePree
Modern access-control hardware includes everything from electronic locks to biometric readers and even facial-recognition scanners. With the advent of various software as a service (SaaS) options access credentials can be managed from anywhere and enabled on smartphones for touchless access. Such solutions grant managers access to information about all building users who have entered the building, where they went and how long they stayed. Electronic locks also have audit capabilities and provide secure credentialing that can eliminate mechanical key-cloning efforts. On setting up new access control solutions an important consideration for managers is integrating existing security systems or infrastructure with video or visitor-management systems.
Traditional access-control hardware would use multiple devices that were located around the frame of the opening and include bulky hardware on the door. Current locking systems involve integrating as many features as possible into the individual lockset and installing one battery-powered unit on the door. This approach will probably continue in the coming years, and the single lockset intelligence will continue to evolve, DePree predicts.
