By its very definition – a paroxysmal attack of pain, distress, or disordered function, a crisis typically throws order into chaos. And that’s when a cool, calm and collected response can make all the difference in throwing chaos back into order.
Critical industries have been working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis, each with their own important part to play. Physical security is one of those critical industries, and crisis management is one of its most critical tasks. Putting an Emergency Response Plan in place is Priority 1.
Physical security systems and functions are and should be designed to respond – in real time – to a crisis situation. As your trusted security systems integrator, NextGen recommends taking a closer look at some pivotal parts of your overall security process that should have emergency protocols in place. These are your Visitor Management and overall Access Control measures.
Visitor Management
A solid visitor management system is integral to any facility’s access control solutions. Ideally, it should be able to:
Centralize an organization’s visitor policies and guidelines; Ascertain who every visitor is; Allow security staff to receive and view video feeds and deny or grant access; Dictate which specific areas of the facility a specific visitor is allowed access to; Provide a printout of a visitor’s credentials and a confirmation of who they came to see and when as well as which area they were granted access to, and when they left the premises. The ability to provide an audit trail is also key, in the event that evidence is needed after an incident has occurred.
In uncertain times such as these, you should expect, and be prepared for a change in foot traffic to your facility. This is especially the case for critical infrastructure properties, which span 16 sectors. These include the Defense, Chemical, Dams, Energy, Emergency Services, Government Facilities, Transportation, Information Technology, Healthcare and Public Health, Critical Manufacturing, Nuclear Reactors, Material & Waste, Water and Wastewater Systems, Food & Agriculture, Financial, Commercial, and Communications sectors.
Sudden changes in foot traffic and visitor ship can heighten threats to the facility. As COVID-19 continues to spread, many organizations are implementing specific screening procedures to keep their staffs protected. These run the gamut from the technologically sophisticated ones like biometric readers with body temperature detection capabilities to the most basic but very important measures of providing sanitizers at the entrance.
Regardless of the facility type, the ability to rely on a Visitor Management System that ensures your know who’s coming and going is essential, especially during these exceptionally challenging times.
Access Control Systems
Many facilities are now operating with reduced workforces and/or remote employees. Your facility’s access control measures should be in synch with those changes and reconfigured to accommodate them.
Lock and unlock schedules likely need to be reset, and access restricted to only those authorized to be on site at specific times. This will involve a thorough audit of your privileged access lists and making the needed modifications to your access control system. Keep in mind that the need for an audit trail remains just as important, if not more important, than usual.
Whether you need to secure access for a large, multi-site facility, or a smaller installation with a few doors, our access control solutions have the flexibility needed to adapt to the new security challenges you’re facing. Our systems are designed to scale as your operations change and grow and adjust to the demands the COVID-19 crisis have imposed.