Page 24 - Security Today, March 2021

The Impact of Coronavirus Control what you can, take preventative measures
By Jim Lantrip
The advent of a global pan- demic has rapidly upended the way we work and live our day-to-day lives. As the government has identified security and access control as part of the essential workforce, our universe has been front and center for the sweeping shift tak- ing place with office policies and proce- dures to minimize the effect of the virus.
It has never been more important to control what you can and take preventive measures to ensure health and safety for the future. As social distancing mandates have altered the way we go to work, dine, shop and visit service providers, com- panies have had to amend their business practices. In the access control sector, there have been major initiatives to inno- vate new tools and techniques to help stop the spread of the pandemic.
The access control sector has been on the cutting edge in developing and deploy- ing innovative technology. Consider enter- ing into a commercial building that has future-proofed its access control. Push aside, the traditional access control card where the card is touched to the reader and you wait for the click which signals access. All that touching, clicking and pointing includes putting your hands on more objects and surfaces. All that extra touching could result in an elevated risk of spreading the virus.
ENTER FRICTIONLESS
ACCESS CONTROL
Frictionless access control permits access to an area by using mobile applications on a smart phone. This technology was around well before the pandemic, but the advent of COVID-19 has fast-tracked fric- tionless access control into primetime.
These apps leverage capacitive sens- ing and Bluetooth to allow completely frictionless access control. Employees and contractors no longer have to carry a badge or present credentials. Team mem- bers can keep their mobile device in their pocket or purse and wave their hand near the reader and the door will unlock.
More systems are coming onto the market that don’t require a traditional card reader at the entrance door. They
employ software that can use access the mobile device’s location to determine their proximity to the door for hands-free ac- cess control.
Businesses are still trying to navi- gate how to ensure the security of their physical spaces and assets without having someone on site, and how to handle daily operations if they shift some or all of the team to a remote working environment. Even with less people coming into the workplace, there are many security risks to consider in addition to the health and safety of their employees.
Because workplaces are prime locations for COVID-19 to spread, many businesses who are now operating with minimal staff- ing or a fully remote workforce are mak- ing major changes to who has building ac- cess and how employees, contractors and visitors are coming and going.
REMOTE SECURITY MANAGEMENT
More companies and commercial build- ings are transitioning to cloud and mobile- based security systems which simplify site management without the dependency on local servers or on-site staff. With pan- demic security at heightened importance,
having a system that can be managed remotely offers enhanced control and flexibility. Remote security management includes many innovative tools and tech- niques.
Instant credentialing. Employees can use their mobile phones to access the facil- ity, and visitors can access the facility at set times via a text or email link.
Remote unlock. Unlike unlocking a door by presenting a credential or key to the lock itself, remote unlock allows that any entry point can be remotely unlocked from anywhere.
Elevated body temperature monitor- ing. Body temperature measurement sys- tems are a fast and safe way to measure body heat and can be seamlessly integrat- ed into access control systems.
Contact tracing. Using Bluetooth con- tact tracing technology that interfaces with access control, companies can ob- serve their workforce social distancing and record contact distance and duration.
Lockdown. A client we work with was confronted with rioting outside their building. We were able to implement a re- mote lockdown, which can be implement- ed from anywhere, that closed all the doors
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MARCH 2021 | SECURITY TODAY
ACCESS CONTROL
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