Page 28 - Security Today, April 2021

A Sound Strategy
Having the ability to integrate key control with access control systems enables organiza-
tions to address health issues, robust COVID-19 contact tracing By Tim Purpura
No matter the security criticality of your facility or the sophistication of your security system, simple key control is a foundational process of physical key management that helps control access to cru- cial assets, people, information and spaces.
The lack of proper key control can put an organization’s tan- gible and data assets at risk, and as businesses struggle to cope with a new paradigm of security and safety protocols in an age of COVID-19, poor key management has even broader consequences.
Not only can lost keys or tokens clog workflows and disrupt productivity, unaccounted-for keys may now impact the health of your workforce, clients, and vendors if your organization is not able to track the flow of ingress and egress of personnel. Security personnel and administrators must understand that an organiza- tion’s physical security firewall starts with locks and keys, and the key system is the first line of defense.
DESIGNING A SYSTEM THAT WORKS
Key systems must be properly designed and managed in or- der to provide the necessary controls and a solid foundation to an overall security program. In a comprehensive whitepaper re- leased by Anixter, a technology distributor based in Glenview, IL, it states that “a well-designed key system can do more than just secure doors. It can control traffic, protect people and assets, enforce compliances and manage access rights.”
As the pandemic continues to rage in the United States, this premise is even more important.
The whitepaper adds that “the process for creating a well-de- signed key system starts with identifying all the doors that require a key. These could include doors that also have electronic access control. This would typically be followed by identifying the se- curity level for each opening. In this situation, consider the risk or liability associated with each opening and the assets, person-
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APRIL 2021 | SECURITY TODAY
KEY CONTROL
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