 |
|
 |
|
Removing opportunities for access is one of the core methods of
situational crime prevention and is achieved by the implementation
of an effective access control strategy. Unlike CCTV or intruder
alarm systems, both of which are designed to detect unauthorised
activity, access control systems actually prevent it.
The choice of identification technology is important, not only
to ensure that the system remains secure but also in terms of
the day-to-day support of the system. Sometimes this means choosing
a less secure identification technology in favour of another that
might be cheaper, easier to use or simpler to administer.
A huge array of identification technologies are now readily available
from biometrics (finger print, retina scan, palm scan, facial
recognition and voice recognition) to passive cards and fobs (magnetic
strip, barcode, watermark, RFID, proximity, Smart Card etc) to
active cards and fobs (long range vehicle tagging, hands-free
access etc) to simple keypads and code locks. Each of these technologies
is appropriate in the proper application.
|
Most access control system do a lot more than simply lock doors,
particularly networked or “on-line” systems which
can also provide door monitoring, presence in area detection,
time & attendance tracking, staff/visitor ID badging and
much more.When it comes to very high levels of systems integration, you
get what you pay for, and you will often find that if you have
very large numbers of people, using very large numbers of doors
on very distributed sites, many of the "run-of-the-mill"
products on the market simply will not provide the flexibility.
It is important to remember that any “token” based
system recognises “tokens”, not people. So any such
system needs to be supported by other measures in order to maintain
the integrity of your building. Staff security auditing policies
are the most effective and the lowest cost, however there is
a great deal of value in integrating your access control and
CCTV systems so as to ensure all activity at doors is recorded.
This does require that CCTV cameras are appropriately positioned
with the correct lenses fitted and that the images are recorded
at the appropriate resolution in order to provide identification
grade images.Biometrics are becoming increasingly popular for
access control as they are perceived to provide high security
at low cost of ownership. The cost of most biometric reading
technologies remains high, so a comparison between biometric
and traditional access control systems based purely on the cost
of the system installation will generally make biometrics appear
expensive. However, the tokens on a traditional proximity access
control system could cost in excess of €10 each, so in
an environment with a large number of users or a high turnover
of staff the on-going cost of ownership of a traditional access
control system can be very high.
Access control systems contribute more to the security of an
environment than any other single system, however they need
to be properly designed to incorporate the most appropriate
identification technologies and features for the way in which
the system will be used. A poorly designed system can quickly
become more of a hindrance to users going about their business
who will, as a result, find ways to bypass the security afforded
by the system. The system then becomes less secure than if no
system were installed at all.Don't forget, it doesn't matter how much you spend on access
control, your building will not be secure if inappropriate locks
are used on the doors, if sloppy design practices are used to
handle fire-safety issues or if personnel are allowed to abuse
the operating procedures. Think "practical" and design
to last. |
|
|
|
|
|
