Few employers want to allow all of their employees access to all facilities all of the time. That’s why more and more are using electronic access control to limit employees’ access to their facilities. At a minimum, an electronic access control system can be used to allow only employees into a building after hours, and provide excellent documentation of when and where employees enter and exit. Access control is the only technology that proactively attempts to keep unauthorized individuals out of a building or areas within a facility, and is a perfect complement to video surveillance, burglar and fire systems in a comprehensive security solution.  A robust Access Control Systems coupled with a Closed Circuit TV System, will ensure the security of your facility and your employees. 

Replace the Key

Managing keys is a nightmare for most companies. Some facilities use dozens of keys, making them cumbersome to carry and a liability while the holder stands at an entrance wading through the set for the right one. High employee turnover and multiple locations only compound the problem. Keys are easily lost or duplicated, and terminated employees often do not return keys. If however, an employee leaves the company without returning their access badge, the employer can easily delete that former employee’s access. On a networked system, that access can even be changed remotely. In many cases the annual cost of re-keying a facility alone will justify the ROI of an electronic access control system.

Track and Deter Access

One of the advantages of an electronic access control system is the ability to document and report access activity. Most small single door applications have reporting available either through a printer or through web-based access that shows an audit trail of door access activity. Mid-range and large-scale systems can provide in depth, user-defined reporting of access activity. This is a critical component to the access system because it helps you to quickly understand who had access to critical areas of your business before and after an incident.

Visual Verification

Access systems are often designed so that visitors, temporary employees, contractors and regular full time employees wear different color badges. Additionally, badging systems frequently use a photo of the employee in conjunction with their access card. Photo I.D.s on an access card help building occupants know the card user is the person to whom it was issued. Policy then dictates that these cards are worn above the waist on all individuals for instant visual verification of everyone in the building.