Access control system for institutions

Access control system for institutions and security in practice

For government buildings, local authorities and provincial offices, a high level of security is a top priority. Public contracts for the supply, installation and commissioning of an Access Control System (SKD), integrated with a Time & Attendance System (T&A), are becoming more common even in small urban centres. All government facilities are subject to strict security regulations designed to restrict access by members of the public. There is a plethora of specific legislation that addresses the rules for protecting sensitive data in these units. Mostly they require restricting physical access to areas where records and sensitive information are kept.

Hospitals and HCAs, doctors' practices or insurance companies must take special care to protect sensitive patient data. By law, every employee in the healthcare sector is expected to comply with the regulations under the Data Protection Act of 29 August 1997. Medical records related to treatment must be adequately protected from falling into the wrong hands.

The same is true for offices, banks or financial institutions. Account and transfer information requiring the highest level of protection must be adequately protected against leakage. Among other things, this involves restricting access to servers and the databases therein. Here, too, a comprehensive SKD is by far the best solution.

Access control devices make it possible to immediately verify the authorisation of employees in terms of access to specific departments or confidential information, while maintaining public access to designated areas. In the event of incidents involving theft or loss of important documents, SKD provides invaluable information and answers like an impartial witness.

See also: Access control system for hotels

How should a complete access system be designed for the convenience of all employees?

Although time recording can operate autonomously, its combination with an access control system in customised software will be ideal for reporting and analysis. If employees are aware that their entries and exits are being monitored, this will translate into their conscientiousness. They will be much more scrupulous in following the rules and regulations and keeping track of working hours.

The administrator in charge of SKD has full authority over what is happening within the entire facility, so he can seamlessly grant and revoke access rights. He or she also has unlimited insight into the history of events, the ability to modify permissions and to block people without the appropriate credentials. Everything is done discreetly, quickly and in accordance with the recommendations of superiors or the regulations in force.

Authorisation of such a system is based on entering a PIN code, reading a fingerprint, facial recognition or using a magnetic card. In this way, it is possible, for example, to grant access to rooms containing computer equipment and servers to selected, trusted employees. Similar protection can be afforded to laboratory equipment, chemicals or medical instruments if they pose a health risk to persons without knowledge of their use.

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Installation of security systems and control of entry and exit privileges in relation to classic solutions

The term keyman or doorkeeper is more often found in crossword puzzles these days than in the job market. Traditional locks, padlocks and security guards on duty at entrances are being replaced by digital solutions. The access control system reduces human error and, in addition to this, allows the rapid granting of user rights and real-time control of service entrances and exits to selected rooms. In the event of a lost key, a visit from a locksmith was necessary, or forcible attempts were made to force the door if replacing the lock could not be carried out quickly and efficiently.

The problem was compounded when there was only one key and many users, which severely impacted on the comfort of work. Those with the most authority had to carry bundles of keys, and it was difficult to verify the number of keys in circulation. Handing them in to the duty station or signing for each key and handing them back to the security guard could take longer than the visit to the service room itself.

Modern SKD solutions bring another advantage that is important in life and health emergencies. With an access control device used on the outside of the door and an emergency lock from the inside, employees can safely leave the building without the nerve-racking search for a matching key or attempts to break down the escape door. The locks are released automatically.

How to integrate an access control and time registration system in a public institution?

The integration of SKD and RCP allows for the accurate accounting of hours worked, reduces costs associated with manual calculations and increases efficiency through effective control of staff behaviour. Using access control systems, access to archives or server rooms can be secured, helping to ensure the security of both paper and digital documents. SKDs in academic hospitals and teaching centres will also protect treatment rooms, examination rooms and valuable specialised diagnostic equipment such as MRI machines.

In the case of offices, hospitals and public institutions, the separation of business premises is particularly important and necessary for maintaining order. An access control system is ideal for such facilities, and the individual allocation of access to each person through the configuration of the entrance device solves many of the problems that were posed by the old-fashioned lock key system.

The SKD software is configured accordingly, so it instantly decides whether the signal coming from the reader should allow access or not. In addition, a full history of entries and exits is archived in the system's memory, including dates, times and personal user data. In addition, such access control can be integrated into an alarm system and linked to CCTV monitoring.

Assigning rights by the administrator and real-time monitoring - what does modern SKD allow?

Today's modern systems software allows office administrators, IT managers or heads of security in public institutions to clearly define who has the right to access premises and databases and under what conditions. The system administrator can seamlessly and freely modify permissions depending on a number of variables - time of day, work order, employee rank or job position.

The most important advantage is modularity and development through the multi-stage construction of separate, independent SKD components for public institutions. This enables any barrier configuration and allows the interdependent use of other systems, i.e. time registration or intruder alarms on the premises. All electronic technical security features are characterised by low failure rates, intuitive operation and relatively low purchase and implementation costs.

If you are looking for IT solutions such as systems security of facilities and premises - check our offer. We offer these types of systems for companies. Feel free to contact us!