The Covid-19 pandemic has changed and affected everything about our present world, and businesses have been most affected. As the world looks to reopen several completely halted areas, companies and sites that were closed are going to be another front zone.
The business security systems you have in place can determine whether you manage to reopen successfully or not. More precisely, your site access security will directly impact your staff and clients’ safety, which in turn affects the long-term prospects of the business.
Government Guidelines as a Starting Point
If you find yourself stuck on where, to begin with, the preparation process, then the government guidelines are an excellent point. The Health Service Executive and other relevant public health organs have provided several resources to help businesses and industries reopen safely.
The instructions are contained in 8 booklet guides and a checklist document that helps you set up standard site access security for everyone who comes to your premises. Every industry and business has unique challenges and vulnerabilities, so you have to tailor the guidelines to your needs.
There are five crucial steps from the government guidelines that can help you formulate a proper reopening strategy for strengthening your workplace’s security. These five points are:
- Undertake a Covid-19 Risk Assessment
- Setup and ensure adherence to hygiene procedures
- Facilitate working from home where necessary
- Maintain 2-meter social distancing at the workplace
- Manage the risk of transmission, especially in cases where people cannot maintain the required social distancing parameters.
The risk assessment exercise is crucial in identifying areas and people at most risk and the kinds of exposure they will be facing. The risk assessment report should then be shared with all the stakeholders and on your website.
Once you have the strategy in place, proper emphasis should be placed on letting people know of them and how they will be working. Continuous reminders to maintain the required hygiene levels and social distancing will help create a workplace culture that meets the recommended safety standards.
The Place of Technology in Keeping your Business Access Safe and Secure
Even then, you will still have to monitor and enforce most of these measures, which is where security technology comes in. It will take a lot of resources to effectively monitor how the people at the workplace from staff to clients are observing all the set measures. You will have to integrate technology into the process.
Fortunately, most of the technology is already at your company, including systems for video surveillance, intruder detection, and access security control. You may have to invest in other systems like facial recognition, human temperature detectors, and time and attendance software. Here are areas where you can leverage technology to help maintain security and safety standards in line with COVID-19 preparation measures.
- Maintaining Hygiene
Hygiene measures at your facilities, offices, and general workplace will need to be improved considerably. Before reopening, the facilities will need to be sanitized with all equipment thoroughly cleaned. Frequent handwashing is going to be essential, and while the various notices will guide people on how to do it effectively, you need to ensure there are automatic hand sanitizers at multiple entry points and throughout the facilities.
You also have to provide disposable paper towels and place measures to disinfect surfaces and objects frequently touched by most people. Beyond auto-dispensers, you can also use biometric data to limit the number of people using specific equipment like scanners and printers and other devices.
- Access Security Control
Controlling the access of staff and visitors at the site is essential in checking and controlling the traffic at the premises. Staff who are supposed to be self-isolating should not be able to access the premises. At the same time, you could have a shift system in place and also restrict certain areas to only a certain number or group of people visitors.
Clients will also need to be limited to specific working hours to reduce crowding and risk of infection. All these measures will require the use of a cloud-based access control system with facial recognition.
Such a system allows for easy changing of access rights while at the same time allow movement across areas without needing to touch on surfaces. There is also no need for guards in these areas reducing the number of people on-site and increasing security since there are no tags or fobs to pass to another person. This system can also be paired with hygiene measures so that no one enters the designated areas without sanitizing their hands using the provided facilities.
- Thermal Detectors
Thermal detectors on their own may not do much, but when added to other technology, they can help early detection of symptomatic people with COVID-19. The best devices here are thermal cameras, and while they do not provide a comprehensive diagnosis for any disease, they enable you to know people most at risk for any condition.
- Queue Control
While you can control the number of people on your site by having some work from home or in shifts as you reopen, you also need to monitor those who are already there to ensure they observe the 2-meter distance. The starting point is in queues, especially at entry points. You will have to physically designate the standing positions on the floor outside the entry points.
You can also increase the number of entries and exits and also have separate entrance and exit points. CCTV analytical software, audio-talk-down service, should be used to remind the staff to keep the distance. Such technology also minimizes the need for guards at these points, reducing potential crowding.
Client Testimonial
“Really pleasant experience working with Bison Security. Helped me understand everything. No issue with answering all of my questions about CCTV and turnstile access security. The team really knows his stuff. My site access queue system can protect people and measure occupancy levels to help comply with Social Distancing restrictions. I highly recommend this.” – Paul J. – Project Manager
For more please see our clients’ testimonial page.
Remaining Alert and Proactive
The current epidemic is not a short-term situation, so half measures will only see you flout regulations, risk the health of your staff and customers and damage your firm’s reputation. Investing in the right security and safety technology will pay in the present and long term future of your company. Be proactive and find an experienced security partner that will help you setup up the right site access security management systems and cover all the risks you could be facing.
Being proactive and alert is a prudent way to ensure that your reopening does not harm anyone and allows you to get your business back on track. Talk to us today to discuss a range of solutions to your business, from risk assessment to the right technology.
