What Is Access Control And Why Is It Important?

Access control is one of the basic elements of a robust security system and forms an important part of a wider set of security controls. Essentially, a commercial business is charged with securing its people, buildings and materials (product, machinery and equipment) but also its data. So access control is about managing physical security, but also digital security.

What is access control?

Security in a commercial business is a basic management function. An employer has a duty to protect its people, buildings and assets, but also to manage the business in an appropriate way, which means safeguarding physical elements, as well as information and data which the unauthorised use of could harm the business in a commercial sense.

So an access control system is the means through which a business:

Checks the credentials of people seeking to gain entry to the site, or a department within the site
Physically enables access to the site or a department within the site
Grants access according to the appropriate level of authorisation – ie. controls where within a building the person has authorisation to enter

This covers the fact that security does not just need to be restricted to external sources, ie. an opportunist thief or a commercial rival, but also within internal departments, ie. product specifications will be restricted to senior personnel and HR records should be restricted to HR personnel. Every different business will have its own sub-sects of internal security and so access control is a way of managing that.

Key elements of an access control system

Although there are many ways in which an access control system can be designed, there are important elements that will be common between all of them:

Physical access – you will need a means through which people can verify their credentials and access status. So this would normally be a keycard or fob, a PIN or keycode, a biometric feature (retina scan, facial recognition, fingerprint) or a smartphone app. This system should include controls to restrict duplication and unauthorised use.
Integration – access control systems are often linked to other technological features such as alarm systems, ANPR barriers or CCTV. Human resources may also use data collected by access control to monitor attendance and punctuality, or to check who is on site at any one time for health and safety reasons.
Security – access control systems can be linked to other forms of security, such as manned security, dog security patrols, ANPR vehicle barriers, CCTV and front-of-house security.
Administration – normally a business would appoint a central administrator who will monitor the access control system and ensure that authorisation and verification works appropriately for the business. This includes how verification is carried out and whether it is sufficiently secure, and audits of whether authorisation and access levels are appropriate and robust.
Policy and structure – as with most management systems within a workplace, a formal policy should record how the business manages security and access, who is responsible and what levels of authority are in place. This should all be documented and made available for all relevant parties.

Why is access control important?

There are many reasons why access control systems are important for a business, these are typically listed as:

Ensures information is kept confidential and data leakage is minimised
Ensures the business maintains a competitive advantage over commercial rivals
Protects people from the intrusion of unauthorised parties
Protects the business assets from unauthorised parties
Manages the flow of people into a building at times of high footfall
Maintains a safe level of people in a property for health and safety reasons
Provides an audit trail of which people have accessed the site and when
Gives the business better visibility of human resources information
Helps the business comply with its data security responsibilities

Contact MB Direct for more information on access control systems

An access control system has a number of periphery features which come under the banner of ‘security’ but which are essential to the system working, such as lighting, key pads, sensors, alarms and locking systems. Our range of access control products illustrate the varying complexities of an access control system and how you can design a system that is ultimately the best possible one for you.

At MB Direct we can advise on how access control systems work and what you need to consider when designing a system to implement in your business. Access control is a fundamental feature of your business infrastructure, but it needs to be practical and cost-effective, so contact MB Direct today and we can go through our various options and what might be best for your business.