The developments in biometric access systems over the last five years have been phenomenal, and never before have businesses had such ready access to such sophisticated entry systems to protect their premises. So why does tailgating still present such a threat to security?
The answer lies in the physical barriers such as doors or portals that the biometric systems can be integrated with, and without an adequate solution one single authorised user can – be it forced or unforced – give access to many unauthorised people.
Tailgating does not just open up the company to security threats, but also to issues of health and safety - such as emergency evacuation - and access to accurate time and attendance data.
Without an anti-tailgating system in place then access control based solely around biometrics is somewhat one dimensional, and will not support the significant investment made in this high-level technology.
Tailgating can cause businesses any number of issues from general safety auditing – such as knowing how many staff are on the premises for a fire drill – to being presented with a theft or other security breach and being able to account for the whereabouts of all employees within the building.
Forced and unauthorised access presents major security threats for companies, and there have been a number of reported incidents of staff being physically forced to give access through biometric systems that were not designed to prevent such scenarios.
By integrating a biometric system with a specifically designed anti-tailgating solution, a company can ensure that only one person per presentation of access credentials – whether the system is based on fingerprint or iris recognition, or even a card reader – will gain access, thereby preventing the associated risks and issues.
If a physical barrier such as a portal or turnstile is required, it needs to be fit for its environment and there are three key issues to be considered. Firstly, the aesthetics of the portal need to be in keeping and suitable for the surrounding area. Does it need to be designed in corporate colours and style? Is it visible from a public area and therefore needs to be discrete and not attract attention?
Secondly, the installation of portal needs to be taken into consideration – particularly if being ‘retro-fitted’ into an existing building or area. Ease of fitting and cost are key factors here, as are future-proof features such as being able to relocate the equipment to a new building or location with minimal disruption and cost.
Last but not least when it comes to being fit for purpose is the level of people traffic or ‘throughput’ the portal will be used for. If it’s for a busy area where staff are continually flowing in and out throughout the day then the portal – and indeed the entire system – needs to be designed with this in mind, and one which allows one authorised user to pass through in a few seconds is ideal.
Of course, new technologies are being developed all the time and bio-visual systems – without physical barriers – are ideal for multi-occupancy buildings where access is needed through corridors or existing airlocks or lobbies. Again, a system that is designed to prevent tailgating or other forms of misuse is essential here and therefore selecting an intelligent ‘self-learning’ solution, such as one that will learn to recognise the body mass of each individual user is ideal.
Tailgating continues to be an issue for many businesses, but the solutions – both in terms of hardware and software – do exist that can protect against it. Whilst effective to a point, standard biometric access control solutions do not offer this level of protection, so the key to prevention lies in selecting a system that has been specifically designed with anti-tailgating - and the individual needs of your company - in mind.
