RiskUKOctober2017

Access Control: Developments in Biometric Security
attendance, fire roll-call, Health and Safely and
payroll records.
For construction and other industrial sectors,
biometrics can also be used to control access to
plant and other forms of potentially dangerous
equipment whereby only authorised users are
permitted access to keys. By combining key
access systems or secure lockers with
biometric recognition, a potential ultra-secure
system is thereby created that duly safeguards
and tracks the release of specific keys to
specific individuals.
Within other sectors, biometric recognition
systems are gaining market share for other
reasons. Across the education sector, for
example, in addition to access control they’re
being used for controlling free school meals
and even fool-proof library control. Within the
leisure sector, gym operating clients prefer
them to traditional means as they prevent any
fraudulent entry, and thereby potential loss of
income, and rapidly pay for themselves
because a member of staff is no longer required
to verify identities and permit access.
Given the trend for 24/7 access to gyms and
a growing appetite for customer convenience, a
robust access system with biometric control at
its heart can provide plenty of benefits for
members, staff and gym owners alike.
Other sectors have their own access and
security challenges for which reliable biometric
recognition devices are providing solutions. Our
ageing population and increased requirements
for care and support, for example, has led to a
booming care home sector where access
control becomes of paramount importance for
the protection of vulnerable residents,
increasing numbers of whom may well suffer
from dementia or other complex conditions.
Fingerprint readers not only prevent entry to
unauthorised visitors, but can also control exits
for vulnerable residents who may well not be
safe outside unsupervised areas. Other benefits
are restriction of access to expensive medical
supplies as well as dispensary areas. Today,
there are secure cabinets and storage units that
offer integrated biometric security for
controlled and monitored access.
In addition, time and attendance software
integration provides data that supplies realtime
reliable information for payroll, flexi-time,
absenteeism control and holiday planning. The
“Biometric recognition systems can help to provide an
infallible access control system that may be used for a
variety of additional purposes once successfully integrated
with suitable software”
information starts to flow in as soon as the
fingerprint readers are activated and continues
to track staff attendance for whatever purpose
the organisation requires – managing flexi-time
schemes, holiday planning, conformance with
the European Working Time Regulations,
production of payroll information and forecasts,
etc – resulting in both reduced costs and
increased efficiencies.
Biometrics in retail
The retail sector is also benefiting from the
increased levels of security biometric readers
provide for securing stock storage areas and
tracking and managing staff movements.
Given that storing high value or large
quantities of stock is now a routine requirement
for the majority of retail outlets, the security of
such areas is of prime importance. Biometric
readers limit access to purely authorised
personnel, thereby controlling stock and
preventing unwanted pilfering.
When the data’s integrated with time and
attendance software, vital Health and Safety
information is provided should a building
evacuation become necessary. Wholly accurate
payroll data can also be generated.
Integration with alarm equipment is another
development which is becoming increasingly
relevant for both the SME and domestic
markets by providing a single comprehensive
system architecture and peripheral range of
devices, such as CCTV and audible alarms,
managed by biometric control. Intruder alarm
systems can be activated and disarmed by
reading a registered fingerprint. Those systems
may also be extended to relay information used
for a single door access control entry point to
further functionality.
The key here is a blend of convenience and
enhanced security for end users. Numeric code
PINs and fobs can be forgotten, lost or stolen,
but a biometric reading – whether facial or
fingerprint recognition in form – is unique to
that user. Once enrolled, only that end user
may then set or disable the alarm.
Going forward, biometric recognition devices
will continue to replace traditional numeric
keypads and card/fob entry devices primarily
due to the higher levels of security they
provide. Keypads may be accessed by anyone
with the correct data, but biometric recognition
provides a higher level of security which offers
enhanced reliability and greater convenience.
Leading an access control system with
biometric data allows a security infrastructure
to be built that realises the benefits of real-time
data for management specifically catered to an
individual organisation’s needs.
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