Top 6 Things You Need To Know About Installing Access Control At Your West Midlands Property

If you're considering installing an access control system in your West Midlands home or business, you're making a wise decision.

Access control systems offer a number of benefits, including increased security and convenience.

Here are the top 6 things you need to know.

ACCESS CONTROL WITHOUT THE HASSLE OF KEYS

If you're still using mechanical keys to access your home or business, you're behind the times!

Mechanical keys and standard locks may seem like a convenient option for access control, but they come with a lot of hassle.

There are a couple of major examples of this:

• If you have a building with lots of different doors. Some poor person has to carry around a huge bundle of keys.
• If someone loses their key, you have to change the locks and cut new keys for everyone else.

And with no audit trail, if there is a burglary or 'incident', it's impossible to know who has had access to the keys or who went into which room.

Thankfully, there are more advanced access control systems available nowadays.

Electronic access control systems allow you to gain access using fobs, keycards, codes, fingerprints, or even retinal scans.

Plus, features like anti-pass back ensure that your access control is always secure.

So why deal with the hassle of keys and standard locks when access control systems offer a much more efficient solution?

3 DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ACCESS CONTROL

Most access control systems will be one of the following:

• discretionary access control (DAC),
• mandatory access control (MAC), and
• role-based access control (RBAC).

Each type of access control system works in a different way to give you control over your property.

Discretionary Access Control

Discretionary access control is a good choice for homes or smaller businesses, where security is required for one or two doors. It's less restrictive compared to other types of access control systems. It allows the homeowner or business owner complete control over who can come and go.

They can set security levels and permissions for other people, and can also easily give someone their entry key or the code for the entrance to allow them access. It's a standalone access control system, localising security to the door itself.

This type of access control is generally not secure enough for larger businesses or any situations that require levels of access to be monitored or delegated.

Those requiring a higher level of business security might need to consider the two other types of access control.

Mandatory Access Control

A mandatory access control system delivers a higher level of security compared to a DAC system. When there needs to be increased security and protection of data, mandatory access control ensures that only the owner and system administrator can manage the access control... not individual employees. Using this type of system, the administrator will classify employees and give them access to certain areas but perhaps not others.

Although this can provide for homes or businesses with slightly more sophisticated security needs, it's still best for a small to medium business. Each time a new person needs to be assigned a label that gives them access to relevant areas, or when someone leaves and permissions need to be removed, it has to be done manually. This wouldn't be practical for businesses with a large number of employees.

Role-Based Access Control

A role-based access control system for doors assigns permissions based on the end-user's role within the organisation or household. This type of control access system puts a system administrator in charge of access. And their security allowances are based on their responsibilities and the role that they perform. Instead of individually assigning permissions to someone, they will be automatically given the required permissions because they have been labelled with their role, which has the correct security levels attached to it. This type of access control system is ideal for large businesses with more members of staff, but can also be useful for smaller businesses or households looking for extra security.

Taking these three types of access control PLUS one of the individual situations below should give you an idea of the best access control solution for you.

ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR HOMES

Gate or Door Entry For Family Members:

A key fob or access card is a great alternative to the traditional key. Both are a type of proximity reader. Once programmed, when the fob or card is near the card reader, the system allows the door or gate to be open. If you lose your fob or card, the system can be reprogrammed to deny access.

There is also the option to have a keypad system with a PIN number. The downside, as mentioned in Discretionary Access Control, is that you don't know who has been given the PIN number. So, if compromised, everyone has to learn the new number.

Intercom Systems For Visitors:

Intercom systems are a bit like a doorbell and can be wired or wireless. They allow you to communicate with visitors before letting a stranger into your home.

These systems come in a variety of options, including audio-only intercoms and audio-visual intercoms with video capabilities.

Your visitor presses a buzzer at your gate and/or the front door. You can then hear and/or see your visitor and decide whether or not to let them in. All using your smartphone so without getting up off the sofa.

Intercom systems don't just grant access to genuine visitors. These access control systems also act as a deterrent for unwanted guests or trespassers. If they are up to no good, your security systems will make it a lot harder to gain access. So they will be more likely to look elsewhere.

Talk to us about how to integrate your access control with your other security systems.

ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR APARTMENT BLOCKS

Door Entry Systems For Residents

As discussed previously for detached, semi-detached or terraced homes, keys are no longer required to access your home. Residents of apartments can get in or out of their flats using a proximity reader.

That's a key fob or access card that can be programmed to open the door to your flat. And you can use the same fob or card to enter the block's main entrance. There is usually an exit button inside the main front door.

Most property managers will use a mandatory or role-based access control system. So your fob/card is completely independent from all your neighbours. If they lose their card or change one of their tenants, only their fob/card needs to be changed.

Intercom Systems For Visitors

Again, intercom systems are ideal for controlling the access of visitors to apartment blocks.

An audio-only intercom means the visitor can buzz your flat and you can have a conversation before granting access. But, if you can't see them, you still can't be sure exactly who you are letting into the building. That delivery person with a parcel might not be as innocent as they sound.

We recommend an audio-visual intercom for the owners of apartments. Like the one we installed above. Your visitor still presses a buzzer that sounds in your apartment. But a video screen means you can see as well as hear them. This allows you to view ID before letting anyone in.

Again, all from the comfort of your sofa using your smartphone.

If you are a property manager who looks after an apartment block, get in touch. We can help you to modernise your access control or integrate it with your other systems.

ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR COMMERCIAL PREMISES

Unless you own a retail store, business owners don't want just anyone walking into your building or site whenever they please.

Access control systems provide tailored security for your gates and doors, allowing only authorised individuals to enter. And tracking who goes into any sensitive areas.

Here's a CAME road barrier that we installed recently.

Physical Access Control For Commercial Properties

Physical access control (PAC) can be gates, barriers and bollards to control who comes onto your site. Or turnstiles and intercoms that control who gains access to your building or to restricted areas in your offices, like your server room.

Commercial Electronic Access Control System

When you install physical access control, it comes with access control software. This Electronic Access Control (EAC) covers each barrier, electronic lock, card reader, fob, card, etc, that protects entry to and exit from your site or offices.

Access Control Solutions For Employees & Regular Contractors

In Vehicles

Vehicular access can be controlled with barriers, bollards and gates. These, in turn, can be manual with keypads, fobs or swipe cards. Or automated with proximity cards or even ANPR cameras.

On Foot

To control access to buildings for employees and regular contractors on foot, turnstiles or door entry systems with keypads, fobs or swipe cards can all be used.

Once inside, access control can also be used on internal doors to monitor access to restricted areas, like server rooms. For particularly sensitive areas, these can use biometrics or retinal scans.

Access control can also be used to manage time and attendance or roll call if there is a fire or emergency.

Some systems, can also be programmed to ensure that contractors cannot come onto certain areas without the required insurance, qualifications or other documentation.

Access Control Solutions For Visitors

Access for visitors' vehicles onto site can be controlled automatically by programming the registration number for ANPR cameras to pick up. Or manually by having them use an audio or audio-visual intercom and being buzzed in once authorised.

To gain access to the main building, audio or audio-visual intercoms can be used for manual or automated door entry. And then fobs or proximity readers can be programmed for any internal areas depending on their permissions.

APPROVED ACCESS CONTROL INSTALLERS

MAC Security offers a free site survey where you can discuss your requirements with our engineers. You might need a simple system like a keypad and intercom. Or a bespoke access control system which is integrated with your CCTV or intruder alarm... and remotely monitored by an ARC so the security services can attend.

You should always check that the engineers who are installing your system are fully qualified to do the job.

CAN MAC HELP WITH YOUR ACCESS CONTROL REQUIREMENTS IN THE WEST MIDLANDS

Click the Get Your Quote button below to arrange to speak to an expert. We can create the best access control solution for your West Midlands home or business.