The first stage in designing an access control system is to consult with the users – those responsible for security and the inhabitants of the buildings – in order to understand and clarify their security requirements. The building must then be surveyed to determine the number and location of the physical barriers required to keep out unauthorised personnel. It is these doors, lifts, turnstiles and car park barriers that will be controlled by the access control system.
It is vital that the security requirements of the users and the characteristics of the building are investigated and understood before the design process commences. Important considerations are to define high and low security areas within and around the buildings, the type of ID devices to be used and how the system will be administered.
End-users’ requirements include not only their security needs, but also how the system will integrate with the normal function of the building, its employees, tenants and visitors. An access control solution must be achieved that is practical while creating the appropriate level of security.
What’s right for your client?
The level of security required will determine the choice of ID device and associated reading technology. For example, some barcodes can be easily photocopied and magnetic stripe cards are also simple to forge. However, devices with a unique code, such as proximity devices, are almost impossible to copy. The level of security required will also influence the choice of barrier, e.g. steel or wooden doors or turnstiles.
The design will need to take into account the reader’s speed and ease of use, the expandability of the system and its ability to integrate with other building systems. The final point to consider is how the system should be set up for the day to day end-users … who goes where and when?
This guide and checklist provides information of a general nature but the requirements of each system can be very different. It is always a good idea to seek advice from a security specialist with a proven track record in designing systems (PAC International can provide such advice).
Size and location of system
1. How many access points will the system control?
2. How many users (card or electronic key holders) will the system have?
3. Will the system cover one physical location (site) or more?
4. Will the system control other locations as part of the same system and how many will there be?
System administration and set-up
Will ID cards or electronic keys be used with the system?
6. If using ID cards, will any company information (e.g. company logo) appear on the card?
7. Is it necessary to restrict access at certain times of the day or night?
8. Will a printout be required of card or electronic key usage, including the times when they have been used?
9. Should individual personnel photos appear on the card?
10. Will the system need to be administered from a different location at different times of the day and, if so, how many different locations?
11. What types of locking mechanisms are required, eg maglocks?
12. Is an audit trail (checking past changes to the system) required?
Alarm reporting requirements
Will the system be required to report any alarms e.g. door forced, fire door open, perimeter protection, freezer alarm?
14. Should any alarms be linked directly to mobile pagers?
Integrated solutions
15. Will car parking control be required?
16. Will the system incorporate elevator control?
17. Will attendance reporting be required to report the hours staff are on site?
18. Will the access control system be required to work as part of a cashless vending system?
19. Will the access control system be required to work with a CCTV system?
20. Will any type of staff protection be required?
When is a PC required?
A PC may be used at any time and for any size of system to report events back to the administrator. For simple systems, it is the end-user’s choice whether or not to use a PC. There are many advantages offered by a PC administered system. (We will deal with this is in a future article). Multiple PC systems can be very useful as administration staff and security guards may be required to run the system from different locations.
Where are the components of the access control system to be installed?
The planning process needs careful thought to decide where to position the access control equipment (PC, door controllers, readers etc). It may be that your client has already decided which doors should be controlled.
Areas of high security may require a reader which requires a PIN number as well as an ID device. Other areas may require a lower security level and can be controlled with readers on time profiles. A time profile has a start and a finish time and can be of any length. Time profiles can be attached to either selected users or selected doors. A key will be valid within a time profile only (eg, allowing cleaning staff to enter between the hours of 5-7pm Mondays to Fridays only).
Video entry equipment may be required which can be integrated with the access control system.
The rest of this section introduces a number of important features relating to access points which should be taken into consideration when designing a system.
The most common access point is a door. These can be of many different types: office, main entrance or even roller shutter. Other access points include turnstiles and barriers.
Readers can be placed on both sides of a door, or a Request to Exit (RTE) switch may be used on one side. The switch, when pressed releases the door lock.
On most access points, there is a secured side (where the reader is placed) and an unsecured side (where the RTE switch is placed). Sometimes a reader is required on both sides of the door e.g. anti-passback, attendance reporting.
Passback and anti-passback
Passback is when a member of staff who has presented their ID device to pass through a controlled access point, passes back their ID device to a colleague who has forgotten theirs. Once the second person has entered the building there is no record of their presence. This can be prevented by using anti-passback.
Anti-passback works by not allowing access unless the system has seen a key exit an area or a pre determined period of time has lapsed (timed anti-passback). When two readers are used to control both entry into and exit out of the area, anti-passback can be set. This prevents a key being used to enter an area once it has already been used. It is impossible to re-enter without first leaving the area. If a second attempt is made to use the key to enter the area, a “No Access: Pass Back” report will be generated.
Passback may either be active (until the key is used to leave the area), or a “forgive” time limit may be assigned, after which the key may be used to enter the area again. The time limit is useful if people are likely to leave the area without using their keys, i.e. without the time limit, they would be unable to get back into the area.
Anti-passback and global anti-passback can be areas of extreme complexity. Manufacturers often use different terminology when talking about aspects of passback. Don’t get caught in the passback minefield! If you have to specify passback in whatever form, it is important to ascertain exactly what the end user expects from the passback operating on the system.
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