Biometric access control offers a complete security package to process facility managers
Shaun Oakes , Managing Director of ievo Ltd , the Newcastle-based manufacturer of biometric recognition systems , explains how modern fingerprint scanners prove a highly cost-effective and superior alternative to traditional access control methods for the food & drink processing and packaging sector which offers managers additional benefits . www . ievoreader . com
The risk to the food and drink industry from accidental contamination breaches right up to food terrorism increases annually with facility managers requiring a robust security strategy to balance safety , reliability and accuracy whilst adhering to risk management assessments . With increasing pressure on profit margins in the whole sector , it is vital to find a balance between essential security and available investment without compromising on safety .
The growth of modern biometric access control systems linked to time and attendance software , is now able to provide a highly cost-effective security system that not only controls who goes into which areas of a processing plant , but can also provide vital data for health & safety , payroll and other HR requirements .
Whilst access control has traditionally relied on key fobs , PINs or swipe card technology as identifying measures , biometrics offer a more advanced and adaptive solution . Numeric codes and cards can be forgotten , swopped , lost or even stolen allowing potential access to unauthorised personnel , resulting in possible security breaches , or systems could be exploited for time and attendance records . Biometric technology provides a solution that captures unique biometric data to infallibly determine identify of the individual who is present . The data cannot be shared , or replicated , and fingerprint readers themselves have built in systems to identify and deny access to ‘ fake fingerprints ’. 4 FDPP - www . fdpp . co . uk
When this technology is then seamlessly linked to advanced time & attendance software , facility and site managers have a multi-level security system which prevents non-authorised access to different areas of the plant and records time and attendance data – a further benefit for managers where continuous operations is common and production staff work 24 / 7 shift patterns .
Biometric solutions can help alleviate a number of risk issues , allowing for greater accountability , staff tracking and monitoring , accurate health & safety and fire safety records , along with a deeper layer of multi-level access security , all of which helps builds a sophisticated risk management technique to provide robust liability . This approach to security protocol could be seen as a benefit to risk management assessments , and has the potential to help reduce risk and possibly even insurance premiums .
The flagship of the ievo range , the CPNI-approved ievo ultimate™ , scans and captures data using multispectral imaging ( MSI ) technology where multiple light sources read not only the surface of the skin , but also data points from the subsurface level ( up to 4mm deep ) of a finger . These different light sources can penetrate levels of moisture and debris present on the skin to read data points below which produces a high number of uniquely identifiable data points to be recognised and used for a more accurate , reliable and efficient verification process .
The readers are also designed for both external and internal use and are equipped with an internal thermostat controlled heater allowing them to operate in conditions as low as -20˚C and , being IP65 rated , they also function in adverse weather conditions .
The readers can be installed to work with a variety of access points such as turnstiles , barriers , doors etc . and integrate into existing access control systems from well-known manufacturers such as Paxton , PAC , Honeywell and Nortech , with more integration options constantly being released . ievo systems can be customised with a variety of options depending on requirements of the installation / end user , but using biometrics as an identifier , food and drink process facility managers can be sure that only those with permissions will be able to access specific areas without the additional cost of dedicated access control staff .
The result is a highly secure recognition system unaffected by lost or stolen fobs or swipe cards and one that cannot be deceived by the entry of fraudulent PIN ’ s into numeric key pads , coupled with a data acquisition system that supplies reliable information for payroll , flexi-time , absenteeism control and holiday planning . Just as importantly , this flexible integration eliminates the need for multiple systems and installations , which can prove costly to both time and resources , and can be adapted or upgraded as businesses or properties grow and develop .