Physical Access Control for Utilities
Utility companies have more to deal with than ever before. From a complex regulatory environment, to ecological issues and pressure to increase profits. Not to mention the fact that, as part of the critical infrastructure, business continuity is paramount. This means your access control must be robust, flexible and have advanced functionalities. Because, with the right system, access control can play a key role in helping to address some of your wider business challenges.
Typical access control needs
- Enforce strict safety procedures and enable transparent auditing.
- Flexible security levels for different people, places and scenarios.
- Remote, centralised control and automatic authorisation management.
- Easy integration with other systems such as intruder alarms and fire detection.
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Key access control challenges for the utilities sector
Physical security threats
Utilities companies face ever-increasing threats to physical security, including terrorism, theft and vandalism. Even a minor incident can cause major disruption to your services and have far-reaching consequences, so it’s crucial you minimise risks.
To add further complication, your premises are used by a variety of different people with different access rights. And some locations may not have a security manager on site.
Complex regulatory environment
Ensuring people’s health and safety is a high priority – especially as some of your sites may be hazardous. You also need to comply with a growing list of regulations, standards and legislation, and your access control system must support this. You may need to enforce rules such as manager first, for example. Or control occupancy levels and ensure the right ratio of first aiders per zone. And you need predefined emergency responses that can be triggered quickly and automatically.
To prove your compliance, your system must enable traceability and accountability. So you can analyse the data and produce clear, detailed reports showing who had access to assets and when.
Wide geographic spread
From power plants and substations to headquarters and regional offices, it’s likely you have a large number of locations, spread far and wide. Each has different risks, requirements and rules and some people need to access several of them during the course of their work. You want to control security across these various sites with just one, centralised security management platform.
How AEOS helps you meet these challenges
Highly secure
- Approved by several national bodies, including:
– The CPNI (Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure in UK)
– ANSSI (National Cybersecurity Agency of France)
– Rijkspas (Dutch national smartcard) - Manage complex access rights and authorisations quickly, easily and securely.
- Monitor where people are and how your system’s being used, including handheld badge verification.
- Control and monitor the maximum number of movements someone can make in a specific area.
Ensure safety and compliance
- Enforce policies and procedures to ensure full compliance with strict regulations and legislation.
- Predefine unlimited varieties of access modes, including for emergencies, and switch to the one you need in seconds.
- Control occupancy by allowing a maximum number of people in a certain area.
- Streamlined access control for vehicles as well as people.
- Excellent traceability and powerful reporting functions.
Centralised, scalable control
- Control access to all sites centrally, on one system, and monitor and manage it remotely.
- A fully scalable system, it’s easy to add new sites, buildings, users, cardholders and functionality, in any location.
- Standardise each location but have the flexibility to make local adaptations.
Flexible control
Highly adaptable, both functionally and operationally, to respond to your changing needs and risks.
Integrates easily
As AEOS is based on open standards, it connects to third-party systems such as intrusion detection, video surveillance, fire alarms and more.
Cybersecure
Secured by the highest standards to protect your access control from the impact of cyberattacks.
