Module 2

ACCESS CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

1. Managing access control in large areas.

Outcome 1.1
The learner is able to identify first level access points to a campus
and building.

Key Question
Where does one begin to control access to a campus or building?

Key Text
Entrances to campuses and buildings are the most obvious points of
access to anyone wishing to gain entry unlawfully, but are fortunately
also the easiest to identify and control. In addition any weakness in
the perimeter must be secured – e.g. fences in the case of campuses
and ground floor windows or emergency fire exits in buildings.

Lab
Handout - building diagram. Identify all access points 5’00”

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ACCESS CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

1. Managing access control in large areas

Outcome 1.2
The learner is able to understand the importance of controlling
access to the internal areas of a building.

Key Question
Now that we have allowed a valid person into the building, do we need
to limit their access to various areas inside the building? If so, why?

Key Text
In large buildings everything cannot be locked away constantly, and
neither is it possible for everything to be watched by someone all the
time. Access control and surveillance equipment under the control of
security personnel has a major role to play in protecting assets.

Information protection in the form of either computer data or

physical paper documents is vital.

The safety of people is a matter of great concern and it is therefore

vital that they are protected in secure conditions.

Terrorists are aware that a successful strike at the operations

centre will effectively compromise security in all other areas,
therefore the operations centre needs to be very secure.

No exceptions to security policy should be allowed and all procedures

should be followed closely.

Lab
Indicate high sensitivity areas in diagram. 5’00”

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ACCESS CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

1. Managing access control in large areas

Outcome 1.3
The learner is able to understand how access control and monitoring
of large areas can be made easier by means of zoning.

Key Question
How can we subdivide large areas to make access control easier?

Key Text
Dividing a building up into separate areas called zones is done for two
reasons, namely the size of the area may be too big for one team to
handle, and as we saw in the previous module, some areas have a
higher strategic value to us. Therefore zoning a building or campus is
an exercise in risk management. The objective is to identify and then
limit access to high security areas and to direct the flow of other
traffic away from those areas in such a way that a small team of
personnel are able to effectively deal with all problems arising.

Each zone has its own boundaries, defined by access ways such as
stairways, lifts, doorways and corridors, all of which need to be
monitored by physical presence or through the use of technology.

Lab
Outline appropriate zones on your building diagram 10’00”

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ACCESS CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

2. Monitoring movement between zones.

Outcome 2.1
The learner can identify the four main technologies used in access
control.

Key Question
What technology is available to control access between zones?

Key Text
Typically the technologies available falls into four categories, namely
turnstiles and magnetic door locks, access card readers, optical
motion detectors and cameras.

Based on the strategic importance of different zones, decisions will

be made as to what the most appropriate technology or combinations
of these technologies will be used. Of course all access points to a
zone should have the same level of security.

For instance, in a high security zone, personnel, mag locks, readers,

optics and cameras may be used. In a low security zone, perhaps only
a reader and mag lock may be used.

Lab
Brief explanations of various means of monitoring within zones. 2’00”

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ACCESS CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

2. Monitoring movement between zones

Outcome 2.2
The learner understands the role of turnstiles.

Key Question
Where are turnstiles used?

Key Text
Turnstiles provide a physical barrier as a means of controlling access.
They are usually an initial form of access control in high traffic areas
such as the entrance to a building. Turnstiles can control pedestrian
traffic entering or exiting a building or a specific area of a building
or campus. Because they are not a complete physical barrier, they
should always be manned by security personnel.

Lab
Add turnstiles to diagram. 5’00”

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ACCESS CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

2. Monitoring movement between zones

Outcome 2.3
The learner understands how magnetic door locks operate.

Key Question
How does a mag lock operate and when is it used?

Key Text
‘Mag’ or magnetic locks, hold a door securely closed until released by
the access control computer system. It will do this when it receives
valid card identification from an active card reader mounted near the
door for that purpose. They are usually fitted to unmanned doors
where access needs to be monitored or access is limited to particular
people.

Lab
Add mag locks to diagram. 5’00”

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ACCESS CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

2. Monitoring movement between zones

Outcome 2.4
The learner understands how active card readers operate.

Key Question
What is an active card reader and how does it work?

Key Text
Active card readers are a means of unobtrusively monitoring where
any person may be at any time and whether they have the right to be
in any particular zone. Each person authorised to be in a building or
on campus is issued an access card which they are to carry and
display at all times. Active card readers are able to sense these
cards and can be used to monitor the location of the card holder on
the campus. These readers are also used at doors to open the mag
locks if the card is so authorised. Readers are usually placed on both
sides of doors with mag locks, at turnstiles and in greater numbers in
high security areas.

Lab
Add readers to diagram. 5’00”

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2. Monitoring movement between zones

Outcome 2.5
The learner understands the purpose of optics.

Key Question
Where are optics used and how do they function?

Key Text
“Optics” are devices that monitor pedestrian traffic at a particular
place. Typically they can either be fairly uncomplicated devices that
simply recognise that someone went past, or more sophisticated
devices that can tell which direction the person was going.

Lab
Insert optics in appropriate positions on your diagram. 5’00”

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2. Monitoring movement between zones

Outcome 2.6
The learner understands how video surveillance cameras operate.

Key Question
How do video cameras contribute to access control?

Key Text
The placement of cameras at strategic points can be most effective.
They can be on duty constantly particularly in areas that are seldom
frequented but important from a security viewpoint.

Cameras are programmed to begin recording when they pick up an

exception for later playback. Video recordings can immediately be
relayed to your screen for a visual assessment of what happened in
the affected zone. Many cameras can be monitored simultaneously
on your screen.

Cameras are usually placed in elevated positions to give maximum

coverage of the area being monitored.

Lab
Add video cameras to diagram. 5’00”

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2. Monitoring movement between zones

Outcome 2.7
The learner appreciates the importance of their role in access
control.

Key Question
Why is technology only part of the success of access control?

Key Text
The human element of any access control system is vital to its
success. The ultimate responsibility of ensuring a system operates to
its potential rests with those given the authority to control access.

Any computer system can only operate within its bounds, but has no
capacity for objective reasoning and is therefore no match for a well
trained and alert security official. At best it is a tool that can make
your life easier by taking care of the monotonous part of your job.

Like any tool, the success of your experience with it will rest very
much with you and how well you understand it and use it.

Lab
Discuss. 5’00”

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