/ By Gateway Team / access control equipment • biometric security • key pads • warehouse security/ 0 Comments

Protect high-value goods with access control equipment

protect high-value goods with access control equipmentEvery delivery of cargo to your warehouse represents value, but some more than others. The loss of expensive equipment, electronics, pharmaceuticals or other items could seriously undermine your business, disrupt relations with suppliers and customers and gravely harm your bottom line. This is why it is incredibly important that your business acts to ensure that your warehouse has rigorous security protocols in place to prevent such a disaster from happening.

Best practices for warehouse security and the role of access control equipment

Security at warehouses is paramount. Your systems need to be complex and detailed in order to offer protection to your goods, both during operations and afterwards. From basic practices like ensuring your employees are properly vetted, uniformed and badged and signed in to the building, to locking off access to high-value goods with access control equipment – your plan needs to be comprehensive.

It is important to properly vet your staff. It can be tempting to relax these types of practices at busy times of the year, such as seasonal spikes, but this is a short-sighted approach that can cost you dearly. Access control equipment can not only protect goods from unauthorised hands, it can also help to monitor which staff are in the building at any given time – helpful in identifying a culprit should stock disappear.

By using cages with a keypad or fingerprint biometric access control system you can secure high-value goods and restrict access to only approved persons. Without this kind of protection in place then anyone could gain access and potentially exploit those materials.

Mirrors and cameras should be installed around the building making it difficult for employees, tradespeople or other visitors to conceal stolen goods. Proper and effective monitoring is a key way to stop opportunistic theft. However, CCTV should not be relied on solely as It only records a crime happening, it does not always prevent it.

Physical keys should be replaced in lieu of electronic methods of access. Physical keys can be easily copied or can find their way into criminal hands which could put your entire business operation at risk, with thieves easily gaining access to goods, documents and other assets undisturbed. A building, room or cage that is only accessible by biometric finger print (entirely unique to the individual) or a keypad with a code that can be changed is a much more reliable form of security.

Gateway Automation can provide free, no obligation quotes and feasibility surveys for your premises. To get us to assess your security requirements, please contact us.

/ By Gateway Team / access control • access control equipment • access control systems • biometric security • biometrics • business security • office security/ 0 Comments

Lock down your offices with biometric security

lock down your offices with biometric securitySome types of businesses are naturally more attractive to criminals than others, and so for those companies, security options are always at the forefront of what they do. Of course, this varies from business to business, and a bank or a shopping centre will typically have very different protocols in place to a restaurant or an office-based business. Unfortunately, far too many business owners wrongly assume that their businesses are safe from crime right up until the time they are targeted. Here we will look at how office-based businesses in particular can safeguard their people, information, and assets in the face of ever-rising crime rates.

One of the biggest threats to office-based businesses is that of theft. In a recent survey as many as two-thirds of employees admitted to stealing low-cost items like stationary from their employers and a high number went even further than that, admitting to stealing electronic items and expensive materials. An obvious but largely underused way to combat this type of employee theft is to lock down specific areas such as stock cupboards or equipment storage areas with access control equipment. This means only trusted parties can access those materials.

While a degree of theft can come from your own employees acting poorly, theft can also come from outside your own building. Opportunistic thefts or planned attacks can take place should your building appear to be an easy target or the goods inside of high enough value to take a risk. Access control equipment like biometric entry controls, turnstiles, and gates can effectively lock down your offices against these types of risks.

Another threat that businesses face in the modern world is that of data security. Physical hard-copy materials that contain sensitive information such as financial data or personal details can prove very valuable to criminals. In fact, this type of crime costs the UK as much as £3.3 billion year on year.

Businesses that fail to take strong steps to protect the information of their clients and customers can face damaging consequences. Should data be wrongly procured they can face fines of up to £500,000 from the Information Commissioners Office. As well as having strong data security protocols in place, businesses should ensure that confidential materials are securely stored, and once again only trusted parties should be given access.

Are you interested in finding out more? Gateway Automation provide a range of perimeter security systems to help businesses and individuals to secure their sites and also provides nationwide servicing and repairs to gates, barriers and other perimeter security equipment. To find out more, please contact us on 01522 68255 or take a look at our brochure.

/ By Gateway Team / access control equipment • art gallery • galleries • gallery security • museum security • museums • security • theft/ 0 Comments

Protecting museums and galleries with access control equipment

protecting museums and galleries with access control equipmentIn 1994, the world-famous Munch painting ‘The Scream’ was stolen by thieves in Oslo, Norway. Two men took less than a minute to climb a ladder, smash through the window of the National Art Museum and remove the painting from the wall with wire cutters. The entire incident was caught on CCTV; however, cameras alone were never going to be enough to protect such a valuable piece of art. Such was the oversight in their security provisions that the thieves actually left a thank you note to the museum for their “poor security”.

Art gallery thefts are not uncommon, and another high-profile theft happened in 2008, when pieces by Cezanne, Degas, Monet and Van Gogh were stolen in less than 5 minutes from a gallery in Zurich. Famous pieces of art command high prices on the black market and because of this very few are ever successfully recovered, which makes it all the more important to have proper security controls in place.

They key way to ensure that a museum or art gallery is protected is to create a complex, multi-layered security system that plans for the worst eventualities, and access control equipment can play an important role. Where CCTV may simply document a crime taking place, access control equipment can actually help prevent and deter crime.

The conundrum for many gallery and museum owners is how to balance making exhibits easily accessible and appealing while still maintaining high-levels of protection. While art galleries and museums are public places and should not look like prisons, it is important that security fundamentals are not overlooked. Compromises can be found and sometimes security measures actually enhance the experience of the visitor. Barriers and turnstiles should be installed at entry and exit points around the building which can help to manage human traffic and allow security personnel to successfully monitor and check who is accessing the building. This not only helps to cut down on incidents but also reassures the public that their security is taken seriously.

What’s more, a multi-tiered privilege system must be in place which ensures that only the people who need access to certain areas of the building are given it. Museums and galleries are at high risk of so-called ‘inside jobs’ and so these types of measures are an absolute must. High risk areas where paintings, artwork and antiques are kept in storage should always be secured with access control such as biometric fingerprint readers, keypad or fob systems.

Together with other solutions like manned guarding, plainclothes supervisors, alarmed windows, motion detection, environmental sensors, glazing and vibration sensors, access control equipment can form a comprehensive security plan as detailed as the pieces of art hanging on the walls.

Gateway Automation provides a range of products including access control equipment to help businesses and individuals secure their sites against crime. We also provide nationwide servicing and repairs to gates, barriers and other perimeter security equipment. To find out more please call us on 01522 682255.

/ By Gateway Team / access control equipment • school • school security/ 0 Comments

How to keep schools safe and secure with access control equipment

How to keep schools safeSchools are very busy environments with lots of pedestrian and vehicular traffic throughout the day, something which presents a challenge in terms of security. How can schools ensure that their sites remain safe from crime and under control with so much activity? Here we look at the role that access control equipment can play.

According to Ofsted guidelines, schools are required to provide a safe and secure environment for children to reside in. This means that it is essential for schools to find ways to secure the entry points of their sites. Whether this is achieved through access control equipment like intercoms, keypads, cards or fobs, or by installing a turnstile system allowing staff to check credentials, it should be high on the agenda when looking at how to meet their expected requirements.

It’s not only their pupils that schools are obliged to find ways to protect, either. Many schools today hold lots of important confidential information as well as highly valuable equipment such as computers, printers, photocopiers, TV’s, medical supplies and much more. The relatively low-key attitude that many schools have taken in the past to site security means that walk-in-thieves and trespassers view them as easy targets. Access control equipment strategically placed can help to shut down access in certain areas where high value equipment is stored, making it more difficult to access, at least for those who are unauthorized to do so.

Many businesses and organizations turn to us for access control equipment as a means of recording attendance, both among staff and among pupils. By installing fobs or key card systems at strategic points through a school you can ensure that you have up to date records of who is on your site and when they arrive and leave. This is a proven way to not only reduce absenteeism and truancy but also to help with fire safety guidelines.

Access control equipment may be a relatively new concept for schools, however in uncertain times, it can provide pupils, staff and parents peace of mind that no unauthorized visitors are making their way onto the site to cause harm.

Gateway Automation provides a range of products including access control equipment to help businesses and individuals secure their sites against crime. We also provide nationwide servicing and repairs to gates, barriers and other perimeter security equipment. To find out more please call us on 01522 682255.

/ By Gateway Team / access control • access control equipment • audio/visual intercom • biometrics • hospital security/ 0 Comments

How access control can help keep hospitals secure

how access control can help keep hospitals secureHospitals – both private and public, offer unique challenges when it comes to security. Whilst maintaining a welcoming nature and easy access for patients and staff they simultaneously need to be able to preserve the security of their assets and the people they are looking after.

In terms of assets, many hospitals have experienced problems with the control of drugs and expensive equipment which have been the target of thieves and criminals. As hospitals are traditionally busy environments, with low-key security protocols in place, they have increasingly been seen as easy targets by opportunistic thieves where there is low risk and high rewards.

A recent example of this is the rise in theft of nitrous oxide – commonly known as laughing gas – with theft of cylinders occurring at hospitals in East Kilbride, Bridlington, Crawley, Dumfries, Lincoln and Kidderminster in recent years. Despite being recently banned publicly under the Psychoactive Substances Act, laughing gas is now the second most popular recreational drug in the UK and therefore a high target for criminal drug gangs who have begun targeting hospitals.

However, it’s not just theft that is a concern for hospitals. There are also problems with assaults against both patients and hospital employees. A problem which has even led some hospitals such as Camden and Islington to employ a team of Local Hospital Liaison Officers to offer protection.

One of the key techniques that hospitals can employ to make their hospitals more secure is to install quality access control equipment. By using biometrics and other cutting-edge technology such as audio/visual intercom they can lock down specific areas of the hospital where equipment, assets such as medical files, important hospital infrastructure or vulnerable patients can be kept safe from criminals.

Gateway Automation provides a range of products including access control equipment to help businesses and individuals secure their sites against crime. We also provide nationwide servicing and repairs to gates, barriers and other perimeter security equipment. To find out more please call us on 01522 682255.

/ By Gateway Team / access control equipment • anti-terrorism bollards • automatic rising kerbs • barriers • bi-folding gates • crash tested road blockers • harbour security • maritime security • port security • sliding gates • swing gates/ 0 Comments

Maritime Security: the role of Access control at ports and harbours

maritime securityPorts and harbours are busy, complex environments with large numbers of people and goods moving in and out of them every day. Traditionally the nature of ports and harbours have made them a target for criminal gangs and smugglers, however the maritime industry now also faces the very real threat of terrorism due to the vital input that harbours and ports have in the UK’s economy. Here we will look at how access control equipment can play a critical role in defending vessels, cargo and protecting the supply chain in maritime environments.

First, it’s important to understand that, as with almost every type of premises, there is no ‘magic bullet’ solution to deal with the threat of crime. Any approach to security at ports and harbours should revolve around a holistic strategy. This means a combination of both physical security options like access control equipment, lighting and CCTV as well as operational security through manned guarding and checkpoints, as well as a company culture that puts security and identification at the forefront of operations.

What role can access control equipment play?
In a nutshell, access control equipment serves to control the access of vehicles and of persons into a port or harbour. This in turn can help to reduce the threat of smuggling, disruption to trade, theft and potential terrorist attacks. Every port is of course different, and measures need to be identified appropriately through a risk assessment, but there are several options available which will likely have a positive impact in the protection of a port or harbour.

One of the toughest security solutions that we provide is the GA80000 Automatic Rising Kerb. A formidable first line of defence against unwanted vehicle access, it is a strong visible deterrent with yellow and black warning stripes and tall stature to stop cars, vans and lorries.

We also offer anti-terrorism bollards and impressive crash-tested road blockers to deal with potential terrorist attacks aimed at disrupting UK infrastructure.

Barriers are an important way of controlling access to only authorised and scheduled visitors. We provide fully automatic barriers which can be controlled by push-buttons, tokens, proximity cards, pins, CCTV or by on-site security guards.

Swing gates,  sliding gates and bi-folding gates are among the strongest barriers to unauthorised entry and a strong physical deterrent.

Gateway Automation can help the maritime industry to protect their assets from crime with minimum disruption and while maintaining safe and comfortable working environments for staff and customers. For a free non-obligation quotation and feasibility survey please contact Gateway Automation on 01522 682255. Alternatively, download our brochure

/ By Gateway Team / access control equipment • access control systems • biometric fingerprint readers • electronic access control • key pads • keys • proximity devices/ 0 Comments

Should your business still be using physical keys?

should your business still be using physical keysAs far back as the ancient Egyptians, humans have used physical keys to safely secure their belongings and their property. Using falling pins to control the movement of a security bolt and a key to free it, the Egyptians were among the first to recognise the value of lock and key systems. Improved upon by the Romans, it wasn’t until the 19th century and the industrial revolution that locks and keys became a safe way of securing anything of importance with improved resistance to fire, chemicals, explosives and brute force.

However, as a means of security, physical keys will always remain flawed in that they can be easily copied or given to someone who you do not want to have them – a common headache for business owners. This is why in recent years we have witnessed a huge growth in the number of businesses turning to other means of access control.

In the motoring sector, many of today’s manufacturers are turning to electronic devices as a means of unlocking and even starting the engine of their cars. At present more than 80% of vehicles are accessed with some kind of electronic key fob.

The hotel industry has also begun to take note of the improved security and convenience of electronic access control with the large majority of hotels now providing guests with a key fob or card rather than a physical key which can be copied and is expensive to replace. It also provides businesses with an easy way to cut down on bills as the card has to be inserted in a holder to be triggered and cuts out as soon as it is removed – when the guest leaves the room.

Here at Gateway Automation we offer a range of secure access control equipment to businesses and individuals to protect their buildings and assets. These include push button access controls, biometric fingerprint readers, keypads, proximity devices and other exciting technology.

Whereas keys can be easily copied, our technology provides a strong barrier against unauthorised access by eliminating the need for physical keys.

Gateway Automation can provide free, no obligation quotes and feasibility surveys for your premises. To get us to assess your security requirements, please contact us here.

/ By Gateway Team / access control equipment • biometric fingerprint readers • perimeter security • security • tailgating • turnstiles/ 0 Comments

How to prevent and reduce the damage of tailgating

Tailgating is one of the most annoying lapses in security that you can have happen and unlike many other security bloopers it is often it is the result of common courtesy rather than ineptitude or criminal intentions. Picture the scene – one of your employees swipes their security fob to gain access to the front door of your building, as the door is about to swing shut they notice someone else stood there and courteously hold the door open for them.  While your employee might not realise the gravity of the situation at the time, they could have unwittingly given a criminal access to your property that could quite easily go on to commit vandalism, theft, criminal damage or even a violent crime on your premises.

What can we do to prevent tailgating?
The first place to start when it comes to defending against tailgaters is to seek out a risk assessment. A professional company will be able to take an audit of your facility analysing the strengths and weaknesses in your operations and helping to develop a security solution that protects your assets and your employees. For example a risk assessment might result in  recommendations to install waist height or half height turnstiles or biometric fingerprint readers, both of which can be effective in preventing tailgating.

While you can put lots of measures in to place to prevent tailgating, your security is only as strong as the culture you build around it. If your employees aren’t trained in the risks of tailgating, and are not told to challenge unidentified visitors then you run the risk of your systems being ineffective.

Most businesses have some kind of important asset that they need to protect, whether that is expensive equipment, confidential information, restricted chemicals or something else. This is why it is important to not only secure your entry and exit points but also to lock down any important areas of your building with high quality access control equipment.

Whether your business runs from small retail premises or a large industrial site, we can provide you with a free, no-obligation risk assessment, feasibility survey and quotation to assess your perimeter security requirements. For more information please contact us

/ By Gateway Team / access control equipment • automatic rising kerbs • barriers • bollards • crash tested road blockers • flow control plates • gates • risk assessments • security • security posts • speed ramps • turnstiles/ 0 Comments

Why physical security is crucial in protecting your business from crime

While many businesses fall back on CCTV as a low maintenance form of security, as we explained in our recent blog it is anything but an all-in-one solution. CCTV has indeed proven to be weak in many areas and it is particularly worth remembering that a camera cannot physically prevent a crime from happening, only document it taking place. It simply records the event in the hope that police or private guards can be informed in time and a conviction can be secured later on.

Here at Gateway Automation we provide full risk assessments so that we can identify any vulnerabilities and then recommend the best tailored approach to protect your business. This often means a variety of different physical barriers designed to make your property unattractive to criminals and could include one or a combination of the following protections:

Creating a robust physical perimeter around your business site should be high on your agenda, but equally it is just as important to maintain your gates, fences and other types of security solutions, for if they are damaged over time due to intrusion attempts or even just accidentally damaged in your day to day activities then they could leave you vulnerable.

This is why we offer a nationwide reactive callout service with engineer response times of 8 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours and 7 days meaning that we can get to you quickly to repair any damage and keep your business safe and secure.

To find out more about our servicing and repairs options, please visit https://www.gatewayautomation.co.uk/servicing/ or contact us on 01522 682255 for a free, no-obligation quotation and feasibility survey to assess your perimeter security needs.

/ By Gateway Team / access control equipment • access control systems • biometric fingerprint scanners • biometric identification systems • fingerprinter readers • fingerprints/ 0 Comments

Why more businesses are using biometric fingerprint readers

Fingerprint recognition technology is one of the most reliable ways to control access to unauthorised areas. Once reserved for only the most high tech of businesses, biometric fingerprint readers are now widely accepted and being increasingly used in a broad range of fields.
How do biometric fingerprint readers work?
Fingerprint recognition is the most widely used form of biometric recognition, more popular than both iris and facial recognition techniques.  The first step in this type of recognition is fingerprint template formation, which is also known as minutiae extraction. This is when the sample fingerprint is provided to the scanner and the scanner creates an 8-bit scan of the person’s fingerprint. This scan is then converted into binary code using complex algorithms. When an employee or other authorised person wants to gain access to your building, or a specific part of it, they simply need to scan their finger and the biometric reader checks its storage for a matching approved scan in a process which takes only seconds.
Why are they so popular?
Biometric devices are becoming more and more popular every day as people discover different uses for it. We often see fingerprint scanners used in airports and by police forces, but they are becoming more and more common as a method of access control. While key fobs, cards and keys are useful in preventing unauthorized personnel from accessing your property, there are occasions when they fail, such as if someone loses their keys, or has them cloned. Biometric fingerprint scanners are much more reliable as everyone’s fingerprint is unique and it is much harder to create a copy.  Other examples of biometrics being used in less obvious places include at schools as a method of checking attendance, at gyms to only provide access to paying members and as a means of payment for services and goods.
If your business needs to control access to restricted areas or has another use for biometrics then Gateway Automation can assess your requirements and provide you with a free, no-obligation quotation and feasibility survey. Click here for more information about FR-240 Biometric Fingerprint Readers, click here to arrange a callback or click here to download our free brochure.