Evacuations and lockdowns are two events no organization wants to face, but every organization should be prepared for. They often happen in response to particularly dangerous situations that pose an immediate threat to people and property. It can be difficult to know how and when to make the decision to lockdown or evacuate, and it can be even more difficult to manage once the decision has been made. In either case, it requires organizations plan, test and have the right tools in place to reach all of their people quickly with information on what actions they should take to stay safe.
Unfortunately, the pandemic has forced many people and businesses to reconsider biometric technology. With the COVID-19 virus spreading easily through touchpoints, fingerprint scanners can quickly become a source for infections, especially in public spaces. Offices and ATMs contain many points of contact, and maintaining cleanliness on surfaces is nearly impossible. Unfortunately, these high traffic areas are also frequently the ones that would benefit the most from increased security.
It’s easy to see why the Open Supervised Device Protocol (OSDP), has become the security industry’s gold standard for access control installations. It enhances security, adds flexibility and makes systems easy to update and integrate with other devices. The Security Industry Association (SIA), with significant input from manufacturers and integrators, introduced OSDP in 2011 and it is now recommended for any public or private enterprise installation requiring a high level of security. Earlier this year, the International Electrotechnical Commission approved OSDP as an international standard.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that shootings at K-12 schools most commonly resulted from disputes or grievances, for example, between students or staff, or between gangs, although the specific characteristics of school shootings over the past 10 years varied widely, according to GAO's analysis of the Naval Postgraduate School's K-12 School Shooting Database.
I was very pleased to learn the ASIS Global Board of Directors unanimously approved the “Thin Purple Line” initiative at their June 22, 2020 board meeting.
Since joining the University of Utah as the inaugural Chief Safety Officer (CSO) in February 2020, Marlon Lynch has reorganized the structure of the Department of Public Safety. The changes, which include the addition of new leadership throughout the organization and the elevation and growth of existing divisions, increases capacity, improves accountability and better meets the needs of the U community.
California has adopted new workplace safety standards to protect agricultural employees who harvest, operate vehicles and do other jobs between sunset and sunrise.
Expect the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic to bring lasting changes to our lives, from the way we authenticate identity to how we open doors – and even use public restrooms. If there’s a theme among these changes, it’s that they will favor contactless solutions. The use of biometrics to authenticate employees and customers has snowballed over the last decade. Expect demand from public and private organizations to grow even faster as they require accurate identification of workers, students, patients and many more people in response to new challenges resulting from the virus.
RSS
