The role of security integrators in preventing tailgating

Prevention makes tailgating impossible or extremely difficult due to the full height of an entrance

Findings from the 2014 Tailgating Survey by Boon Edam Inc., Lillington, North Carolina, found that more than 85 percent of the 250 integrator and end-user respondents were not tracking the number of tailgating incidents.

In the access control industry, tailgating is when an unauthorised person follows an authorised personnel through a controlled entrance.

More than 50 percent of the respondents estimated the cost of a breach due to tailgating between $150,000 and “too high to measure.” More than 70 percent of respondents said they felt vulnerable to the threat of a breach from tailgating. The survey data clearly indicates a strong market for products and strategies to mitigate the threat of a breach from tailgating. Those numbers signal additional opportunities for security integrators in installing turnstiles at entrances and other key areas of the protected premises. Recurring revenue is also a typical part of any electromechanical equipment, derived from preventative maintenance and service.

SourceSecurity.com: How can integrators get better involved in the pedestrian security entrance market and what do they need to know about tailgating to better educate current or potential customers?

Perkins: The most critical impact discussion an integrator can have with a potential customer related to the distinction between tailgating “detection” and “prevention.”  All physical pedestrian security design and implementation is dependent upon this distinction. Let’s think about the difference between the terms detection and prevention. Detection is when a sensor system alarms to signal a response from security staff if unauthorised users are physically able to tailgate, jump over or crawl under a pedestrian security entrance. Most optical turnstiles fall into this category.

Prevention makes tailgating impossible or extremely difficult due to the full height of an entrance (to preventing jumping over) and sophisticated sensors that can detect tailgating and reject the user. Security revolving doors and mantrap portals fall into this category.

SourceSecurity.com: Where are some common areas and new areas where these products may be specified?

Perkins: Pedestrian barrier designs are typically applied to any control point, starting from the exterior perimeter and layering your security as you move to the interior of the facility. Full-height turnstiles with handicap access gate designs are typically located at perimeter points along a fence line. The most common exterior designs utilise utilise a full-height turnstile transitioning from a parking lot or public access point at the street level into the private secured area. This product/design provides limited tailgating prevention, and has no integrated alarms or automated detection capabilities. They are often paired with surveillance cameras for this reason.

The next layer would be the access points at the envelope of the buildings. Security revolving doors are the most common specified products because they have unique design and functionality attributes. Security revolving doors provide the highest level of unmanned automated tailgating detection and prevention. In fact, some new security revolving doors and mantrap products can accurately report metrics for alarms, false rejections, and most importantly, accurately assess false acceptance probabilities.

This is critical for the integrator because if they can accurately predict the outcome and limitations of any physical security design, then manpower recommendations, along with the other evidence collection systems, can be properly allocated to mitigate the known risk. This allows the integrator to precisely and accurately represent to the end-user customer exactly what has been accomplished as a result of this design implementation and capital expenditure spend.

SourceSecurity.com: Do you see any emerging specification trends?

Perkins: There are two very strong trends and some emerging applications. First would be in high-rise buildings. Typically, there will be optical turnstiles in the lobby and elevator access points. The trend is for optical turnstiles to be integrated with visitor and elevator management systems. This creates a more efficient flow of employees and guests and greater tailgating buffers. Since optical turnstiles cannot prevent tailgating, the value comes from making it more difficult to navigate your way within a facility upon a false acceptance or breach. 

The second application is more conceptual and emerging, but also applicable to the high-rise scenario.  It is the deployment of security revolving doors upon exiting elevators, and at the entrance points to all the buildings within a campus. The unique design attributes of a security revolving door to both detect and prevent tailgating are utilised within a mass notification system. These systems are becoming firmware- and software-driven, interfacing with all common forms of communication and social media. These systems are designed to manage new and emerging threats we face today, such as bio-chemical attacks, flash mobs or an active shooter. 

SourceSecurity.com: So integrators have a lot to think about.

Perkins: In today’s world, the integrator is faced with ominous new challenges that go far beyond the typical issues, such as theft, or passive protestors utilising signage and property defamation. Integrators now are being asked to mitigate the threat of domestic violence, active shooter, and terrorism, which now must include life-saving measures. Whether it is an active shooter or domestic disputes, the reputation of the company and the safety of the employees now are now a central to the need; to provide both detection and prevention in tailgating designs. As a result, the integrator’s role in tailgating prevention is necessarily growing and has expanded into much larger and more complex issues.