The Player Roster - ' Roadblock' (
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: Workers Under Surveillance">
Roadblock: Workers Under Surveillance
Watching insiders, safely.
The Obstacle
Managers of ports, shipping terminals or any facility installing additional security need to make sure that employees and other people who need access to a job site don't feel like they're the individuals management is trying to keep out.
As part of a port security plan, for instance, ship crews, truck drivers and dockworkers may be asked to sit for photos, provide fingerprints and submit to intense background checks. Some may feel they are giving up too much privacy. If, after complying with all these requests, these people are still hung up at the gates—because of faulty security card scanners or just trying to figure out which key or badges gets them through a gate—they could be prone to look for ways to circumvent the system. The last thing a security-conscious seaport, government building or corporate office needs is its own employees or business partners trying to subvert electronic and physical controls.
The Response
Coordinate your efforts: There are multipurpose security cards that can be waved in front of readers to give workers access to any number of things—buildings, the cafeteria, and even computers. The ideal, says David Vogeler, a security specialist at consultancy BearingPoint, is to give workers entry to everything they need with one key or card. It not only allows them to move quickly and easily through their day, but it also gives workers a sense that the security plan is well thought out, making it easier for them to get behind the effort.
Address privacy concerns: You will need strict, but easy-to-understand privacy policies. Companies should find ways to store personal information on systems that are not on a network that can be accessed by outsiders. Thumbprint images, for instance, can be kept on smart cards and read by scanners that only need a few characteristics of the print—not the whole image—to recognize someone.
Make sure things work: The fastest way to get workers thinking about ways around a system is if that system does not work well or if it's difficult to use. After a few failed attempts to use a key or pass code to access a work area they're allowed to be in, employees are going to start coming up with ways to keep the doors unlocked. Don't put in any equipment that hasn't been thoroughly tested and make sure whatever technology you bring into the workplace is easy to use. "Complexity is the enemy," says David Black, a senior manager in the security practice at Accenture.
Form partnerships: If you really want to get employees and partners to buy into security, then make them part of the security planning team. Get the security experts to work directly with individuals in every department and service to find out if there are any fresh ideas or special needs. The security team can point out real vulnerabilities and explain how new devices or security measures will make the workplace more secure. Chances are workers will be able to show the security team vulnerabilities not discovered previously.
