June 17, 2020 Why Visitor Management is Essential Post COVID-19

To ensure public safety and a second spike in COVID-19 cases doesn’t occur understanding visitor management is essential.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world in numerous ways and has forced a number of businesses across a variety of sectors to temporarily close down or work from home in order to keep themselves and their customers safe.

With that being said, it appears that in the coming months the majority of “non-essential businesses will be returning to work thanks to the easing of the UK lockdown and more relaxed rules on social distancing.

However, the fact that businesses are returning to their premises doesn’t mean that the pandemic is over, and there are still necessary precautions that should be taken in order to ensure that everyone remains save and a second spike in COVID-19 cases doesn’t occur. For businesses this involves one major component; visitor management.

Why visitor management matters

The process of visitor management allows you to keep a record of every client, job candidate and even contractor that may enter your place of work. Whilst before it served as a way of preventing unauthorised access it can now be used to ensure that people are being protected from COVID-19 and reassure employees that they are being kept safe.

This step should be taken by employers who should be putting their employees healthy and safety above all else and should be conducted in accordance with government guidelines and may be subject change as they do.

How to update and implement your visitor management system

A COVID-19 visitor management system should revolve around the health and safety of everyone on your premises and aim to protect them and yourself as well as others.

There are many things an updated visitor management system should consider including:

• Conveying policy changes to permitted visitors
• Alerting employees when there is a new visitor
• How visitors will be identified and screened at the door
• How visitors will be checked out as well as in
• Where will visitors be permitted to go

Each business will likely have their own COVID-19 visitor management system and there is no concrete method that is applicable to all businesses. However taking into account these specific considerations will ensure that your management system, however it is executed, has the health and safety of your business and your employees at its core.

With that being said, a sufficient post COVID-19 visitor management system could include the touchless check in of visitors, health and safety screenings ahead of the visitation date and visitor monitoring when they are on the premises

These three elements can be implemented in a variety of ways but aim to ensure that a visitor does not have COVID-19 when they arrive and that they are monitored during the visit as a precaution.

Alternatively, there are options around digital visitor management systems, designed to limit human contact in accordance with government guidelines and advice. Additional benefits of digital visitor management systems and access control systems include the ability tom pre register visitors, automatic alerts when visitors arrive and leave and increased security over a traditional or paper based visitor management system.

Overall, a post COVID-19 visitor management system relies on being proactive to stay ahead of the current crisis we all face and doing everything we can to limit the infection and prevent a second spike in cases.

It is essential that you monitor with caution and always keep up to date on the latest government rules, regulations and advice to ensure that you, as an employer or business owner, are taking the necessary precautions to protect your business and your employees from potential risk.

Newgate are specialists in providing businesses through the UK and around the world with secured access solutions such as security barriers and gates, bollards and road blockers.

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