Optex newsletter may2020 access security

In a high-security environment or anywhere where it is important to manage the flow of people, any breach of the rules need to be detected. This could be a person walking the opposite direction to where he / she should be walking or an unauthorised person following an authorised individual through an access door. OPTEX provides two detection systems that can help.

Enforcing one-way flow

It is easier to secure an area when there is a clear entry point and a one-way system leading to an exit point. Airports are designed that way where passengers are following a one-way path through security and the boarding gate, and on arrival they are channelled to passport control and baggage reclaim. No one should walk in the opposite direction, exiting the security check area or entering through the baggage claim exit door as it will create an obvious security threat.

A single direction flow of people is not only applicable for airports but across industries such museums, event venues, law enforcement institutions or anywhere where it is safer or more secure to get people moving in one direction only.

Optex r1002 detection schematic JPG

Detecting people walking in the opposite direction to an allocated channel will alert the monitoring staff of anyone not complying and allowing them to investigate why. This is exactly what our Accurance R1002 does: it provides reverse detection, comprising one PoE ceiling-mounted sensor that detects the direction people are going and a control box that communicates with a security or access control system to generate an alarm.

When mounted at 4m the unit can track the reverse detection within an area of 4m wide; three sensors can be mounted in parallel to cover an area of 11.4 m wide.

Tailgating detection (single door application)

The security of a site, intellectual property and valuable assets can be compromised if an unauthorised person manages to access a secure area. This can happen during normal office hours when an authorised member of staff is followed by an intruder without his/ her knowledge. Detecting tailgating activity is critical to alerting the security team of any breach into a controlled area. OPTEX Accurance OV-102 can detect three different types of situations:

Optex ov 102 tailgating scenario
  • An individual has been followed by another one through the door. It will raise an alarm.
Optex ov 102 cross entry scenario
  • A person has exited the room at the same time as another one has entered it; one of the two individuals hasn’t presented his/ her access control credentials which is a concern and needs to be reported.
Optex ov 102 multiple detection scenario
  • If two people are standing in an area intended to a single occupancy. In this situation the system can be configured to prevent the access door to open.

The system consists of multi-directional human sensor and counter together with a control box which manages the alarm inputs and outputs.