See why access control is critical for protecting workers, meeting regulations, and keeping industrial operations efficient and secure.
Industrial sites such as factories and manufacturing plants face a range of security and safety challenges. In this regard, access control can play an effective role. This article looks at how access control solutions can do a good job securing workers and assets at industrial sites.
Industrial sites are places where the production of goods and products takes place. Protection is therefore much needed, not just for the workers at the site but also for various assets that are key to production. These include:
Equipment and machinery: These include production machinery such as CNC machines, presses, turbines and conveyor systems. Heavy equipment and automation systems such as forklifts, cranes and trucks are critical in industrial sites, too.
Materials and inventory: These include raw materials such as metals, chemicals, fuels, wood and plastics. Partially assembled goods, finished goods and ready-for-shipment products are highly valuable, too.
Technology and control systems: Industrial control systems such as SCADA and HMI panels, and IoT sensors such as pressure, flow, vibration and temperature sensors are all examples of technology and control systems that are key in industrial sites.
How access control can help
Securing the aforementioned assets and the people who operate them presents various challenges for industrial site administrators. Luckily, these challenges can be addressed with access control solutions.
“Industrial sites are complex environments with high-value assets, strict safety regulations, and large, dynamic workforces. Operators face challenges such as securing hazardous areas, preventing unauthorized access, and ensuring smooth movement of staff, contractors and visitors without creating bottlenecks. Modern access control solutions address these challenges by providing scalable, intelligent and role-based security frameworks,” said Prabhuraj Patil, Senior Director for Physical Access Control Solutions, ASEAN and India Subcontinent, at HID.
He adds: “For example, access rights can be tailored to specific job functions, ensuring only trained and authorized personnel enter sensitive areas, thereby reducing both security and safety risks. By combining robust physical security with digital identity management, operators gain better visibility into site operations, enhance accountability, and reduce the likelihood of incidents that could disrupt productivity or regulatory compliance.”
Justin Wilmas, EVP of Sales at, Acre Security, echoes those remarks. “Protecting specialized equipment, safeguarding production data, and ensuring only the right people have access to restricted areas are daily challenges,” he said. “In the access control sector, our role is to provide systems that give operators the confidence to manage these risks without slowing down operations. Role-based access, live monitoring, and hazard alerts help keep operations moving – safely and efficiently. Just as importantly, our systems scale with growth and integrate easily, strengthening security as operations evolve.”
Areas where access control can help
In particular, access control can benefit industrial sites on several fronts. These include the following:
Security/occupational safety
As mentioned earlier, industrial sites are home to skilled workers and valuable assets. Access control plays a key role protecting them. “Industrial facilities face escalating cyber and physical threats, with attacks on manufacturing increasing by 105 percent in recent years. Access control prevents unauthorized entry and protects critical zones. During emergencies, instant visibility into personnel locations can mean the difference between life and death,” said Hanchul Kim, CEO of Suprema, adding the company's AI-powered platform delivers predictive security intelligence that identifies threats before they materialize.
“Restricting access to hazardous environments only to certified personnel helps prevent accidents. Integration with safety training databases can ensure compliance before access is granted,” Patil said.
Regulatory compliance
Industrial sites are subject to various compliance requirements, and access control solutions do a good job ensuring that industrial sites are compliance-ready.
“Industrial sites face strict regulations such as US’s OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and Korea’s Serious Accident Punishment Act. Modern access control systems complied with GDPR, NIS2 and so on, provide audit-ready logs, and time-stamped entry/exit records, and credential management workflows for contractors and visitors, simplifying compliance reporting,” Kim said.
Operational efficiency
Needless to say, industrial sites administrators place a high priority on operational efficiency, which can also be enhanced with access control solutions. “Modern industrial operations demand precision timing and workforce optimization. Our integrated time and attendance functionality delivers ROI through accurate labor tracking, reducing payroll discrepancies while enabling real-time workforce analytics,” Kim said.
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