Certified Contractors
Facility management involves a lot more than just signing in guests these days. Inconsistent screening and unrestricted access to facilities can create risk and liability, from theft and data breaches to workplace violence. Effectively managing on-site safety requires a combination of vetting contractors to ensure they meet your industry and business's safety standards before they walk on-site.
Ensuring the potential risk-level of vendors and contractors can seem overwhelming, especially when it comes to screening and efficiently managing access as new contractors come and go. However, this article simplifies the process. Here are four tips for enhancing your security and contractor certification process this year.
1: Review Your Access Tools and Technology
Effective visitor management isn't just about safety—it's also about creating a seamless experience that saves time. Staying ahead of tech for security and access as facility needs evolve can help create a safer, more secure environment for everyone on a job site. It may take some time to adapt and implement, but with the right tools, you can find the right balance between security and efficiency, creating an investment that pays off in the long run.
Technology is revolutionizing contractor site access management with mobile-friendly visitor management systems, QR codes, and more. Cutting-edge vendor screening programs like Certified Contractors are leading the way to easy-to-implement safety solutions. A move toward app or web-based solutions is leading the way in contractor certification and management, allowing contractors to use their personal devices for registration and reducing administrative burdens.
On top of that, assigning temporary badges with limited access controls helps distinguish visitors from employees and ensures access is restricted based on necessity.
2: Get Rid of the Paper Logbooks—for Good
Speaking of site access tech and relieving the administrative load, shouldn't your vendor and contractor logging process change with the times, too? If you still use paper sign-in sheets, maybe it is time for an upgrade. Switching to a digital visitor management system simplifies the check-in process, making on-site visitor management easier and more efficient with real-time tracking capabilities. Automating your check-in process simplifies building access management, reduces the risk of human error, increases visibility, and saves time. Certified Contractors provides easy QR code access badges to confirm a contractor or vendor’s access rights on the spot, making the process even easier.
3. Establishing Clear Security Policies and Monitoring Activity
Hospitals may have unique visitor access requirements, such as linking entry permissions to specific patients and adjusting limits based on medical conditions. On the other hand, government buildings may enforce stricter security clearances and require meticulous visitor tracking to meet regulatory and auditing standards. Every site is different, but all visitors and contractors on-site should understand security expectations.
Posting clear policies and requiring acknowledgment up front helps reinforce compliance and accountability. It starts with determining who should have access first and setting clear guidelines.
- Set access control measures and make your access rules clear. For example, sites that participate in the Certified Contractors program are provided with decals, badges, and letter templates to notify contractors and vendors that access requires certification.
- Implement a clear visitor policy that requires sign-in, temporary badges, and escort if needed.
- Provide clear training for staff and site contractors with regular security briefings.
While clear access methods and leveraging technology are important considerations for an up-to-date visitor management system, it doesn't always include a review of dangerous behavior history. Clear policies and regular updates help maintain security, but one of the best ways to mitigate risk is by filtering who steps on-site to begin with. That's where background checks come in, ensuring that only trusted individuals gain entry.
4: Pre-Screening and Background Checks
You wouldn't leave the front door of your house open for just anyone to walk in. The door stays locked, and a key to enter is only given to those you trust. Contractor certification is similar, and consistent screening that meets your industry and organization's standards is the key. Staying ahead of best practices as facility needs evolve ensures a safer, more secure environment for everyone involved. The best way to manage visitor access is by filtering who comes through the door from the start.
Certified Contractors offers facility managers an easy way to find on-site vendors screened to their unique security and compliance standards and a simple verification process to fit their current system. With multiple certification levels, you can easily align standards for criminal background checks, drug testing, and ongoing monitoring based on your facility's specific requirements for contractors and everyday employees. Learn more about finding vendors consistently screened to your standards at Certified Contractors.