Access control: a key element in the field of CAE

Access control is a service commonly used by companies in many different sectors. There are several reasons for this, but the main one is the contribution that this service makes to the proper functioning of the CAE.

In order for you to understand this service in more detail, we are going to dedicate this article to explaining it to you.

What is access control and how does it relate to CAE?

An external personnel control system is, fundamentally, a way to carry out access control to workplaces of any kind.

We start from the idea that a company has certain facilities on its property. In them, both employees and outsiders enter, as well as suppliers, visitors and other profiles. Sometimes it can be difficult to check whether or not a certain individual has actually accessed the centre at a certain time.

This is where access control comes into play. In short, these can be defined as services designed to determine who enters and leaves a building, as well as the exact time at which they do so. This involves real-time control, but also storing a memory for a certain period of time.

CAE is the coordination of business activities. Its main purpose is to reduce as much as possible the possible risks that may exist in a particular workplace, in order to avoid any problems that may arise.

The main interest of the CAE is, therefore, to prevent risks in order to avoid accidents within a company's facilities.

Why is it important to have access control in companies?

Enterprise access control is fundamental to enterprise security and critical infrastructure, as it ensures the protection of sensitive systems and data against internal and external threats. In the context of critical infrastructures, such as energy, transportation and healthcare, access control addresses the management and regulation of who is allowed to access critical systems, networks and resources. This involves implementing measures such as multi-factor authentication, segmented access control and monitoring access activities to detect and prevent intrusions. A comprehensive access control approach is essential to safeguard the integrity, confidentiality and availability of critical infrastructure assets against cyber-attacks and other threats.

In addition to the cases of companies and special institutions, any company has the duty to protect its own information, employee information (e.g. company records) and customer information. Adequate access control for companies prevents not only digital attacks, but also face-to-face threats that can jeopardize the stability of the company itself. 

The benefits of access control for the CAE

Now that you have the fundamental ideas about access control systems and the nature and purpose of the CAE, all that remains is to determine the benefits of the access control system.

It must be understood that risk prevention starts from the knowledge of the people who could potentially face such risks. Thus, if a facility is accessed by people without any kind of control, it is never known exactly who is doing what and what is the responsibility of each individual at any given moment. This blurs the risks and makes it very difficult to determine and address them.

However, by introducing worker access control, such problems disappear. You have both real-time control and the memory of what happened.

At Dokify we find your solution

At dokify, we have developed various options for access control and are continually improving them. At the same time, dokify checks in real time that all requirements, both company and employee, are currently being fulfilled. All documents must be attached and validated correctly. Our validation service offers the option of urgent validation, which facilitates almost immediate validation, also on weekends and public holidays, to cover cases of rotations or last minute needs.

These functionalities are included in our Enterprise licenses for companies with the role of owner or main company at no additional cost, unless it is necessary to develop some integration functionality with other systems involved.

Some of the options available to us are:

• The most basic thing: search in dokify for the external employee and check directly on his dashboard if he is in green. If we click on "Log in" we will check in and dokify will know that this person is in the corresponding center. When he/she leaves, click on "Check out".
• Using a cell phone and the dokify QR card. The contractor downloads the QR carnet from dokify and gives it to his employee. This card is valid for all your customer sites that request documentation through dokify. The QR-Card can be read with a cell phone to check the correctness of the documentation and register the access.
• Autonomous access control with webcam. This option does not require the intervention of a person to record access. The external employee accesses with his QR card and presents it to a computer camera. The computer reads the card, automatically checks if the employee is green and communicates the registration or rejection of the same.
• Autonomous access control with independent device. This option is similar to the previous one, but we use an independent device, which reads the card without the need of a computer. This device can be installed in any location as long as we provide an internet connection and power supply.
• Opening of turnstiles, doors or other physical barriers. Using the previous option, with an independent device, we can act, for example, on the opening of a door. One application scenario is as follows: a carrier brings his QR card to a reader to be read, it is automatically checked in real time on dokify that it is green, and a gate is automatically opened for him to access his vehicle to the workplace.
• Other options. We can integrate dokify with different devices and use other types of identification other than our QR card. These can be for example fingerprint or ID card.

If you want to close the circle of the CAE, we recommend using dokify access control. And if you also want to register your visits in dokify, you can use our visitor module.

We continuously improve our CAE platform to make the coordination of business activities and requirements management faster, more efficient and easier.

Access control in companies for supplier management

Access control in companies is a basic tool for managing and monitoring the entry and exit of suppliers, thus guaranteeing security and operational efficiency. This system allows the establishment of specific protocols for suppliers, ensuring that they only have access to authorized areas and at permitted times, minimizing the risk of unauthorized intrusions and protecting intellectual property and company assets.

Through the use of advanced technologies, such as access cards, biometric identification systems or numeric codes, companies can accurately record the movement of suppliers within the facility. This facilitates a detailed audit of who accesses the company, when and for how long, enabling more effective security and logistics management.

In addition, access control helps to strengthen relationships with suppliers by demonstrating a commitment to security and professionalism. Implementing a secure access control system is therefore essential for any company seeking to protect its operations and maintain a safe and controlled working environment, ensuring that only authorized persons can access its facilities and resources.

The use of digital tools for access to companies

The use of digital solutions for access control in companies has experienced significant growth in recent years due to its efficiency and versatility. These solutions use technologies such as proximity cards, QR codes, facial or biometric recognition and cloud-based control systems to manage and monitor the access of employees, visitors and suppliers.

One of the main advantages of these solutions is their ability to improve security by preventing unauthorized entry to facilities. In addition, they offer a higher level of control and traceability, allowing companies to know who accesses which areas and at what times.

Another key benefit is process automation, which reduces the administrative burden and optimizes resource management. In addition, by integrating with other enterprise systems, such as human resource management systems, these solutions can facilitate personnel administration and reporting.

The use of digital access control solutions not only improves security and operational efficiency, but also provides companies with greater visibility and control over their facilities.

Legislation regulating the CAE in Spain

The legislation related to the Coordination of Business Activities (CAE) addresses the management of occupational risks when several companies operate in the same place. Law 31/1995 on Occupational Risk Prevention, in its Article 24, establishes the obligation of coordination between companies to guarantee the safety and health of workers.

Royal Decree 171/2004 focuses on industrial activities and establishes specific measures to prevent occupational risks in this sector, some of them related to access control.

Royal Decree 1627/97 applies to construction activities and establishes health and safety measures for construction sites, including practices related to CAE.

On the other hand, Royal Decree 5/2000, imposes the obligation to keep documentation related to occupational risk prevention, including documents generated within the framework of the CAE. This ensures that adequate records are available to document and evaluate the occupational risks associated with business activities, facilitating supervision and compliance with occupational safety regulations.

Together, these laws form a comprehensive legal framework that seeks to protect the safety and health of workers in various industrial sectors, establishing requirements for proper coordination and documentation at the CAE level.

Integrating the CAE system with other digital solutions

Integrating a Business Activity Coordination system with other digital systems, already present in the company, is essential to optimize occupational safety management and operational efficiency. Integration can be achieved through standard interfaces and communication protocols that allow data transfer between systems.

For example, the CAE system can be integrated with the human resources management system to synchronize information about workers and contractors or suppliers. In addition, integration with access control systems can facilitate the management of permits and the monitoring of the presence of workers in the workplace.

This integration not only improves data accuracy and coordination between departments, it also streamlines administrative processes and strengthens workplace safety by ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements in all areas of the company.

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