Access Control and Visitor Management
What the exam tests
Access control questions test whether you can apply the same three steps to every person, vehicle, and delivery: identify, verify authorization, and record. The exam also probes tailgating, badge misuse, escort rules, and after-hours access.
Core rules
- Identify the person with a photo ID or recognised credential. A familiar face is not verification.
- Verify authorization against the approved list, host confirmation, or work order. Verbal claims such as 'the boss knows me' are not approval.
- Record name, company, purpose, time in, time out, badge number, and escort.
- Issue and recover badges. Temporary passes must be visible, time-limited, and returned. Report lost or unreturned badges at once.
- Escort visitors and contractors in restricted areas. Never leave them alone in a sensitive space.
- Control tailgating. One credential, one entry. Politely challenge anyone who follows through a door: 'May I see your pass, please?'
- Inspect deliveries and vehicles according to post orders. Check seals and manifests. Do not search a person without lawful authority or consent.
- Key control. Sign keys in and out, never leave them unattended, and report lost keys immediately.
Worked example
A contractor arrives at 22:00, says a manager approved access, but is not on the list. You do not accept the claim. You ask him to wait in the visitor area, call the named manager or the on-call approver, log the call, and issue a temporary badge only after confirmation. If no one confirms, refuse entry politely and record the refusal.
Traps
Waving through a regular visitor, skipping the sign-out, sharing a badge, accepting 'I'm with him', and letting a delivery driver roam unescorted.