Want to improve resident access and security for your unattended or remote waste facilities? Or perhaps you would like to transform your secured and staffed facility into an automated one?
When you have waste facilities in remote locations that are unattended, it can be difficult trying to keep these facilities secure yet also accessible to those who need them. Alternatively, if you have a low use, secure site where cost of operation exceeds the revenue or value of service, it can be hard to justify the operations. But these challenges can be overcome with remote/unattended waste management solutions available through Mandalay’s Resident Access Control solution.
Common Challenges and Solutions
Councils face a number of challenges at certain waste facilities which results in them seeking out automated options. We have listed some of the most common challenges below along with possible solutions for each. These solutions along with many other features and benefits are included in Mandalay’s Resident Access Control solution.
Operating Costs
Challenge: Operating costs exceed the revenue or value of service at a facility due to low use.
Solution: Transform the site into an unattended and automated facility to reduce operating costs while maintaining site access for the community.
Unauthorised Residents
Challenge: Unauthorised residents from outside your council area accessing unattended facilities.
Solution: Installing an authentication system that only allows authorised residents to access the remote site.
Security
Challenge: Inability to keep unattended sites secure.
Solution: Having suitable fencing and gates in place along with installing a keypad for authorised residents and using onsite cameras to keep a record of who has accessed your site.
Record of Site Access
Challenge: No transparency or record of those who are accessing the site and dumping materials.
Solution: An electronic ID is used which is unique to each user, and its use is logged to enable reporting of facility use.
Accountability
Challenge: Accountability for illegal dumping of materials within the site.
Solution: Capturing images of the facility and facility visitors combined with authenticated access to identify who is responsible for site misuse and ultimately deter illegal dumping.
Control of Operations
Challenge: An unattended facility means having limited control of operations.
Solution: Fully automated and authenticated entry and exit into a site delivers site security and access transparency with staff not needing to be onsite.
Visibility
Challenge: Little or no visibility of what is occurring on site.
Solution: The use of cameras allows councils to capture and access historical records of site access without the need for the site to be attended.
Site Hours of Operation
Challenge: Limited control over site hours of operation once a site becomes unattended.
Solution: Improve your waste facility service and access by having better control over hours of operation including when the site is unattended.
How to Implement These Solutions and Provide Secure Access to Your Remote Waste Facility
Understanding what the solutions are is one thing but knowing how to action and implement these solutions is a must to truly visualise how this solution could work at your facilities. Read on to see exactly what is involved in this new and improved process of providing automated access to authenticated residents.
How do Authenticated Residents Gain Access to your Facility?
The purpose of Resident Access Control is to enable authenticated residents to have access to and from your unattended facility. This authentication occurs when a resident enters their unique issued code into a keypad located at the site gate.
The unique code may include the following:
- The property identifier: This could be council’s property assessment number.
- The resident’s unique pin: Likely to be a randomly generated 4-digit pin.
When authentication is successful, an automated gate at the facility will open giving the resident access to the facility and an image is taken for historical audit purposes.
How to Give Authenticated Residents an Access Code to Enter the Site
There are 3 ways to provide an access code to a member of your community for authentication. The option used will depend on how your council prefers to operate.
1. Rates Notice
Access codes can be bulk issued to ratepayers with their rates notices.
2. Council Office
A resident shows their ID at the council offices. Council staff check one of the following forms of identification: Tenancy Agreement, Divers Licence, Electricity Bill or Gas Bill. Once their identity is confirmed, the code is issued.
3. Telephone
A resident or ratepayer phones council and confirms their identity. Their pin number is sent to their property by mail or issued over the phone.
An Example of How Resident Access Control Can Operate
Resident Access Control can be implemented in multiple ways. Here is one example of what the steps might look like to implement and operate Resident Access Control for your council:
- Council provides Mandalay with a list of eligible properties and ratepayers.
- Ratepayers receive a fact sheet explaining how the system works and how the sites can be accessed. Information sessions can also be held for additional education purposes.
- The access code (pin) is distributed with the rates notice.
- The mechanised security fence at the entrance activates for both opening and closing when a pre-issued access code (pin) is entered by an authenticated resident/ratepayer.
- The access code is linked to a resident’s unique property, followed by a 4-digit PIN. The code is unique to the resident and can’t be replicated.
- When the access code is entered, it initiates in Mandalay’s system which records the details of the user. The system also activates the camera at the gate which captures the resident and vehicle accessing the site.
- If illegal activity occurs, Council can trace back to who has entered and verify using the gate and camera footage back to the activity, the time, the vehicle and the designated Pin. Each failed attempt at entry is also captured on photo and recorded.
If your council is looking for a better way to keep remote or unattended sites secure or if you would like to transform your staffed facility into an automated / unattended one, speak with our team at Mandalay to discover the solutions we can provide for your operations with Resident Access Control.
