One of the biggest access control risks at residential estates is when residents themselves become the source of the security risk.
Security risk assessment residential estates: This happens when residents bypass the estate’s security rules, especially the access control rules. They pick up individuals like domestic workers, garden workers, builders, or anyone else and drive them into the estate without following proper procedures. Since residents have full access, they bypass security, allowing unvetted individuals, without proper identification, into the estate. Security remains unaware of their presence.
If, for example, a builder decides to enter/leave the estate without proper identification or registration, the situation becomes highly dangerous. Security wouldn’t have any record of the person’s name or appearance. This is a significant risk, as residents themselves contribute to compromising security. While residents typically want security and complain when things go wrong, they sometimes don’t realize they are part of the problem.
Many residents don’t understand that their negligent actions can lead to serious consequences, including crimes.
A prime example is the Featherbrooke case, where individuals were taken to court for negligence, as it was believed their actions contributed to the incident. Residents need to understand that if a serious crime occurs, such as murder or rape, and it’s linked to someone they brought into the estate without proper clearance, they could be held accountable. Their own neighbors, along with the management, directors, and security company, even their own friends, could take them to court for their negligence.
In some estates, such breaches have even led to murders, highlighting the severity of this issue. Residents should sign a document accepting responsibility for anyone they bring onto the estate and acknowledge that bypassing security violates estate rules, making them liable for any issues if something goes wrong.
I’m not referring to family members
Like your mother or brother, but rather to temporary workers, those you pick up to clean the garden, move items, or do small construction tasks. If you observe the estate on weekend mornings, you’ll notice residents driving in with such workers, often unnoticed by security because they are preoccupied with other tasks. It’s not the fault of security; residents must recognize their own role in ensuring the estate’s safety. They cannot assume they have the right to bypass security as they please.
This issue represents one of the biggest risks to access control—
When residents themselves become the weak link in the estate’s security. For solutions on these types of security risks, read through your risk assessment report.
Article written by Andre Mundell, independent security risk advisor at Alwinco. #security risk assessment residential estates
Our security risk assessment projects include strategic locations such as Bloemfontein, La Lucia, Kimberly, Midrand, Fourways, Tshwane North, and Waverly in South Africa.