Using a blocklist to secure your workplace

Pen-and-paper visitor logs may have sufficed thirty years ago, but traditional screening methods are not enough to stop clever tactics (like tailgating) or protect against a live threat. There's also the issue of compliance management. 

Laws, such as California Senate Bill 553 (SB 553), require businesses to prevent unauthorized (and possibly dangerous) individuals from entering their workplaces. Failure to comply can lead to massive fines and, in some cases, criminal charges. For example, non-compliance with the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) can result in civil fines as high as $500,000 per violation and criminal penalties of up to $1,000,000 with ten years of imprisonment. And, if an employee is injured onsite, they can seek financial compensation through a worker's compensation claim or even a personal injury lawsuit—if negligence can be proven.

Given all these issues, it makes sense why so many businesses are using a visitor management system (VMS) to not only digitally log visitors but also screen them against third-party watch lists and internal blocklists. Instant, automated identity screenings have become a must in today's complex regulatory and security landscape.

Why you should use a blocklist for your workplace

Blocklists help prevent unauthorized entry by screening individuals against predefined lists of restricted parties. Integrating a blocklist with a VMS offers several key benefits:

1. Better workplace security. Businesses can prevent unauthorized access and stop tailgating and piggybacking, ensuring only authorized personnel can enter their workplace.
2. Effective visitor screening. An internal blocklist helps businesses prevent access to former, disgruntled employees or hostile competitors by automatically flagging these individuals when they attempt to enter the premises. By integrating their internal blocklist with a VMS, businesses can instantly recognize and respond to these high-risk individuals.
3. Easier compliance support. Blocklists are particularly useful for catching individuals known to be compliance risks. ITAR and Export Administration Regulations (EAR) prohibit access to foreign nationals unless they have been specifically authorized. Additionally, blocklists help maintain detailed, digitized records for potential audits.
4. Increased efficiency and automation. A VMS can screen guests in seconds, speeding up check-ins and reducing your staff's workload. Real-time alerts (when someone on the blocklist attempts to check in) can also help security teams respond more quickly to security threats.
5. Accurate visitor tracking and reporting. When a guest's information matches an entry on a blocklist, a VMS records details like the time and date, the reason for the block, and the actions taken by security staff. This creates a comprehensive digital record that can be easily accessed for audits, compliance reviews, and future investigations.

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Challenges associated with screening visitors

Visitor screening comes with many potential pitfalls. That's mainly due to the complexity and evolving nature of security threats. But that isn't the only headache:

• Keeping up with compliance. There are various laws and regulations that have overlapping requirements for visitor screening and access control. For example, failing to screen against ITAR or EAR-restricted lists can result in severe penalties and compromise national security.
• Maintaining accuracy and efficiency. Manually screening visitors can be time-consuming and prone to human error. This can lead to missed matches on a blocklist or watchlist.
• Striking a balance between security and visitor experience. Complicated processes can frustrate visitors and disrupt your staff's workflow. Relying on outdated pen-and-paper processes often creates a slow, inconsistent experience, leaving a poor first impression.
• Responding to real-time threats. The time it takes to address a security threat is the true indicator of how secure a workplace actually is. Automated visitor screening solutions can flag when someone on a blocklist tries to check in and immediately alert security teams.

Screening guests with Envoy Visitors

Regardless of where you're in a corporate office, manufacturing plant, or lab facility, you need a modern solution to screen guests. Envoy Visitors handles visitor screening and security alerts instantly and discreetly in the background, so everyone feels welcomed while your workplace is kept safe. 

Our solution can automatically check visitors against restricted party lists through integrations with restricted party screening solutions like Visual Compliance. If a guest appears on one of your blocklists or watchlists, the system immediately alerts security personnel. 

Envoy Visitors also addresses many of the challenges associated with visitor screenings by creating a streamline, efficient, and compliant process:

1. Automated guest check-ins. Envoy helps businesses automate visitor screening by integrating directly with systems like Visual Compliance and LenelS2 Netbox. The result? There's no need for tedious, long check-ins. Envoy also lets you add an extra layer of security (without adding additional steps, of course) via ID scanning and photo capture capabilities.
2. Comprehensive visitor screening. Businesses may need to manage their own blocklist for former employees or known high-risk individuals, but they may also need to integrate with another third-party watchlist (or two) to protect against bad actors who are not on an internal list. Envoy enables businesses to do both to fully secure their workplace.
3. Regulatory compliance. By automatically screening visitors, Envoy Visitors helps organizations comply with regulations like ITAR, EAR, and SB 553. The system also maintains detailed records of all guest screenings, which can be essential for future audits.
4. Enhanced efficiency and experience. Automating visitor check-ins and screenings can speed up the check-in process, minimizing wait times for visitors and creating a smoother experience. Envoy Visitors also has a user-friendly interface that's easy to use for both employees and guests.
5. Faster security response. When a guest's information matches a restricted party list or blocklist, Envoy Visitors immediately notifies designated security personnel through email, SMS, or internal communication tools (e.g., Slack). Security teams can then quickly assess the situation and take immediate action—by contacting the authorities and deploying their emergency notification plan.

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How are you providing coverage for your front desk when it's unattended? Check out our latest webinar, "Rethinking the Welcome: Introducing Envoy's Virtual Front Desk," to learn how to manage unstaffed entrances and supplement a lean reception staff.