Long before the COVID-19 pandemic, schools have taken precautionary steps for visitor verification and identification for the sake of security. They have also had to go a long way to make sure that visitors do not come into the school without safely checking in via the lobby.
However, funneling everyone in and out of the same small-ish indoor space has created new health hazards considering the pandemic and what future health and safety guidelines might lie ahead.
One of the simplest steps for safety in this strange time is to limit the number of people coming in and out of the school.
As the CDC put it: “Limit any nonessential visitors, volunteers, and activities involving external groups or organizations as possible – especially with individuals who are not from the local geographic area (e.g., community, town, city, county).”
Other visitor security steps may include:
1. Visitor management software (VMS).
VMS is an electronic version of the visitor sign-in sheet (or visitor logbook) that has been used in facilities for years and is being implemented more frequently in schools across the country. While more expensive than a traditional sign-in logbook, visitor management software offers a more efficient sign-in process.
2. Require every visitor to wear a badge while on school grounds.
It is not enough to simply document the visitor’s arrival at the building. Staff will not have to wonder who is roaming the halls if the visitor is wearing a visitor badge. Some visitor badges change color overnight to prevent reuse. These extra-secure visitor badges provide a visual alert to the security staff or employees that a person’s presence should be questioned.
3. Distinguish between kinds of visitors.
Clearly identifying the type of visitor will allow anyone encountering that person to know if they can be in any given area. Parents, vendors, contractors, substitute teachers, student teachers, and temporary workers are all categories of badge titles for schools to consider using.
4. Publish visitor policy content on your website.
A school website is the perfect place to communicate visitor policy to the public. Such messages may include visitor responsibilities, where to park, what entrances to use, cell phone policy, and any special restrictions.
5. Direct visitors where to go.
School visitors should be welcomed if their reason for being there is legitimate. Funnel visitors to one entrance. A clearly marked single entrance, with access control restrictions on other doors, will help security protocol. Upon entering the school building and getting registered by the visitor management system, the visitor should be directed – or, better yet, escorted – to the room, area, or people they are there to see.
6. Temperature screening
The CDC advises that thermal imaging systems and non-contact infrared thermometers, which are non-contact temperature assessment devices, may be used to measure a visitor’s temperature. An elevated temperature is one way to identify a person who may have a COVID-19 infection. However, the CDC cautions that an infected person may be contagious without an elevated temperature or other easily detectable symptoms.
7. Consider pre-enrollment. Pre-enrolling frequent visitors, like parents and vendors, into a visitor management system ahead of time can cut down on registration times. When that person returns to the school, their information can be found in the database and will not have to be reentered or have their driver’s license rescanned.