“Tailgating” is a common security term for when an unauthorized or unknown person follows a resident into an apartment or condominium to bypass the security on the doors. This has long been a problem for corporations owning apartments and condos. Even if the resident notices that they are being followed, they don’t tend to feel comfortable engaging in a confrontation with that person.
The most traditional remedy for this issue is education about security awareness for the residents. Also commonly employed are detailed signage solutions. But recently, delivery services have undergone innovations that might make security risks even more prevalent. These risks mostly involve lack of access control.
Uber Has Always Security Acceptance Issues
In particular, Uber has struggled to receive security acceptance. Critics of the company point out that Uber doesn’t have any registration system for its drivers. This means that any driver can sign up for the company regardless of their past history. They can use said driving accreditation to breach security protocols in buildings to which they wouldn’t otherwise have access.
Now the corporations that own condos face an all-new challenge to security because Uber has entered into the food delivery service industry. One potential legal issue is the fact that delivering employees are not actually employed by the franchise that created the food.
Increased Lack of Accountability
This also points to a problem with accountability. In the usual setup of food delivery – in which an employee of the associated franchise delivers the food – the driver is then accountable to the people in charge of the franchise. But Uber drivers have no such accountability. This can lead to issues in which food reaches the home in poor condition, and both parties blame each other for the overall cause.
In this way, Uber drivers are acting as contractors for the food delivery companies. If the driver causes any damage to the condominium, the condo would only be able to move against the specific driver, and would not be able to move against the franchise, because the franchise does not employ the driver.
Even ascertaining the location of the driver might prove challenging to the condo corporation, because the food provider isn’t required to keep records of who delivered the order. That information would have to be obtained directly through Uber.
Optimize of Access Control
Security measures are meant to deter, delay, or detect unauthorized intrusions into a building. Condo corporations generally use two security measures: surveillance systems and access control. Access control refers to the keys, locks, and fob system on the building. Any electronic or mechanic devices that prevent the unauthorized entry of a person count as access control. Access control exists to deter and delay potential breaches in security.
Corporations that run security-conscious condos use a considerable amount of resources when designing and maintaining their access control systems. They undertake projects like fob audits, which ensure fobs are being used for the correct reasons and that they work like they’re supposed to. They also have to ensure that their system has all the relevant computer patches and system upgrades.
Developing Layers of Security
When you talk about protection of a large facility like a condo or apartment building, it’s helpful to discuss the different layers of security. Property boundaries are the most outlying layer of security. These boundaries might be enforced through signage, fences, or hostile vegetation. Then, the next layer of security is the building envelope. This is protected through the updated access control system. The innermost layer of security is the door to each unit, which are protected with individual resident locks.
In-depth protection exists as a concept, and it dictates that each security circle become slightly more stringent as a person travels toward the interior of a facility. Traditional security should be enough to discourage trespassers. But what do these new security concerns mean for overall condominium security?
New Risks to Condominium Security
With the increase of third-party delivery services, which fail to audit their drivers properly and leave the food franchise free from liability, new security solutions are necessary. One of the simplest is that residents of apartments and condos are going down to the lobby of the building to meet their delivery drivers.
This is safer for the resident, as the driver does not breach the innermost layer of security and find out exactly where they live. Lobbies usually have surveillance cameras and multiple other individuals either working at the desks or passing through. If a potential driver has ill intentions, they’d have a difficult time following through on them when in this environment. This is also a safer solution for the condo in general because it restricts the access of unauthorized people.
Unknown Personnel Present A Risk
Some grocery delivery services are designed to allow their delivery people to be admitted entrance through both the outer and inner security layers of a complex. These services allow groceries to be delivered to the building; they also have the delivery person enter the consumer’s unit and put groceries away for them. This poses security risks as the condo has extra foot traffic from unknown personnel, and these personnel do not need to use a key to bypass different security levels.
If an item was to go missing from a particular unit, and a master keys system is maintained, it might be difficult to ascertain what party is responsible for the disappearance of the item. If the item was not noted as missing during the actual delivery, it’s easy to assume that it was taken during a different time period such as when a fire inspection was conducted or a site superintendent entered the property. Condo security managers will need to address these concerns with new policies regarding what parties can enter the units, and under what circumstances they can enter under.
These new services are an increased convenience for condo residence, but the security risks they pose need to be evaluated by condo managers. Solving these issues might be simple or complex depending on your location; a blurb may be included in the condo newsletter advising residents to be cautious, or the corporation might update and upgrade their current condo security plan. Experts recommend that condo managers regularly discuss new developments and potential security issues.
Condor Security is a Canadian company that provides security services in Toronto. If you’re a condo owner looking for more integrated security solutions, contact us here.