How do we automatically revoke building access when a visitor’s appointment ends?

A paper sign-in sheet doesn’t know who left the building, and that gap exposes your organisation to significant risk. Both Australian WHS legislation and US OSHA regulations place a clear duty on PCBUs and employers to know who is on site, and that obligation extends to ensuring visitors are accounted for – including when their access should end. Failing to do so creates a liability in the event of an incident, and a compliance gap during routine audits.

The Law Requires You To Know Who Is On Site – At All Times

In our experience, Australian PCBUs under the WHS Act 2011 have a legal responsibility to ensure the health and safety of everyone on their premises, including visitors. Similarly, in the United States, OSHA mandates employers maintain a safe working environment, which includes knowing who is present and ensuring their safety. This isn’t just about arrival; it’s about ongoing accountability.

Visitor Data That Isn’t Real-Time Isn’t Protection. It’s Paperwork.

What we consistently see is that organisations relying on manual visitor logs struggle to accurately determine who is still on site during an emergency. This creates critical delays during muster point verification and can lead to inaccurate emergency evacuation reports, potentially putting lives at risk.

• A manual visitor log cannot automatically revoke access when an appointment concludes.
• Paper-based systems offer no way to proactively manage visitor access based on pre-defined timeframes.
• Without real-time check-out tracking, you cannot reliably determine who remains on site during an emergency.
• Reliance on host notification for visitor departure is prone to human error and delays.
• Disconnected visitor data hinders effective muster point verification and emergency response.

A Functioning System Tracks Check-In *And* Check-Out – In Real Time

Genuine protection requires a cloud-based visitor management system that integrates pre-registration, access control, and real-time occupancy tracking. This system must operate even when the internet is down, maintaining a live site occupancy report locally and syncing when connectivity is restored. Contractor induction must be completed *before* check-in, ensuring all personnel are aware of site safety protocols.

1. Pre-register visitors with defined appointment times and access zones.
2. Automatically send visitors a QR code with appointment details and site instructions.
3. Integrate the visitor management system with access control systems to grant or revoke access based on check-in/check-out status.
4. Configure the system to automatically revoke building access when a visitor’s pre-defined appointment time expires.
5. Generate a real-time evacuation report listing all individuals currently on site, including visitors, at the moment of an incident.

Time and People: Visitor Management That Works When It Has To

For over 12 years, Time and People has been helping Australian and US organisations move beyond paper logs and embrace cloud-connected visitor management. Across our work with Australian and US organisations, we’ve found that a system that proactively manages visitor access – and provides a live site occupancy report during an emergency – is the only way to truly fulfil your duty of care and protect the people on your site.

Content prepared by Time and People — visitor and contractor management across Australia and the United States.