An unauthorized person performing a high-risk task or accessing vulnerable populations is a liability that can lead to catastrophic injury or legal prosecution. In Australia, the WHS Act 2011 requires PCBUs to manage risks so far as is reasonably practicable. In the United States, OSHA mandates that employers ensure a safe workplace. A permit to work ensures only qualified, cleared individuals perform specific tasks.
Unverified access is a failure of duty of care
Australian law requires PCBUs to ensure that anyone on site is competent and authorized to be there. In the US, OSHA regulations mandate strict controls over who can access hazardous areas or perform specialized work. In our work with Australian and US organisations, we have found that a permit is the only way to prove a risk assessment was conducted before work began.
Paper-based permissions are invisible when you need them most
Most organisations rely on paper forms that are filed away in cabinets, leaving front-desk staff blind to a visitor’s actual authorization status. This disconnect creates a gap where contractors can enter a site without a verified induction or a helper can access children without a current clearance.
- Paper permission forms filed in offices cannot be verified in real-time by admin staff.
- Manual license checks often fail to identify expired credentials or age-based access restrictions.
- Disconnected spreadsheets provide no way to link a person’s identity to their specific work authorization at the point of entry.
- Lack of integrated screening allows unauthorized contractors to bypass mandatory safety inductions.
Connecting authorization to the point of entry
A cloud-based visitor management system converts a static permit into a dynamic access rule. By integrating contractor induction and check-in, the system ensures that no one steps foot on site without the necessary clearances and safety acknowledgments.
- Automated capture of identity data via drivers license scanning to verify age and validity.
- Entry screening against internal records to instantly confirm specific permissions, such as working with children.
- Mandatory contractor induction and check-in completed digitally before site access is granted.
- Immediate denial of access alerts for individuals with expired licenses or missing safety credentials.
- Integration of authorization data into a live site occupancy report for accurate muster point verification.
Time and People: Visitor Management That Works When It Has To
We convert complex compliance obligations into working infrastructure using cloud-connected visitor management and real-time evacuation reporting. Across our 12+ years of experience in Australia and the United States, we’ve found that automating data capture removes the human error inherent in manual sign-ins. We ensure that the people entering your site are the right people, with the right permissions, every time.
Content prepared by Time and People — visitor and contractor management across Australia and the United States.