Visitor Management systems

[mdrabble]

Had a wander around Bett yesterday and stopped to look at a couple of Visitor Management systems and as we currently use a paper based system at present and whilst talking to the reps they both independently mentioned how this helps with GDPR. Unfortunately I cannot which companies they were - but I do know it wasn't InVentry.

 

I wasn't aware paper based signing in systems were not GDPR complaint can someone clarify if this is correct.

 

Cheers

[jthompson]

My guess is that names of other visitors are available for anyone signing in to look at.

[Steve21]

The fact they used the phrase "help" and not "required" generally goes with no

 

It may "help" as it's quicker to do reports, or "help" as it's easier to delete old records etc, Doesn't make it required blahblah

 

Steve

[GREED]

Sounds like they were trying to make a sale... Just spoken to some GDPR experts on our stand here, said sounded like complete *expletive*

[mdrabble]

I thought that may have been the case - always better to check.

 

Having said that, some of the systems would be better than a paper based system

[howartp]

EntrySign is the other big one that usually comes to BETT.

[JordanT91]

There's Visipoint as well.

[MatthewL]

Thing with the electronic systems you only have to press sign out to select your name and it gives you a list of everyone signed in so there are ways around it as a visitor if you really wanted to look at the list.

[round2it]

Sgworld seems solid had it about 3 weeks no issues

[enjay]

I saw something in a data retention document which said signing in books need to be kept for 6 years! Need to revisit that in more detail...

 

If you do get an electronic system, remember to consider evacuations - how will you identify which visitors are/aren't still on premises? Obviously, solutions will cover this, but you need to ask the question and consider it in your environment - if it prints a report but the nearest printer is 4 rooms away, that's no good.

[forkies]

Retention of visitors is an interesting one, for safeguarding, but I haven’t seen any official retention policies. Often it is down to the school to decide on things like this.

 

Just a note on evacuations, usually fire rescue don’t want to know if everyone is accounted for, they want to know if the building has been cleared (which is different).

[tinkerbotsict]

Yeah paper based sign isn’t GDPR compliant. They share personal information with anyone who looks in it so it’s not secure.

[forkies]

Yeah paper based sign isn’t GDPR compliant. They share personal information with anyone who looks in it so it’s not secure.

 

Depends what data is on the sign in. Have you done a DPIA? A list of random names means nothing, if you have their DOB or something then yes I would agree, but nothing on our visitor sign in sheet would be seen as a breach of personal data.

[elsiegee40]

Yeah paper based sign isn’t GDPR compliant. They share personal information with anyone who looks in it so it’s not secure.

 

Paper based systems can be compliant.

 

There are ways of doing it so visitors can’t see who else has come in or left or see their vehicle registrations.

 

You just have to get the right book. You do not have to go electronic

[tinkerbotsict]

Depends what data is on the sign in. Have you done a DPIA? A list of random names means nothing, if you have their DOB or something then yes I would agree, but nothing on our visitor sign in sheet would be seen as a breach of personal data.

 

It’s Also about piecing bit of information together. So say a parent signs in for a safeguarding meeting about there kid. They say coming see that person on your website in school wall that person id as safeguarding lead. Then other professionals coming to that meeting sign in to see that safeguarding lead by name.

 

If anyone came saw and put 2 and 2 together they would say that parent and child is having issues. They say it parent friends and before you know it’s around the playground.

 

You can stay with paper version but you got to get one that the confidential they around. Cheaper than electronic if your trying to avoid the cost.

[jthompson]

Yeah paper based sign isn’t GDPR compliant. They share personal information with anyone who looks in it so it’s not secure.

 

As somebody mentioned earlier in this thread, some electronic systems may work in a similar way. For instance, when visitors sign out, they may be asked to tap on their name on a screen listing the currently signed in visitors. Also, some paper-based systems can be more discreet that just a clipboard and a list on a single sheet of paper.

[jthompson]

Just a note on evacuations, usually fire rescue don’t want to know if everyone is accounted for, they want to know if the building has been cleared (which is different).

 

Yes, thankfully this is true. Our site is split into three different fire alarm zones. If an alarm goes off, only that part of the school is evacuated: the other two parts are not evacuated unless their fire alarm is also sounding (and even then, they'll assemble in a separate area). Accounting for staff, visitors and sixth formers who aren't in a timetabled lesson is more a case of checking that the building is clear than it is ticking names off a list, since there's no knowing whether those people are in that part of the school or not.

[fiza]

Has anyone used or looked at https://www.codegate.co.uk/v-log

 

Seems to be a simple and well priced software solution. 30 day trial to try it out.

 

Anyone used it?