In the complex world of utilities and critical infrastructure, hazardous areas are an unavoidable reality. Whether it is a high-voltage substation, an ATEX-rated zone in a gas plant, or a chlorine dosing station in a water treatment facility, these environments demand rigorous safety protocols, not just to protect assets, but to safeguard human lives.

What is often overlooked, however, is the role that physical access control can and should play in enhancing safety.

Traditionally seen as a “security” measure, focused on preventing theft, vandalism or intrusion, access management is increasingly being recognised by forward-thinking safety and operations managers as a key tool in occupational health and safety. Because in a hazardous environment, knowing who is on site, why they are there, and whether they received an authorisation is not just a matter of operational control, it is a matter of life and death.

When access equals risk

In utilities and critical infrastructure, hazardous areas exist across a wide range of segments:

• Energy generation: high-voltage zones, confined turbine areas, fuel storage sites;
• Water and wastewater: chlorination rooms, chemical handling stations, confined tanks;
• Oil and Gas: ATEX environments, pressure regulation stations, pipeline inspection points;
• Telecoms and transport: communication towers, signal boxes, tunnels.

These are not just high-security zones, they are high-risk zones. Maintenance, inspection, or emergency repair in such areas involves physical proximity to dangers ranging from toxic gases and explosive atmospheres to high-voltage electricity and moving machinery.

What makes these scenarios more challenging is that access is often required by external personnel, contractors, field technicians, inspectors, who may not be fully familiar with the site or its specific risks.

Where safety and access control collide

Responsibility for restricting dangerous area access to qualified personnel lies heavily with safety, security, and operations managers.

Consider these real-world scenarios:

• A technician climbs a communications tower to check a beacon, without a valid work order or updated risk assessment;
• A subcontractor enters a zone with a flammable atmosphere without appropriate ATEX-certified tools or training;
• A maintenance worker accesses a chlorine treatment room alone, with no supervision or alert system in place.

In each case, access control must enforce who can enter, when, under what conditions, and with what qualifications. Yet many sites still rely on outdated, manual processes. Authorisations are not updated in real time, entries go unmonitored, and incidents are often addressed after the fact instead of prevented.

The role of digital access management in hazardous zones

Digital access control is a cornerstone of the utility sector’s transformation toward Industry 6.0, where automation, intelligence, and safety converge.

Unlike mechanical systems, electronic access control solutions such as smart locks and access management software provide fine-grained control over who can enter specific areas, when, and under what safety conditions.

These systems go beyond basic security to actively support safe, compliant, and efficient operations.

Here is how:

1. Only qualified personnel get in. Thanks to seamless system integrations, only trained or certified staff receive access, as granted by administrators. If a contractor’s ATEX certification has expired, access is automatically blocked, no exceptions;
2. Access linked to work orders. Rights are tied to approved digital work orders. No job approval? No entry. This ensures every task is scheduled, assessed, and authorised;
3. Complete traceability. Every access attempt is logged, enabling real-time monitoring and post-incident analysis, turning logs into valuable safety insights;
4. Works offline in sensitive zones. In no-network areas, mechatronic locks operate offline. Access rights are stored on the key, ensuring security without connectivity.

More than just security: a safety imperative

At ISEO, we help critical infrastructure operators deploy access systems designed to prioritise safety as much as security.

Our goal is to keep unqualified or unauthorised personnel out of dangerous zones – not just to prevent theft, but to protect lives.

When used as part of a broader occupational safety strategy, digital access control enables better compliance, faster response times, and greater accountability across sites. It is a small shift in mindset with a big impact on performance.