Cannabis companies are having to evolve quickly during this pandemic, whether that be changing the way they conduct business or by establishing heightened safety policies. While many businesses were required to close during stay-in-place orders, cannabis companies throughout the country were deemed essential and had to adapt rapidly to adhere to new state safety mandates. Many businesses, including cannabis companies, have begun executing temperature checks, requiring masks, or limiting facility capacities to ensure the health of their purchasers and employees.
“New cannabis operators and existing license holders alike will need to develop and implement systems —and corresponding employee training programs — to ensure the safety of their workforce and customers (for retailers),” said Ashley Picillo, CEO & Founder of the global cannabis consultant firm Point7 Group. “Many dispensary operators already struggle in designing efficient, compliant retail footprints. Now, in the wake of COVID-19, these same retailers need to consider how to implement social distancing best practices and safety precautions.”
SpeedFACE
One security equipment company that has used this time as an opportunity to innovate is ZKTeco. Their newly updated system, SpeedFACE, is a speed access control reader with fever and mask detection which allows for a contact-free way to ensure access is only granted to safe and healthy individuals. The access control system is designed to prevent the spread of viruses and can scan individuals in 0.3 seconds from up to 8 feet away.
The product works by quickly scanning either an individual’s face or palm and can store and recognize up to 50,000 users, even those wearing a mask. However, the product’s groundbreaking feature is its ability to determine if an individual has a fever and if they are wearing a facial mask correctly. Not only will the system prevent unauthorized users from entering a facility, it will also deny access to authorized users if they are not wearing a mask or if they have a fever – effectively limiting the spread of the virus.
Cannabis Retailers
“Retail cannabis dispensaries are unsure of how to best proceed with safety protocols related to COVID-19, even in places like California, where we’ve been able to stay open during shelter in place,” said Debby Goldsberry, CEO of Magnolia Wellness Dispensary. “For example, we are unsure about how to institute temperature checks, which are a necessary part of returning to work after exposure or after recovery. Working out a policy like this for the first time is a human resources nightmare, and we need expert help to establish legal, manageable policies.”
Cannabis retailers are having to implement policy changes and equipment such as SpeedFACE to ensure the health of employees and purchasers. Many states around the country have temporarily allowed drive-thru, pick-up, or delivery services to reduce person-to-person contact. Medical cannabis dispensaries must be even more careful since many of their patient purchasers could pose a heightened risk of infection.
“How dispensaries ensure their safety and wellbeing within the retail facility (or through safe delivery practices) is going to be imperative to their success,” said Picillo. “Effective communication strategies must also be developed and implemented to assure customers and patients that their safety and health is being considered. Many of our clients are already exploring equipment needs, procedural changes and communication protocols to address this issue as all of us continue getting accustomed to the new normal.”
Cannabis Cultivators
Cannabis cultivators are facing similar coronavirus challenges and are having to make policy changes and implement temperature checks to guarantee employee health. Although cultivation employees already wear personal protective equipment, such as coveralls or respirators, this gear has become even more important.
“Disease management and inventory control are already huge points of emphasis in cannabis cultivation, so we know you want to isolate problems before they spread,” said Howard Keum, Chief Corporate Development Officer at Calyx Peak, a vertically-integrated cannabis cultivation and retail company. “We definitely will explore solutions that limit illnesses at our facilities because if too many employees are sick, we can’t operate.”
When properly implemented by a security expert, systems such as SpeedFACE provide the perfect response to the coronavirus and aim to create a safer business environment. When paired with corresponding safety policies, access control systems like SpeedFACE allow companies to better protect themselves, their employees, and their customers.
For more details on the SpeedFACE temperature reader, please visit: www.RollandSolutions.com/tempreader.