Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston on June 23 launched a new security campaign to prevent trespassing through its facilities.
New staff training videos target "piggybacking" or "tailgating," which occurs when an employee holds a door open to a secure area for an unauthorized individual, or doesn't realize that someone is following them into the area.
The videos are meant to raise awareness of the dangers to staff, patients, visitors and property that can occur when employees are not aware of others who may follow them into restricted areas.
"It is vitally important for all employees to be aware of everyone in our environment and to ensure that no one accesses our restricted areas without permission," Dave Corbin, director of Security & Parking at BWH, said in a news release.
Two dramatic videos depict worst-case-scenarios that could occur if an unauthorized visitor gains access to a restricted area of the hospital.
"We intended for the videos to be provocative, to invoke a strong reaction, so that they would be memorable," said Erin McDonough, chief communication officer and senior vice president of Communication & Public Affairs at BWH. "In hospitals and healthcare organizations, we work in a culture where our first instinct is to help others. Closing a door to someone feels uncomfortable and impolite, and it contradicts what many of us have been taught from a young age. We need our staff to know the potentially dangerous consequences of enabling people who do not have permission to access restricted areas — whether consciously or unconsciously — and give them tools that empower them to take action."
In addition to the videos, signs will be installed on the hospital's 1,200 card readers and locked doors inside the hospital and at exterior entrances to prompt people to be aware. BWH is also implementing two policies that detail specific actions employees must take if someone follows them into a restricted area.