Due to its size and importance for the area, the London Olympic Park has been set as a potential target for terrorist activity, according to a Guardian article. Due to this, biometric security for those working at and around the construction site has been implemented at each of the entrances to the area. The biometric scanners will utilize hand and iris biometrics as well as photographic smart cards for worker authentication.
While the new technology has roughly 4,500 workers enrolled, by the end of 2010 when the project increases, that number is expected to reach 9,000. Many have begun to express worries that the cutting edge technology will end up putting the London 2012 Olympic Committee’s £354 million security budget over and cost the tax payers more than they were expecting. In response to the worries, Security Minister Lord West has announced that the security measures in place are appropriate with their need to keep the 2012 Olympic games safe while also keeping them under budget.
Other capabilities the biometrics systems have and utilize include checking for legality of workers to keep illegal aliens from working on the site and time and attendance for paychecks wherein they are eliminating buddy punching. In addition to the biometric scanners agents from the UK Border Agency are checking workers’ identification and CCTV has been installed around the Olympic Park.
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