Customer Access & Escort Policy
Rules governing how customer personnel and their authorized guests may enter, move within, and work inside GridColo facilities.
The Customer Access & Escort Policy establishes the rules governing how customer personnel and their authorized guests may enter, move within, and work inside GridColo facilities. The policy defines when a customer's staff may access the facility unescorted, when escorts are required, and the responsibilities borne by escorts and visitors alike. The objective is to provide customers with reliable, predictable access to their own infrastructure while maintaining the safety, security, and integrity of the data center environment as a whole.
This policy applies to all customers of GridColo colocation services, as well as any individuals they sponsor for entry, including employees, contractors, vendors, consultants, and visitors. It applies to all facility types (Security Levels 1 through 4) and covers both routine and emergency access.
Customer access is a privilege conditioned upon compliance with GridColo rules.
Customers may designate individuals for unescorted access to their assigned spaces, subject to GridColo credentialing and re-certification requirements. All other persons—including visitors, temporary workers, auditors, and guests—must be escorted at all times by either an authorized customer representative with escort privileges or by GridColo personnel. Escorts are accountable for the actions of those under their supervision.
Customer staff may be granted unescorted access to their assigned cage, cabinet, or suite if they:
- Have been credentialed under the Credentialing & Identification Policy;
- Have been designated by the customer as authorized personnel; and
- Have successfully completed any required orientation or safety briefing.
Access Scope: Unescorted access permits movement only into the customer's own allocations and along the designated path of travel between facility entry and those allocations. Customer staff may not enter other customer spaces, restricted GridColo spaces, or shared infrastructure areas unless specifically authorized.
Customers may request that certain of their authorized personnel be granted escort privileges. Escorts must be vetted, credentialed, and specifically approved by GridColo. Escort privileges allow these individuals to bring visitors, contractors, or auditors into their assigned space for business purposes.
Escort duties include:
- Remaining in direct line-of-sight and within reasonable proximity of the visitor at all times;
- Ensuring the visitor wears a visible visitor badge and complies with all rules;
- Preventing the visitor from photographing, recording, or observing other customers' equipment;
- Ensuring the visitor does not attempt to access restricted areas or handle facility infrastructure.
Group Size Limit: An escort may supervise no more than a small, reasonable number of visitors at one time (typically no more than three), unless GridColo has approved a larger group in advance.
In situations where a customer does not have escort privileges or prefers not to provide their own escort, GridColo staff may provide escorting services. This may be required for Security Level 1 and 2 sites where landlord rules apply, or for Security Level 3 and 4 sites where customer escort rights are limited. Customers may be charged for GridColo-provided escorts if the escorting service is beyond the scope of routine operations.
Visitors—defined as individuals without a GridColo-issued permanent credential—are permitted into the facility only when:
Requirements:
- Pre-registered by a customer sponsor
- Carrying valid government-issued photo ID
- Issued time-bound GridColo visitor credential
- Under continuous escort for duration of visit
Visitor Badge:
Time-bound credential for visitor identification
Restrictions: Visitors may not handle equipment, open cabinets, or perform work. Their access is strictly observational unless GridColo has explicitly approved otherwise.
Customers may bring in contractors or temporary workers to perform tasks within their allocations. Such individuals must either:
Option 1: Temporary Credentials
Option 2: Continuous Escort
By authorized customer representative with escort privileges
Special Requirements: Contractors working in shared spaces, cross-connect areas, or with impact to facility systems must be escorted by GridColo personnel, even if customer escort privileges exist.
Auditors, inspectors, and regulators visiting on behalf of a customer must be pre-registered and escorted at all times. Photography, note-taking, and observation of areas beyond the sponsor's allocation are restricted and may be prohibited.
Coordination Required: Customers must coordinate in advance with GridColo Operations to avoid disruption to other tenants.
Escorts are accountable for the actions of their visitors.
If a visitor violates facility rules—whether by attempting to tailgate, photographing restricted areas, or interfering with equipment—GridColo may suspend the escort's privileges, revoke the visitor's access, or impose sanctions on the sponsoring customer.
No Delegation: Escorts must not delegate their responsibilities; a visitor cannot be "handed off" to another escort without GridColo approval and logging.
Emergency Procedures:
- Visitors and escorted individuals must follow the escort's directions
- Proceed immediately to designated muster points
- Escorts must account for their visitors during evacuation
- Report to GridColo staff once outside
Separation Protocol: If a visitor becomes separated, the escort must immediately notify GridColo security.
Visitors and escorted individuals are prohibited from:
- Entering areas beyond their escort's authorization
- Handling facility infrastructure or equipment belonging to other customers
- Bringing in prohibited articles (weapons, alcohol, tobacco, hazardous materials, cameras without approval, etc.)
- Remaining onsite without their escort present
Consequences: Any such behavior will result in immediate removal and may jeopardize the sponsoring customer's access privileges.
GridColo maintains logs of all escorted access events, including escort identity, visitor names, entry and exit times, and zones accessed. These logs are retained in accordance with GridColo's recordkeeping policies and may be shared with the sponsoring customer in the event of an incident.
Logged Information:
- Escort identity and credentials
- Visitor names and identification
- Entry and exit timestamps
- Zones and areas accessed
- Purpose of visit
Customers must:
- Accurately designate personnel for access and escort privileges
- Ensure visitors are pre-registered
- Instruct their staff on escort obligations
Escorts must:
- Remain with visitors at all times
- Enforce compliance with facility rules
- Ensure no unauthorized activity occurs
Visitors must:
- Wear credentials visibly
- Follow escort instructions
- Remain with their escort at all times
GridColo is responsible for:
- Approving escort privileges
- Monitoring compliance
- Intervening when violations occur
Violation of this policy may result in serious consequences.
Immediate Actions:
- Immediate removal of visitors
- Suspension of escort privileges
- Revocation of customer access rights
Severe Cases:
- Termination of colocation services
- Assessment of remediation charges
- Operational disruption costs
This policy takes effect upon publication and remains in force until superseded. GridColo may amend the policy to address evolving risks, regulatory requirements, or operational lessons.
Change Notification: Customers will be notified of substantive changes through the customer portal and official communications.