diff --git a/R/access.R b/R/access.R
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9dbe4d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/R/access.R
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+have_access <- function() {
+  file.access(get_lookups_dir(), 4) >= 0L
+}
+check_lookups_access <- function(fail_on_no_access = TRUE) {
+  if (!have_access()) {
+    no_access_msg <- c(
+      "x" = "You don't have the appropriate file permissions to {get_lookups_dir()}",
+      "i" = "Please raise a ServiceNow request for access to the UNIX acute dataset"
+    )
+    if (fail_on_no_access) {
+      cli::cli_abort(no_access_msg)
+    } else {
+      cli::cli_warn(no_access_msg)
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/R/zzz.R b/R/zzz.R
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b62ae3a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/R/zzz.R
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+.onLoad <- function(libname, pkgname) {
+  check_lookups_access(fail_on_no_access = FALSE)
+}