Security is the number one priority for any business, but even more so for companies with physical premises. Whether you have a unit in a shopping centre or your own block of warehouses, keeping your property, your stock and your staff safe is incredibly important. But how do you make sure your efforts are effective, and that you don’t have gaps in your security that criminals could exploit?
Why Is Physical Security Important?
Businesses in the modern world are facing a constant stream of security risks both physically and online. With everchanging technology, these threats can come from anywhere, which means businesses need to be aware is the issues and take action to protect themselves.
Having a physical security system in place means you understand the layout and weaknesses of your business and have identified any potential vulnerabilities before criminals have the chance to exploit them. Having the right set of tools in place can mitigate the chance of future intrusions or loss and helps in the smooth functioning of your business in the long run. Defining your requirements and objectives helps ensure you are not oversold or undersold the security service you need.
The 5 D’s
There are a lot of different ways to approach physical security, but we prefer the 5 Ds method, as we think this covers all of the bases and gives you the best defence.
Deter: This is the first layer of defence you have, and it’s to make yourself and your premises an unattractive target. There are a variety of visual deterrents you can use to achieve this, including fencing, lighting and signs, all of which will give potential thieves pause and make them reconsider targeting you. When done well, you can prevent most security threats by dissuading potential intruders before they even attempt to get inside.
Detect: If an intruder decides to go ahead with an attack, you need to be able to detect and identify them. Detection methods include motion detection cameras, CCTV, glass-break sensors and even magnetic switches can all alert you to the presence of an intruder on your property, giving you the time and knowledge you need to respond.
Deny: You don’t want intruders on your site, and so you need an effective method of denying them entry that spans the whole perimeter, and any access points within the site. You may even have multiple points where you want to deny entry, for example if there is an area containing sensitive information. Access control solutions are the perfect fit, which only allows people with the correct permissions to get through doors and gates. These range from manned gates to key card systems, biometrics and even simple access codes, all of which help manage who goes where on your premises.
Delay: If an intruder does manage to access your premises, then your next step is to delay them as much as possible so that you can take steps to deal with the breach. Common delay tactics include parking controls, road blockers and interior barriers – all of which can slow down an intruder and give you valuable time to take action.
Defend: This is the final and innermost ring of security, which is usually where your people will get involved. Security teams and employees, or even the police, should intervene in the event of a successful attack to protect your business.
At Securifix, we specialise in physical and electronic security solutions to help businesses protect their people and property from every angle. We provide comprehensive and bespoke security solutions that meet your needs, based on a site review and in-depth consultation. If you’d like to know more, please just get in touch and book your free security review with one of our team today.