BinKeeping track of every person entering and leaving commercial buildings can be challenging. That’s because of the sheer number of people swarming in and out of such spaces. Having said that, as a commercial building owner, whether it’s a retail outlet, apartment, condominium, office building or any other, you may be wondering how to improve security. Here are 9 proven tips:
1. What Are Your Risks? Identify Them
What are some of the things that compromise your building’s security? By keeping track of potential risks, you can update it as needed. Consider all possible risks, including those posed by the general environment, weather, setting, people working or moving into the building, and so on. From here, formulate how you can deal with each issue to eliminate such threats completely.
2. Access Control
The greatest threat to security in commercial facilities is not being able to control who comes in and out. Luckily, you can employ access control systems at points of entry to regulate who has access to your property. This keeps the number of unwanted intruders to a minimum.
Access control works by limiting the number of people who can access specific areas of a building. You can go digital with key cards, or simply use barricades and turnstiles and security guards to verify people’s identities before they gain access to a space. You should also reduce the number of entry points to your building to a minimum.
3. Secure The Perimeter
Secure the boundary of your property with a barrier that keeps intruders out. This could be a masonry boundary wall or another type of fence. Such a border ensures that fewer people have direct access to your building.
You could also top it up a notch with wall toppers, anti-climb paint or fence to keep burglars out. More than that, make sure that no flat roofs near your property have easy access over the barrier. As if that’s not enough, you can improve security by installing exterior lighting or even just leaving the lights on around the compound at night.
4. Alarm Sytems
Let’s be honest: no matter the security measure, people have still managed to cheat the system and gain unauthorised access to commercial buildings. That’s why you need a system of action when security is breached.
These can be motion detectors or other alarms that go off manually when someone goes into a zone that is off limits, or if a door or window has been opened after the alarm has been set. Some alarms have monitoring systems that alert a security company that then alerts the police about any alarms that go off. This can help save lives in the event of an attack.
5. Guards
From a legal perspective, having someone on the property is the best defence against crime. How so? If people gain unauthorized access to a building, they can provide the police with more evidence, ensuring a more swift and effective resolution. Additionally, security guards not only deter and actively prevent incursion, but they also respond to attempts far more quickly.
Car park security bollards are manufacturers and suppliers of numerous security bollards from the very simple and cost-effective tubular/box set in concrete type, to semi and fully automated telescopic bollards that would be safeguarded for your building too.
6. Signage
Signs are a great way to keep out opportunists. They direct people, eliminating the chances of unwanted people gaining access to areas that they shouldn’t access.
7. Key Audits
Only a small number of people should be given keys. Key audits allow you to keep track of, verify, and account for every key that has access to your property. It’s essential to conduct an audit to account for each and every key, whether you’ve given your kids 4 keys or the office employees 50 keys.
8. The Neighbourhood
Who are your neighbours? Foster good relationships so that your neighbours can watch over your building while you are away.
9. Staff Training
Do your employees know the internal standards of practice when it comes to security? Are there any activities that they may be doing that pose a threat to security? Train them to eliminate human error, carelessness and malicious intent.
Final Thoughts
Building security remains a top responsibility for owners and managers in the current sociopolitical environment. To avoid theft and vandalism, create a practical security strategy with these 9 tips!
