Keeping premises safe during extreme times

[edit] Introduction

During these times of risk and uncertainty, many businesses have been forced to close and move to a remote working, due to a concern for the health and wellbeing of staff and customers. This, however, can cause problems for business owners and stakeholders who may worry about the security risks of having an unoccupied premises.

This raises the question; how can you keep your commercial premises safe during the COVID-19 pandemic or other crises?

[edit] Key considerations

It is important to understand the potential weak points in business security before taking any additional action to protect commercial premises from potential risks such as crime or vandalism.

It is therefore recommended that, if possible, security checks are made and vulnerable areas are identified. This may include aspects such as:

• Checking perimeter security.
• Ensuring all alarms are active and functional.
• Checking locks on doors and windows.

It is important to remember that the level of security required will depend not only on the current measures being taken, but also the business itself including the industry, the size of the business and whether there are valuable items that remain in the premises whilst it is inaccessible. It is also beneficial to ensure that any electrical items are unplugged and that all waste is disposed of correctly. This helps reduce the risk and spread of fire.

[edit] Keeping the premises safe

There are number of security measures available that will help ensure that the premises remain protected.

The most obvious form of security is the traditional alarm system. Whilst many businesses will have these in place already, they can be invaluable when it comes to protecting against threats. They can also act as a visual deterrent to would be criminals, which is often sufficient for smaller businesses.

CCTV provides the additional benefit of being monitored remotely. This allows business owners to ensure that their premises are safe by making regular checks throughout the day which can help provide peace of mind.

Whilst these measures can be effective and are often enough to deter unauthorised visitors, some businesses, especially those who own larger amounts of land, can benefit from access control security. Security elements such as security gates and fences act a physical barrier and provide the strongest visual deterrent to a criminal.

It is recommended that most businesses have some form of access control security and perhaps a combination of multiple security systems to ensure that their business remains secure.

[edit] Returning to work

As people return to work, some businesses may be unprepared, creating a lack of confidence in employees who worry about adequate health and safety measures.

Some security options can help to reduce the risk for employees by reducing the need to manually operate or touch any access control measures in place. This also can continue to control the spread of germs, bacteria and of course, Coronavirus. Obviously anyone returning to work with the illness or even symptoms should stay at home but there can never be enough ‘just in case’ measures.

--Newgate

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Access.
• CICV creates COVID toolkit.
• Coronavirus.
• Health and safety.
• Perimeter security.
• Safety management.
• Safety tips for construction workers.