Security is a critical aspect of any office or facility, but understanding how to get started in this field can be challenging. Even in small spaces, there can be dozens or even hundreds of moving parts that can be confusing to even the most seasoned professional. Protecting your business and its assets can seem like an impossible task at first.
No matter how lost you feel at first, you can become an expert on physical security with the right tips and tricks. Using your skills, you can implement an effective plan and better protect your assets and data. Using this list, you can better understand physical security and implement its best practices.
What is Physical Security?
It is necessary to be able to keep unwanted guests out of a building and most organizations also have to restrict access to certain areas of their premises, even to those who have been invited inside.
Home surveillance, like CCTV, can also be installed at home; the thing you have to do is to google, for example, home CCTV systems Manchester.
It is, therefore, necessary to adopt a set of security measures to restrict access to protected areas to authorized personnel only, people who have been handpicked to receive this privilege.
As part of a broader security plan, these measures should be employed in a production facility or office to protect your equipment, resources, and other assets. These measures all contribute to your physical security plan.
Physical Security Strategies
To achieve their safety goals, the best, most viable physical security strategies use both technology and specialised hardware. Protecting your assets from intruders, internal threats, cyber-attacks, accidents, and natural disasters requires a combination of technology and in-person monitoring, which require careful planning and placement of security staff.
It is also necessary to introduce a security perimeter as part of your preventive and countermeasures, the size, and scope of which will depend on your specific needs and threats at your facility. Physical security encompasses many needs, so consider your space as a whole, not as separate pieces.
Physical Security System Components
The access control process may begin at the edge of your security perimeter, which you should establish early. Fencing and video surveillance can monitor access to your facility and secure the outdoor area, especially if you have parking on-site or other outside resources. Furthermore, a comprehensive access control strategy would include the use of advanced locks, access cards, mobile phones, and biometric authentication.
Cardholders swipe their unique identification badges at the front door, or use their mobile phone, to gain access to most spaces.
Almost anything else can be placed with card readers, such as offices, conference rooms, and even kitchen doors. Using the same process, everyone swipes out at the end of the day, eliminating the need to clock out or wonder if anyone is still inside the building after closing time.
Setting up Surveillance
Another important component to consider in your space is surveillance. Various types of sensors can be used in modern security systems, such as those that detect motion, heat, and smoke, to detect intrusions and accidents.
The sensors can be hooked up directly to your alarm system, allowing them to trigger alarms and alert you and other system administrators without the need for human intervention. You should also adopt surveillance cameras and notification systems as part of your security strategy, which can allow you to catch crimes on tape and find perpetrators more easily. Cloud-based access control systems provide real-time reports and update over the air, allowing you to monitor the system on your mobile device.
Disaster Recovery Plan
In the event of a disaster, you should act quickly and follow your adopted procedures. That is why you need to test your disaster recovery plan regularly, both technologically and humanly. Drills should test your ability to respond to natural disasters as well as emergencies caused by external or internal threats that can threaten data or personal safety.
A building access control system allows you to determine who is still inside and who is outside if there is an emergency that requires evacuation. Check also for weak points regarding access to critical business resources, such as server rooms, data centres, production lines, and power equipment that may impact your daily operations. Consider a system with a lockdown feature if you’re equipping a sensitive area, like a school or a place of worship.
Wrapping Up
Even though all physical security plans are different, certain best practices are common across all types. I think that access control, especially, is a great way to ensure that you know who is entering your space, and when and how they are doing it. By protecting your valuable assets and sensitive data, you will avoid trouble down the line, especially in areas that deal with important clients or confidential information. With the right planning, any space can become more secure – and it doesn’t have to be confusing.
