Securing your Business Premises

Most businesses with physical locations are at risk of vandalism or intrusion. Whether it’s the possible theft of valuable stock & money or costly property damage – if something can be done to prevent it, it should.

So, we’ve prepared a list of things to consider in advance to ultimately secure your business premises.

Security Preparations

Risk Assessment

First and foremost, performing a risk assessment should be the top priority. It will help you discover possible risks, issues, and ways to fix them. Think about parts of the premises that could be affected by weather damage, intrusion, vandalism, malfunction, theft, etc.

Insurance

Make sure to overlook your insurance contract - are terms still sufficient? is your facility insured? does the insurance cover items & equipment within? are you meeting all the insurance conditions (for example, the facility must be locked and secured for insurance conditions to be met)?

Lastly, if your contract includes interruption insurance – check if you can claim for lost income in case your business can’t function due to factors outside of your control.

On-Site Security

Security Staff

In cases where additional security is non-negotiable, placing a member of security staff on-site can protect the premises and deter crime extremely effectively. This is especially relevant for businesses with highly valuable equipment/stock within the area.

Fencing

Setting up fencing around the perimeter is one of the best security measures. Security fencing is especially useful in enclosed car parks, storage units, commercial areas, or outdoor places.

Your best choice for permanent security fencing will most likely be palisade or mesh fencing:

• Palisade – provides very high levels of security, not only does it come with anti-tamper fixings (impossible to tamper with without specialised equipment) but also deters intruders due to its appearance.
• Mesh – is a high-level security option which provides strong visibility. Perfect for areas patrolled by a security guard or to not obstruct the view of CCTV cameras. Moreover, there are multiple types of fencing within the mesh range: V Mesh; Twin Mesh; Prison Mesh; Safe Top Mesh; 868 Rebound Mesh.

Additionally, make sure to accompany your security fencing with the same security standard in gates & locks. For example, palisade and mesh ranges have specialised gates to match the fencing and improve protection.

Entrances

Doors and windows are a vulnerability in most buildings. Ensure safety by installing effective locks on all entrances, verify that they’re kept locked by the staff during close hours, and consider installing window bars or steel shutters for the most risk-prone entrances.

CCTV & Alarms

Installing CCTV cameras around your premises will act as a theft deterrent and filmed footage can act as evidence in case a crime is committed or in an insurance claim.

Moreover, introducing a comprehensive alarm system in your perimeter can improve security even more. With modern technology, alarms can remotely notify you, the police, and/or the security firm of any unauthorised entrances.

Preventing Fires

It’s crucial to keep following fire safety regulations to reduce risk and possible damage to the property. This is peculiarly relevant if dangerous or highly flammable materials are stored on the premises.

Important to Consider

Printed Files

If important hard copy files are being stored in the property, it’s worth spending extra effort securing them. This is particularly important to meet legal regulations and avoid facing fines for mishandling data.

Alternatively, investing in a record storage company service might be a better option long term. As their security will most likely be one of their key selling points, which will in turn lower any risk for you.

Digital Data & Hardware

Similarly, to hard copies, digital files/data must be kept uncompromised. Make sure to follow any and all GDPR regulations.

For example, if you host your own data servers on the premises – unauthorised physical access is the biggest threat out there. So, don’t overlook any of the previously mentioned security measures as well as physically securing the server location.

Additionally, if there is a lot of staff hardware in use, like laptops, often it’s the safer option to remove the hardware from the premises overnight or for longer closure periods. Simply put, this will minimise things that can potentially be stolen from the property – reducing the risk of intrusion and theft.

Final Thoughts

All in all, there are various factors to consider securing your business premises. From hiring security staff to installing fencing – each is as important as the other for security.

However, fencing does act as the first and arguably the most important line of defence. Luckily – we can help with exactly that. By checking our online store or contacting our sales team you can find the best security fencing for your business.