In the Spotlight: Secure Your Premises and Keep Employees Safe

Retain the usual standby procedures such as screening employees before hiring. If petty theft of personal items is a problem, locks and keys may provide relief. Security guards put a human face on security and often represent the first line of defense.

Even the best security system remains only as good as the employees who use it ' or the corporate policies that enforce it. As facility managers work to create a secure environment, incorporating tools that address the specific vulnerabilities of their organization brings them one step closer to success.

Another safety/security issue arises with respect to terrorist attacks. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) recently released FEMA 452-Risk Assessment: A How-To Guide to Mitigate Potential Terrorist Attacks. The report provides objective instructions on ways to identify the critical assets and function within buildings, determine the threats to those assets, and assess vulnerabilities associated with those threats. The information assists users in determining mitigation measures and presents methods with the goal of doing the following:

• Reducing physical damage to structural and nonstructural components of buildings and related infrastructure;
• Reducing resultant casualties during conventional bomb attacks;
• Reducing injuries and fatalities during attacks involving chemical, biological, and radiological (“CBR”) agents.

How does a public place of business create a secure workplace without feeling like a prison in lockdown? There are several approaches to security. The first thing to consider is the area you want to protect. For example, installing safety film on windows helps to protect against injuries in the event that the glass shatters. In addition to the obvious threat of doors/entrances, the mailroom is an important point of access (remember the anthrax?). If you think your business may be a target, you could consider scanning the mail and having a separate air handler in the mailroom to contain any incident.

Access control for doorways can be handled simply and effectively. A metal detector and x-ray machine can uncover firearms. A coded mechanical lock controls access, but still makes entry easy and safe. Proximity cards provide hands-free entry; chip-embedded smart cards allow different levels of access where needed. Sometimes the mere presence of surveillance cameras, an expected part of the security picture, is enough to deter crime. Besides alerting the security team, cameras can also send the information to an offsite server. This feature is helpful if the breach is an inside job, and people know where video files are logged and how long they are kept.

Access control is a crucial part of a facility security system. Guard booths serve both to protect personnel and deter intruders. The presence of a turnstile controls the flow of foot traffic into an area and deters the theft of large objects.

Retain the usual standby procedures such as screening employees before hiring. If petty theft of personal items is a problem, locks and keys may provide relief. Security guards put a human face on security and often represent the first line of defense.

Even the best security system remains only as good as the employees who use it ' or the corporate policies that enforce it. As facility managers work to create a secure environment, incorporating tools that address the specific vulnerabilities of their organization brings them one step closer to success.

Another safety/security issue arises with respect to terrorist attacks. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) recently released FEMA 452-Risk Assessment: A How-To Guide to Mitigate Potential Terrorist Attacks. The report provides objective instructions on ways to identify the critical assets and function within buildings, determine the threats to those assets, and assess vulnerabilities associated with those threats. The information assists users in determining mitigation measures and presents methods with the goal of doing the following:

• Reducing physical damage to structural and nonstructural components of buildings and related infrastructure;
• Reducing resultant casualties during conventional bomb attacks;
• Reducing injuries and fatalities during attacks involving chemical, biological, and radiological (“CBR”) agents.