Does your business have to close
down for a period of time due to local coronavirus restrictions? Are you
considering doing so voluntarily or using a smaller staff in order to be safe
and reduce expenses? Many small businesses find themselves in this position as
they head into the spring of 2020, and this brings new challenges.
If you have to close some or all of
your physical business locations, you still need to keep them safe. How can you
ensure this? Here are a few steps to take now in order to better secure your
business during down time.
1. Assess Vulnerabilities
When was the last time you conducted
a security audit of your premises? If it has been more than a year, now is the
time to schedule a walk-through with a security service.
While most business owners and
employees are aware of common problem areas like un-monitored recesses where
loiterers may hang out, a professional can assess less visible issues. The
security company may notice, for instance, that your cameras are insufficiently
detailed to take good images of intruders coming through certain gates or
exterior doors. A simple but effective solution may be to upgrade cameras.
2. Check Fire Alarms
Human intruders aren't the only
danger that a closed business faces. How is your fire alarm system? Has it been
tested or updated recently? Has it been adjusted to properly cover any changes
in your business or physical structures over the years?
Fires can occur for a variety of
reasons, even if you're not engaged in work. Fumes or chemicals left unattended
can build up or combust. Loiterers can start fires on the property exterior.
And accidents might occur in the unattended building. So make sure that your
system responds quickly and accurately.
3. Use Cameras
When workers are at your site, you
and they can be physically alert to any unwanted intrusions. Cameras allow you
to simulate this human presence even when no one can be around. Cameras should
be placed so as to capture activity both close-up — such as at exterior doors —
as well as farther away, such as on gates and less visible fence areas.
Cameras not only provide constant
monitoring with live security backup, but some systems allow the security
personnel to verbally respond to intruders or vandals while waiting for
authorities to arrive. This minimizes damage and reduces the potential of
emergency situations.
4. Boost Physical Barriers
You don't want your business to look
like a fortress, but it shouldn't appear unguarded either. Check the locks on
all exterior doors and windows to ensure they all work well and have up-to-date
technology. Walk the perimeter of your fence and check that gates are
sufficiently strong and well-kept.
Do all the lights work? Do you have
motion sensors that will be triggered by interlopers long before they arrive at
the door?
5. Add Natural Protections
Along with human-made barriers, some
natural elements can help protect a closed site. If you remove bushes from the
areas around doors and windows and combine this with motion sensors, fewer
vandals and loiterers are likely to hang around. On the other hand, planting
bushes with thorns and sap or landscape boulders is often a deterrent from
casual loitering.
Could your business benefit from
heightened security while it must be idle? If so, some planning now protects
your investment for years to come. Contact the security team at All Pro Security, Inc., today to learn more. Our dedicated technicians will help
you assess your needs and design a security plan that fits your needs and your
budget. Call to make an appointment.
