There’s so much focus on internal security threats these days, that we sometimes forget that burglars and thieves do still exist out there. They who seek to break into your business, steal as much hardware and money as possible, are always thinking of new ways to breach your defences. Whether you own an office building, warehouse, production plant, testing facility or retail store, you need to think long and hard about the physical security of your premises. We’ve all watched cat burglar films where art galleries are swiftly and skillfully broken into. Although that kind of mystique is just for films, a lot of the same techniques and equipment are used in real life. Here’s how you can physically stop burglars and other bad actors from entering your building.

Warehouse protection

Whether you run your own warehouse or you are a dedicated warehouse business, you need to put in place some physical protocols that employees will abide by. You will also need to implement nighttime security protocols that the security watch will abide by.

Don’t rely on manual data input points. When products arrive they should each be scanned for their barcode and then automatically registered onto the database of the warehouse. According to Motorola, they are creating a technology which scans products coming in on arrival, but also, has scanning points for when they leave the warehouse. This will dramatically decrease employee theft and you’ll be notified when the products left so you can also catch wrong orders being made.

Motion detection sensors must be placed strategically around the building. This should be done at the depot, as well as places whereby the most valuable products are stored. This will log any and all activity in the area, as well as alert security cameras to any motion in an area which should be empty. This is something so useful because it’s silent and very discreet, often fooling burglars into thinking they’re not being detected.

Production plant

Production plants are full of activity, all day and night. This is why you need to have real security staff walking around the premises and making sure everything is above board. Hire a security company to provide your plant with watchmen. These kinds of professionals will be experienced in the study of body language, they will know abnormal behavior when they see it and they just have good instincts for sniffing out when something illegal is going on.

However, you should also provide them with security cameras. This way a pair of security members can watch the entire plant from one office and direct security team members on the ground to any areas of suspicious activity.

You should also regularly test your security system. You should have in place a lockdown protocol whereby you illuminate the entire production plant from the outside and spot thieves and burglars. This is especially crucial if you have lots of outside activity as you would at a car production plant.

Installing floodlights is a measure you will not regret. Light is the best way to prevent burglars from trying to break into your plant. However, it must be coupled with the large open flat ground which burglars have to cross and be at risk of being spotted very easily. Large metal fences around the perimeter should be standard but check with the local authority if you have the right to fix barbed wire on top as well. Placing mud around the inner part of the fence is also helpful as any burglars that break through the fence will leave behind footprints which the police will find very useful in their investigation.

High-rise office building

You might be thinking, ‘why on earth would anyone want to break into an office building?’. Well, corporate espionage is very real and so many small businesses owners don’t realize the danger they’re in. Your company secrets could be stolen overnight because you didn’t have an access control lock system. This commercial locksmith sells hardwire systems and key fobs which you need to swipe over the sensor lock, in order to open a door. Where would you employ this?

You should be employing it in a meeting room which you use to have very secret and important meetings. This could be about pricing, product design and launch, long-term strategy and developments for the future. It’s not that far-fetched to think, your meeting rooms could be bugged by one or more of your competitors to know what you’re up to and beat you to the punch.

You should also have these access control locking systems for cabinet rooms where you store physical copies of files. This is so your finances are kept under lock and key and nobody but you know this information.

Testing unit

Many companies that are in increasingly competitive industries have testing units. Formula One teams, Aerospace companies, underwater exploration vehicle manufacturers and even some smartphone companies, have their own testing units. This is where the most secretive things occur. You’re making breakthroughs that could change the entire industry and therefore the world. It would be mind-boggling if you didn’t have top-notch security for your testing unit.

Motion sensors must be placed all around the unit. You should have key access locks for your employees so only trusted workers are allowed into the unit. You should also have perimeter security in the way of security staff and security cameras. However, you should also have managers that are on a roll call, making sure only the right people are arriving to work and someone who you don’t know, isn’t trying to merge into the crowd. You should also employ a code of honor whereby employees report suspicious activity no matter who is doing it. It could be a fellow employee who is taking photos with their smartphone, in places they shouldn’t be. It could also be ripped packages or unlocked doors which are signs totally out of the ordinary.

Protect your commercial property as you would your own home. It should have state of the art technology which can detect motion, record all activity in HD quality and your employees work together to form a shield of eyes and ears.