Multi-building factories, offices and facilities with spread out operations present unique protection challenges that businesses must deal with. Corporate leaders who face this challenge may want to get specialized help to ease this burden, as such assistance can make it easier to support advanced protection strategies with maximum return on any investment that is made.
There is plenty to evaluate when considering broad protection plans for multi-building facilities, and this checklist can help organizations get their strategies off to a good start:
1. Identify areas to be controlled
There may be some parts of a facility where freedom of movement can be allowed because only certain individuals can get into that space anyway, but most buildings and external areas will need to be carefully monitored and adjusted to ensure movement is controlled in these areas. Creating a clear list of these parts of a facility can set the foundation for a clear, well-organized protection plan.
Control is essential to maintaining a safe, well operating facility and protecting corporate assets. As a result, having a clear idea of which parts of the facility need particular attention is especially important.
2. Create systems to move workers and equipment safely between buildings
In the event of a strike, temporary workers may need to travel between different parts of a facility. This could lead to major work disruption as these employees may need to cross multiple picket lines or deal with other threats from disgruntled union workers. This kind of security threat can be particularly difficult to address if unauthorized personnel are able to gain access to a facility at the perimeter and begin to harass or otherwise target temporary workers or company leaders. Such threats must be counter measured effectively, and creating systems to move workers safely between buildings is a key first step in this process.
3. Strengthen the perimeter
Large facilities boast plenty of land. They also have lots of nooks and crannies where a hole in the fence, lack of surveillance or unprotected areas can lead to a security breach. Having so much space to protect creates unique challenges, but overcoming these issues is integral to protecting assets and personnel. Sometimes, identifying all of the points of weakness in the perimeter can be incredibly difficult. This is one area where having specialized protection experts can pay dividends to reduce risks and losses.
4. Check vehicle storage areas for weaknesses
Vandalism is not an uncommon issue when organizations face security threats. Trucks and other logistics-related equipment can be particularly vulnerable to such efforts as a small irregularity in a vehicle can easily be turned into a major malfunction that blocks shipping overall. It is important to make sure access to vehicles is consistently controlled and carefully monitored to prevent logjams when it comes to sending out orders and meeting customers' needs.
5. Analyze primary points of ingress and egress
It is often helpful to have multiple security checkpoints in place within the initial points of entry to a facility. This includes monitoring the entrance to parking lots and buildings that can be directly accessed from parking areas. If these types of access control strategies are not in place, the likelihood that somebody will gain unlawful entry increases. Single access points to facilities create choke points where an active picket line or protest can bring ingress and egress to a standstill until law enforcement can gain control of the situation. Multiple access points greatly counter measure this threat by allowing quick adaptation to movement systems.
6. Evaluate security operations
Processes can be a major roadblock to security success. Poor patrol layouts, a lack of accountability or inefficient monitoring practices can all hold back protection programs. Assessing these types of operations can play a key role in creating a more streamlined and secure work climate.
7. Reset door codes and other locks
Having a good protection plan in place can be rendered useless if a disgruntled worker on strike tries to enter a secondary building through an unsecured door or one that is kept locked with a code-based solution, only to find that the code that the worker knows is still in use. While changing such codes on a relatively frequent basis is uncommon, it is a best practice to refresh these codes when a high threat termination or disruption takes place. If an organization is using key fobs, proximity cards or other types of security measures for other electronic locks, reprogramming and terminating access is the solution to determine who can enter buildings and is a vital consideration.
8. Protect critical leaders and staff
Executives and key staff are often among the first people targeted during a disruption, so developing a plan to protect them is critical. In some cases, these individuals could even be threatened off of work premises, and protecting them and their families may be necessary.
Protecting company personnel and assets is essential during a critical event. Effective security and protection strategies can safeguard revenues, ensure shareholder confidence and position organizations for operational success during normal operations and emergencies.
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