Aug 10, 2017

You’re too busy to deal with a break-in.

And while you can’t remove the risk 100%, there are a number of sensible measures you can take to tighten up your security and cut the risk of opportunistic crime.

Here are six measures to consider:

1. Install an intruder alarm

Intruder alarms are essential for businesses to ensure that you meet your insurance requirements.

Not only will an intruder alarm deter a burglar, but they’ll also let you know if a break-in is in progress. Add on a monitored service and you’ll have peace of mind that someone you trust will investigate should your alarm be activated.

It could help you sleep easier at night.

2. Business CCTV Systems

Install CCTV and you’ll be able to capture footage of your business premises 24/7.

Not only can CCTV deter would-be vandals, trespassers, and burglars, but it can also take their photo should they do anything criminal.

CCTV means you’re no longer dealing with the unknown. Depending on the quality of camera you install and their location around your premises, you’ll be able to see who did what.

Better still, if your CCTV footage is of sufficient quality, it may be able to be used in court as evidence.

3. Access control systems

As a business, you don’t have to have an ‘open door’. Instead, you can introduce a hi-tech access control system so you can take back control of who enters your building.

Ideal for personal protection as well as privacy, you can install:

• Code operated systems
• Two-way intercoms
• It can even clock people in and out and print out a list of people at work in the event of a fire

To ensure no unwanted guests can get inside.

4. Commercial fire alarms

As you have a duty of care to your employees, it’s essential you have a robust fire system you can rely on.

Depending on the nature of your business, you can install sprinklers, sensitive smoke detectors, as well as alarm buttons to ensure staff are notified at the earliest possible opportunity should a fire take hold.

And for extra peace of mind, you can even link your alarm to the fire brigade to cut the time before emergency help arrives.

5. Key holding

Who’s going to respond should your alarm be activated in the middle of the night or when your business is closed for a shutdown or a holiday?

As the business owner or manager, it’s likely you will be the primary keyholder, but to reduce the burden, you may want to ensure other people can be contacted too.

Investing in a professional key holding service provides the reassurance that someone with a key will always be available. Ensure you choose a company whose staff are SIA screened and trained in security and you can relax knowing your premises are secure.

 6. Guarding

Some businesses require the presence of security guards at various times of the day. Whether it’s for extra protection or vigilance, a dedicated human presence provides the highest possible amount of security for your business.

Specially trained and knowledgeable about what to do in the event of an incident or an emergency, security guards can minimise the risk and help you sleep at night.

Want to improve security in your business?

When it comes to the security of your premises, some precautions are obvious. For example, most businesses know that an intruder alarm makes a lot of sense.

But there are many other measures you can implement to cut the risk of your business being targeted. Some are outlined above, but others are even simpler such as exterior lighting and even the placement of your rubbish bins.

Security is our area of expertise and we’d be very happy to share our 30 years’ experience with you. So if you’d like to discover how you could tighten up your business so you can sleep easier at night, get in touch.

We offer FREE Site Surveys to all local businesses where we’ll conduct an extensive audit as well as reveal the steps you could take to minimise the risk of your business being disrupted as the result of a crime.