Securing Your Facilities on a Tight Timescale

Improving security in your building does not have to mean undergoing a major renovation or submitting planning applications that are a timely process. As leading experts in creating secure environments with over 30 years of experience across a wide range of industries, we are breaking down five tips for securing your facilities in situations where time is of the essence.

Key Access

Did you know that one-third of break-ins are carried out by people who have secured the keys to a building?

The vital point here is to ensure that your staff’s security training is regularly updated and keys (or keycards, access fobs etc) are accounted for at all times. It is important to have a thorough protocol in place which all staff are clear on – what do staff do when keys go missing? Where are keys kept when security and other personnel are finished working for the day? What is the appropriate course of action if unidentified personnel are detected in off-limits areas?

You should also revisit core issues like these whenever new protocols or security measures are introduced, and carefully consider how the changes in the environment might affect security risks such as key access.

Quick wins for improving key access security:

• Use high-security keys – available from specialist manufacturers, these keys are difficult to duplicate and come with pick-proof locks.
• Review your current protocol for key access and ensure all staff are fully trained on key access security.
• Access control systems should be updated once every 5 years to ensure encryption remains up-to-date.

Deterrents

In some cases, a break-in attempt can be prevented through deterrents alone. Drawing attention to the scene through the use of motion-activated floodlights and an alarm or prerecorded warning can be offputting to would-be intruders, knowing that their presence has been noted and the time to gain entry and make an escape is limited. This can work well when used alongside building hardening measures such as Securiclad panelling, slowing down an intruder’s access to the building whilst minimising the time within which they have to operate by attracting attention.

Prominent signage regarding the building’s security can also work in tandem with these systems to help deter potential intruders, alerting them of the protective measures in place and warning them that security or law enforcement will soon arrive at the scene.

Using signs to alert people of measures such as CCTV operation, guard dogs and security on patrol or high-security doors/walling can help deter intruders looking to gain access to the building.

Quick wins for deterring intruders:

• Draw attention to any suspicious activity through the use of motion sensors, floodlights, alarms, spoken warnings and more.
• Use signage to warn intruders of security measures in place.

Power Access

Having at least one backup power supply is crucial in high-security environments. Use a UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply) where possible to guarantee your backup will activate instantly should your main power source fail. The assures electronic security systems like CCTV, access systems, lighting and lines of communication remain uninterrupted with no loss of power.

Safeguarding your backup power supply against tampering, vandalism or forced entry is imperative, as easy-to-access power supplies are often one of the first areas of a building targeted by intruders. Ensure your power supply is surrounded by secure walls and doors to make it a difficult target, with secure modular panelling often beneficial for improving security in these scenarios.

Another crucial point in regards to power supply is temperature control: your backup power must remain cool even during extended periods of use. It is also important that your chosen cooling system does not compromise security through the use of unsecured external ventilation ports, with solutions such as closed water cooling often suitable in these scenarios.

Quick wins for ensuring continuous power access:

• Check your current backup power system – how do its security measures hold up? Is it time for an upgrade?
• Protect power supplies and backup power against interference using high-security modular walling and doors.
• Invest in secure temperature control for your building.

Steel Security Doors

Doors are often one of the first points an intruder will try to force when attempting to gain entry into your building by force.

High-security steel doors make forced entry to secure areas far more difficult, with specialist steel frames making a break-in by force all but impossible even when using tools like a crowbar or enforcer battering ram. Although the installation of these doors will require some work on the surrounding frame, the process does not involve any large-scale renovation and can often be completed fairly quickly in time-sensitive situations.

• High-security steel doors can resist a variety of tools and entry methods, making it far more difficult for intruders to gain entry by force.
• Although lead times vary by manufacturer, the creation and installation of these doors is usually fairly efficient and does not require any large-scale structural changes to your building.

High-Security Modular Walling

Securiclad panels greatly slow down entry to a building through the walls and ceiling. Our high-security modular walling is designed to resist forced entry; an attempt to cut through will result in the blades slipping and sliding over the surface of the cladding rather than cutting through. Intruders would require specialist tools and large amounts of time to fully cut through the panels, providing time for law enforcement or security to arrive on the scene. Our panels are also fire-safe and firearm-resistant. Only 100mm thick, the panelling can be installed in many existing building environments, either externally or internally, without the need to change the building’s structural design.

Quick wins for securing walls, ceiling and floor:

• Securiclad panelling shields your walls and ceiling from break-in, requiring highly specialised tools and a long period of time to cut through.
• The products come in a range of security tiers, from SR2 to SR5, and can be installed both internally and externally in a building.
• The panels are can be supplied and installed with short lead times in projects with short timeframes.
• Securiclad system is Government-approved for use in high-risk areas