From protecting digital data to keeping employees safe while they’re at work, businesses and organizations of all sizes have a lot of different security concerns.
When it comes to preventing theft of physical items or protecting staff from bodily harm, there are many different physical security measures that commercial facilities can (and should) put in place.
There’s no one-size-fits all approach to improving physical security in commercial properties. But, by using a combination of different modern security technology and best practices, you can achieve a very high level of commercial security.
Best Physical Security Measures for Safeguarding Commercial Buildings and Their Occupants
- Access control systems
- Forced entry-resistant security glazing
- Professional security personnel
- Employee training
Access control systems
If you can’t control who’s coming and going on your property, it’s impossible to maintain a high level of physical security.
Access control systems take care of this by strictly controlling who can enter a commercial facility through the main entryway and who has access to certain areas within the facility.
Examples of access control include card-controlled or password-protected doors, biometric security systems, and staffed entryways.
The goal of all these systems is to ensure that only authorized personnel can gain entry to your facility.
Forced entry-resistant security glazing
Access control systems are great, but physical security is only as strong as its weakest link, which is more often than not your building’s vulnerable glass doors and windows.
From burglars to violent attackers, determined intruders can easily bypass access control systems by forcing entry through an unprotected door or window.
This is why it’s so important to use forced entry-resistant security glazing, preferably polycarbonate glazing, to reinforce vulnerable glass surfaces and create physical barriers to forced entry.
Polycarbonate security glazing looks and feels like regular commercial glass, so it won’t reduce visibility, block out natural light, or hurt the curb appeal of your business.
However, unlike standard annealed or even-tempered safety glass, polycarbonate is virtually unbreakable. It can withstand repeated blows from heavy hand tools, flying storm debris, and anything else a would-be intruder or mother nature throws at it.
If you require a very high level of physical protection, certain thicknesses and compositions of polycarbonate can even provide high levels of bullet resistance, making them ideal for active threat mitigation.
Whether you own a luxury retail store with a glass storefront or an all-glass office building, retrofitting ground-floor windows and doors with polycarbonate security glazing, such as ArmorPlast® AP25 from Riot Glass, LLC, is one of the best ways to improve physical security.
Professional security personnel
Hiring professional security guards, preferably armed ones, is another effective way to improve the security of your property and people.
The presence alone of a security guard lets would-be intruders know that your business is being watched at all times and that someone is ready to respond with force if a thief or an armed attacker decides to target your property.
Depending on the size of your facility, you may decide to hire security personnel to man key entrances, patrol the exterior and/or interior of your property, or all of the above.
Employee training
Employee training may not seem like a part of physical security, but it definitely can be.
By training your staff on how to react to certain security-related situations, such as smash-and-grab theft or an active threat scenario, you’re improving the physical safety and security of your property and employees during these types of situations.
For example, if you run a high-end jewelry store, train your employees on how to spot suspicious behavior that may indicate criminals are casing your business or about to attempt a robbery.
Or, if you run a school or educational facility, make sure to create lockdown plans for different emergencies and security threats, and hold lockdown drills to train staff and students on them at least twice a year.
How Do I Know What Steps To Take To Improve Physical Security?
Every type of business and commercial facility has unique security needs and goals, and it can certainly be a bit overwhelming trying to figure out what specific physical security measures to implement.
That’s why we always recommend starting with something called a threat assessment to determine the ideal combination of security upgrades you should make.
Threat assessments for physical security explained
A threat assessment is a special type of security assessment conducted by a security expert.
Threat assessments can be carried out for a number of reasons, including to help you harden your building’s physical security.
During a threat assessment, the security professional will walk through your property and thoroughly inspect it for vulnerabilities. They’ll also discuss your security needs and goals with you to get an idea of perceived and actual threats.
At the end of a threat assessment, the expert will provide you with a list of concrete recommendations about actionable steps you can take to secure your property.
For example, they may suggest that you upgrade the locks on certain doors, add access control systems to different areas, and reinforce specific doors and windows with security glazing.
How Campbell can help you improve your property’s physical security
At Campbell Glass and Films, we’re experts in all things related to glass security. We offer a full range of security glazing products, including Riot Glass® security window film and security laminates and ArmorPlast® polycarbonate security glazing, and installation services.
No matter what type of business or facility you operate, we’ll help you determine the right security glass products for your needs (and budget). We can even schedule a threat assessment for you if you haven’t had one done yet.
Contact us today for a free consultation!
