A lot of factors play into keeping any building safe. Its location, purpose, services, and occupants can all affect the safety of the building as a whole. At Sonitrol, we are all about keeping your business safe. Our blogs, services, and other resources assist building managers with knowledge and tools to keep their building as safe as possible.
A good place to start with building safety is to create a Facility Security Plan (FSP), which is a critical component of an effective security program. A successful FSP requires an understanding of events that could present a threat to personnel, operations, and information. This blog will help building managers understand FSP’s and how to create one.
Conduct A Full Spectrum Threat Assessment
Begin with a complete and thorough threat assessment by determining and categorizing the full spectrum (natural, criminal, terrorist, accidental, etc.) of potential threats and their consequences. Then you can determine what countermeasures you should take to address or mitigate those threats. To assess risk, collect information and assign values to risks so you can create priorities, develop a plan of action, and inform decision making.
When conducting a threat assessment take everything into account including natural hazards like tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and fire. Look at historical data, past occurrences, and future trends to assess the risk these events might pose on your building. For criminal threats, the crime rates in the surrounding area provide a good indicator of the type of criminal activity that may put your building at risk.
The businesses who occupy your building will also affect crime rates. Their assets and activities may make theft or other criminal activity more attractive to aggressors and will also relate directly to various types of accidents. A facility that houses heavy industrial machinery will be at higher risk for job-related injury accidents.
All occupants of the building should be trained on the FSP. Successful trainings can be accomplished through seminars, workshops, and drills. The plan should be exercised annually with participation from all levels in the building. It should also be reviewed annually to make any necessary revisions.
Sonitrol Security Solutions
We have a fully integrated business security system, which is backed by verified audio and visual technologies and is monitored by highly trained professionals from our monitoring systems across the nation. Our integrated system meets all of your FSP goals and includes the following:
- Verified audio detection: our audio system is the only one that provides 100% coverage, floor-to-floor and wall-to-wall.
- SonaVision™ digital video camera surveillance: choose from a wide variety of camera types, Internet-based digital video, or closed circuit TV. Our video system allows you access to the video footage at any time and from anywhere in the world!
- Intelligent access control systems: this system can prevent you from the trouble and expense of locks, tracks movement throughout facility 24/7, and can control HVAC, elevators, and lighting systems.
- Fire detection: this system can be easily integrated, and the smoke and heat detectors, sprinkler systems, and pull stations can be monitored 24/7.
We know that security is your number one priority as a business manager. That’s why we have created a resource to help you create a plan that will keep you, your building, and its occupants safe. Download our Building Security Guide and sign up for a free Security Assessment.