The first goal of many industrial manufacturing facilities is safety. With heavy machinery and many moving parts, employee safety is a priority. OSHA regulations are strict and the consequences of accidents could be fatal. Does your manufacturing facility rely on an integrated business security system to enhance your employee safety measures?
Control who has access to certain parts of the facility and track who is coming and going through your facility with access control. Pair this with video surveillance cameras to increase visibility throughout the shop floor and monitor any suspicious activity. Protect your assets with a fire alarm system, which is especially important as the latest wildfires have shown that things can take a turn for the worse in minutes. All of these measures will increase physical security for everyone in the facility, 24/7.
How to Create a Security Strategy for an Industrial Manufacturing Facility
The purpose of physical security in manufacturing plants, and elsewhere, is to detect vulnerabilities and prevent intrusion. Common threats to industrial plants are workplace threats, violence, theft, counterfeiting, vandalism, and trespassing. Many plants are fairly accessible and have multiple entrances so investing in security cameras and access control are the most popular and important avenues of securing a facility.
Integrated security systems should layer several different technologies throughout the facility to create the most secure building possible. These technologies should be able to communicate in real time and work in conjunction with each other to alert security monitors and employees of threats so that more efficient responses are possible. Preventing physical attacks will also keep wrongdoers from gaining access to critical data and control networks.
Security can be simple for manufacturing plants. Just follow the three vital functions of an effective security system as determined by the U.S Department of Justice: detect, delay, and respond. The first step to securing your plant is to assess the possible threats. This process is known as creating a Contingency Plan. Part of the process is also understanding the plant’s physical layout and how employees work inside of that layout. This will help you determine the specifics of access control and who should have access to certain parts of the building and who shouldn’t. This will also ensure you decrease liability risks.
By utilizing a comprehensive security solution, industrial organizations can significantly mitigate threats and increase overall asset protection. An integrated solution also means lower maintenance costs, greater efficiency, and improved profitability. Don’t overlook employee awareness regarding all aspects of securing the building. When they are aware of threats and procedures in the case of an emergency, chaos will be minimized and action will be quick.
The following questions will help you in understanding the security technologies needed in your plant:
- Have you mapped out all of the machinery, equipment, business systems, people, and other assets?
- Have you prioritized your most critical assets?
- Do you know who has access to security devices?
- Do you limit who has access to them?
When a security strategy is determined, make sure all policies and procedures outlining the strategy are documented. Staff should be made aware of and trained on all policies and procedures on an annual basis.
Security systems are affordable, can help mitigate potential threats, and will keep productivity at maximum levels. When your employees feel safe and avoid injury through all of the safety measures in place, productivity can be guaranteed. Protect your plant assets and production integrity with our verified security system. We can also help determine where security gaps are with our free business security assessment. Register here.