What is physical security?
Physical security measures are designed to protect buildings and safeguard the equipment inside. In short, they keep unwanted people out and give access to authorized individuals. While network and cybersecurity are important, preventing physical security breaches and threats is key to keeping your technology and data safe, as well as any staff or faculty that have access to the building. Without physical security plans in place, your office or building is left open to criminal activity, and liable for types of physical security threats including theft, vandalism, fraud, and even accidents.
Determining your risk level
Before implementing physical security measures in your building or workplace, it’s important to determine the potential risks and weaknesses in your current security. Detection is of the utmost importance in physical security. While it is impossible to prevent all intrusions or breaches, having the right tools in place to detect and deal with intrusions minimizes the disruption to your business in the long run.
To locate potential risk areas in your facility, first, consider all your public entry points. Where people can enter and exit your facility, there is always a potential security risk. Baseline physical security control procedures, such as proper access control measures at key entry points, will help you manage who is coming and going and can alert you to potential intrusions. Once inside your facility, you’ll want to look at how data or sensitive information is being secured and stored.
Components of physical security control for buildings
The three most important components of your physical security control for offices and buildings are access control, surveillance, and security testing methods. While the other layers of physical security control procedures are important, these three countermeasures are the most impactful when it comes to intrusion detection and threat mitigation.
Access control
Securing your entries keeps unwanted people out, and lets authorized users in. A modern access control system is your first line of defense, so having the best technology is essential. There are a few different types of systems available; this guide to access control systems will help you select the best system for your building. The main things to consider in terms of your physical security are the types of credentials you choose if the system is on-premises or cloud-based, and if the technology meets all your unique needs.
Surveillance tools
Surveillance is crucial to physical security control for buildings with multiple points of entry. The most common type of surveillance for physical security control is video camera surveillance. Video management systems (VMS) are a great tool for surveillance, giving you visual insight into activity across your property. When adding surveillance to your physical security system, choose cameras that are appropriate to your facility, exterior doors will need outdoor cameras that can withstand the elements.
Benefits of physical security measures
Beyond the obvious benefit of physical security systems to keep your building protected, the technology and hardware you choose may include added features that can enhance your workplace security. Especially with cloud-based physical security control, you’ll have added flexibility to manage your system remotely, plus connect with other building security and management systems.
