Building Security Basics

When you first open up your own commercial business, there are so many things to consider it can be easy to become overwhelmed or forget the necessities. Securing your building is one of the most important parts of getting your business started. You don’t want to move expensive hardware, merchandise, or your employees into the building until you can be confident that it is a safe workplace. The options range from security guard services to a wide variety of hardware.

To get started, let’s take a look at some of the necessary steps that you can choose to keep you and your employees safe.

Access control has evolved hugely over the past decade. Gone are the days when you would hire a single security guard to sit outside your door or a front-desk receptionist to have guests sign in. Of course, security personnel are still used, but most often as a supplement to a pre-existing security system.

Depending on what level of security you need, there are several different systems.  Keyless entry systems are great if your employees tend to lose easily-replicated keys. Keycards can keep records of exactly who is entering and exiting your building.

However, there are higher tech options than your average keycard. Biometric security access control uses fingerprint, palmprint or iris scanners to identify unique patterns. These patterns are compared to a database and only known individuals are allowed into a building. Something like this wouldn’t work for a retail store with customers entering and exiting throughout the day but could be an excellent idea for a more secure government building.

When you’re first starting, you probably don’t need to dive right in with biometric security. Keycards are a great way to control your building’s entryways and maintain customer access.

Technology is great, but sometimes the best option is a living, breathing security guard.  Security guards companies like this provide personnel who combine visible deterrence with the ability to analyze situations, access the threat level and take the appropriate action.  Security guards can also enhance the customer service by making people within your building feel safe. 

Surveillance cameras are a necessary piece of equipment for all commercial buildings, from retail stores to huge office parks. Surveillance cameras should be installed on the exterior and interior of your buildings. They are useful in an incident of theft or, god forbid, assault. Surveillance cameras can make your employees feel safer going to their cars at night and help you keep a record of what happens in your building.

If your commercial building needs perimeter control, some surveillance cameras use facial recognition and license-plate identification to inform your access control system. This can detect stolen vehicles, known criminals, and allow only authorized employees inside.

When you first open your new business, it’s a great idea to at least install security cameras on the exterior of your building to keep your employees safe in the parking lot and develop a record of all customers who come and go.

From the cabling you use to the surveillance cameras you pick; proper hardware installation can make or break your building security system. Using the wrong cables can slow down signal transmission throughout your network and limit the system’s ability to function correctly. Using older cables can also mean that you’ll have to replace your cabling network within a few years or face the prospect of being unable to upgrade your equipment.

When installing surveillance cameras, you need to watch out for weather-related factors including light sources, shelter from the elements, and environmental obstructions. If you fail to connect your security cameras properly, you won’t have the same degree of protection that they could offer you with proper installation. If you’re looking to install them yourself, find out exactly what to look for here .

While you can get by with separate systems for every aspect of your building security, systems integration will increase your safety. For example, with integrated systems, your surveillance cameras can work with your access control systems to identify known criminals or alert you if a car with a suspicious license plate rolls onto your property. Integrating your IT network with your security system means your cameras can be wireless with fewer cabling concerns and greater accessibility for you.

Plus, when you’re building out your business, the budget is always a concern. Systems integration means one vendor with installation and maintenance savings.

When you’re first considering building security for your business, keep it simple, safe, and secure. If you don’t need a massive, high-tech, fancy system, don’t get one. If you’re inexperienced with building security, hire a contractor. Systems integration can keep your systems simple while maximizing building security to keep your employees and business safe.

Just remember that installing building security basics should be one of the first things on your to-do list.

Author Bio:
Mark Pawlowski

Mark Pawlowski is the Director of Business Development at Medlin Communications, a leading commercial systems integrator based in the Chicago area. Mark has been with Medlin Communications since 2013, starting out in the role of client services manager. Medlin boasts an inside staff of professionals with more than 100 years’ combined experience in the telecommunications industry and has served over 3,000 customers nationwide.

The post Building Security Basics first appeared on Urgent Security & Fire Watch .