Securing a business premises is a vital task, one which can even reduce your insurance premiums if you can show that you are using an NSI Gold standard approved security firm to supply, install and maintain your security products. Having a CCTV system, either monitored and unmonitored, is almost a pre-requisite today, but you must make sure there are signs prominently displayed alerting visitors and criminals to the presence of a recording system – this can be a deterrent in its own right, as well as being required by law under new data protection regulations.
Perimeter fences and lockable gates are also great for keeping your business items in and thieves out, but they can give the impression of an unapproachable business; a health spa or training centre would want to avoid imposing security features like these in favour of creating a more relaxed atmosphere for their customers and visitors. Using clever landscaping techniques and less intrusive security equipment can make a business premises look secure and safe while also seeming inviting.
Landscaping techniques can be employed to keep a premises safe, and ensuring that there are no overgrown shrubs or foliage around the exterior of the building is a good start. The aim is to eliminate any area where a criminal could hide so if you have ornamental plants outside the door, which many welcoming businesses do, you should ensure they are small enough not to provide cover for a person.
Bins are also a great place for burglars to hide, so ensure that your bins are locked away somewhere that is well-lit and that doesn’t provide a hideout for burglars on the run. Bins can also be used as makeshift ladders to gain entry to a property, so it is also worthwhile chaining them up so they can’t be moved around and used by the wrong people. Bin enclosures should be locked and sited somewhere well-lit that isn’t an attractive place to hide.
A perimeter fence can be intimidating to visitors, but certain establishments like schools need these for security. You can’t see through a wooden fence, which means that they can provide ideal cover for potential intruders, so rather than opting for a wooden fence, a chain-link one is a better option, or maybe railings painted in anti-climb paint. Even with a chain or railing fence there is the possibility that plants could grow up around it providing cover, so ensure that the areas around the fence aren’t becoming overgrown. The same idea applies to the rest of the premises – don’t have large trees or shrubs if possible as these reduce your overall vision of the premises.
Another landscaping tip is to use gravel on pathways. Gravel is impossible to walk over without making any noise, so burglars will avoid stepping on this surface and drawing attention to themselves. Of course, a burglar could walk on the grass or a hard surface instead so it is important to use gravel strategically, making it unavoidable.
Lighting is another important consideration; you might not be able to do much about dark alleyways or passages between buildings with landscaping but you can deploy motion sensor activated floodlights to scare off potential burglars and keep employees safe when leaving the premises after dark.
A NSI or NACOSS approved supplier can help you fill in the security gaps that can’t be managed with clever landscaping and design, including alarm and access systems, flood and fire detection equipment, recording devices and perimeter setting, so for the full experience call us on 01905 799949 to find out how we can tighten up your business security.