As a business owner or manager, you know that security is critical to protecting your building and its occupants as well as maintaining your peace of mind.

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, security can be compromised, especially if you overlook important elements of your risk mitigation plan.

We’ve put together a list of seven common security oversights commercial property owners and managers often make to help you avoid them.

1. Locking the lobby door – You don’t want to make it easy for an intruder to enter the inside of your facility through the lobby. Don’t just depend on your receptionist because that person will often be busy and distracted.
2. Securing all entrances – Many building owners and managers fail to secure all the entrances, including emergency exits. You should fit all exterior doors with cameras and other monitoring devices to properly secure your building.
3. Including redundant communications and a back-up battery system in your business security system – Redundant communication channels and battery back-up guarantee that your system will continue to be functional and have the ability to send an alarm signal if you need help, even during a power failure or if your phone line goes dead.
4. Installing an access control system – Installing an access control system will limit access to your building and important areas of the facility to only the appropriate people during as well as after business hours. This system lets your employees enter the building and other areas using specialized credentials, such as a key card that they can swipe through a card reader to unlock the door. Advanced access control systems track employee, visitor and equipment movements in and out of your building as well as restricted areas within your facility.
5. Implementing IP video surveillance – Installing surveillance cameras on the outside and inside of your building can help stop theft and vandalism. However, if someone does break into your facility, the video images can help the police during their investigation. Your security system is most powerful when all of its components work together. Integrated video monitoring will trigger cameras to record events activated by motion, such as a door opening.
6. Subscribing to around-the-clock monitoring – In addition to installing a security system and surveillance cameras, you must be sure that your alarm provider will monitor your place of business 24/7. The faster your system can notify your security company’s command center, the sooner police can arrive to take care of the situation.
7. Educating your employees – It’s important to educate your workers about the safe practices regarding business security. For example, let them know that they must not share their access cards with others.

Avoiding these common oversights will go a long way toward keeping your building and its occupants safe.

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