How To Refine Your Building Security Policy For Any Incident

The strength of your security system depends on a comprehensive building security policy. Without the proper policy in place, your facility remains vulnerable to unforeseen threats and unanalyzed weaknesses in security system design. Many security challenges may be addressed through a revision of your current security policy. How comprehensive is your current policy? What could be done to improve it?

A comprehensive security policy accomplishes the following:

• Defines strategic, high-level goals to reduce security risks across the organization
• Protects the organization against legal action for code, compliance or other violations due to incomplete procedures and security countermeasures
• States the role of various individuals within the organization and their responsibilities to promoting a safe environment

There are a few essential steps to revising your security policy, or developing one for the first time, while accounting for every scenario and every threat:

1. Perform A Security Risk Assessment:

• What assets currently need protecting and what standards are in place for protecting them?
• Who would be interested in obtaining unauthorized access to your facility?
• What entry portals exist and how are they protected?
• What methods would a potential intruder use to access your facility?

• What countermeasures exist for fully protecting your assets and people?
• How does your current security technology support and reinforce all countermeasures?
• What countermeasures, not currently in existence, need to be implemented?
• What would a detailed, phased implementation look like for the addition of new countermeasures and the technology to support them?

• What current security risks need to be reduced?
• What are the security management objectives?
• How does the environment – inside and outside – promote security?
• What electronic security technology is in place to detect, assess and manage potential threats?
• What building code, regulations or compliance issues must be adhered to when implementing new technology and enacting countermeasures?

In the end, your refined facility’s security policy should contain:

• Security measures
• Security roles
• Effective date
• Last revision date
• Enforcement details
• Exceptions

Think of your security policy as a consistent security message to be read and understood by everyone within your facility. After all, each person plays an important role in upholding policies and promoting standard building security practices. Plus, by conducting a security risk assessment, outlining a security plan and developing security procedures, you lay the foundation for integrating technology to increase your coverage and optimize security management.

A security policy is only as good as those who enforce it, so be sure to communicate awareness, coordinate training and update the policy as your facility’s needs change.

Download Close Your Security Gaps: How A Better Strategy Maximizes Building Safety below for more tips on refining your security policy and maximizing safety throughout your facility.

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