Immediate Security Challenges Threatening Front-Door Security
What role does environmental design play in your facility’s front-door security efforts?
The design of any building contributes or detracts from its safety and security. Through a concept known as Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), the physical design of a facility can be made to deter criminal activity. For example, potholders might be placed on the exterior of the building to restrict access and direct traffic to a specific entrance. Or, the height of sidewalks may be lowered to reduce sight lines or access to certain windows around a building’s perimeter. In many ways, CPTED plays a major role in front-door security. The combination of clearly delineated spaces, access control, surveillance and the right security policies reduces breaches and the likelihood for crime.
Has your front-door security policy been implemented through the lens of CPTED? Below are common security challenges that facility managers face in relation to the design of their facility and the technology required to supplement it:
No Defined Single Point Of Entry
Front-door security is really about regulating and monitoring the flow of traffic into your building. Defining a single point of entry provides for streamlined regulating and monitoring of that entrance. Even if your building has multiple points of entry, each doorway should be regulated using the same attention associated with guarding a single entry point. Making secondary entrances unsurpassable is essential. Think about the design of your vestibule or entryway and use your building architecture – inside and outside – to funnel visitors in the right direction.
No Electronic Access Control
One of the major benefits of installing electronic access control systems and using ID badges is being aware of all building occupants at any time. An electronic access control system enables you to print photo ID badges for visitors with time expiration. After the time on their card expires, they won’t be allowed to enter other areas of the building locked electronically. For private schools and university campuses, being able to tell where students and teachers are is vital when dealing with a threat or for handling time and attendance. Possessing a database of entrants, along with a pool of data from public records, allows you to cross-reference for potential sex offenders and those on wanted and watch lists for an extra level of security.
No Visitor Screening Procedure
At the very least, any visitor management program should involve a locked door and a screening process that directs visitors to register and sign in at a security desk. A good visitor management program involves letting visitors know what you expect of them once they enter or exit a building. Proper signage is enough to accomplish this. An intercom or buzz-in system offers another way to regulate who enters your building before they do. Plus, having visitors identify themselves is a deterrent to criminal activity in itself.
Lack Of Perimeter Security
Security protocols and systems are only as effective as those who enforce and use them. Without properly training staff members, your security technology will never be used to its full advantage, and specific threats won’t be addressed according to best practices. Training becomes especially important when handling emergency situations promptly.
The industry’s best security technology alone won’t keep your building safe. It’s the blend between technology and your facility’s security force that creates and sustains safety at all levels of an organization.
Download Close Your Security Gaps: How A Better Strategy Maximizes Building Safety below to get more tips on maximizing safety at the front door and across your entire facility.
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