The 5 Layers of Business Security
January 18, 2024
How can you holistically protect your business without going broke? Check out the top five layers recommended to prevent fire damage and theft, both internal and external. With systems that work together or independently, you’re able to customize solutions that work for your unique business needs.
Fire Alarms
Most states require fully functioning fire alarms and fire inspections (including fire extinguishers) at commercial business sites. Some require monitored fire alarms, which send signals to a designated monitoring center when triggered by smoke, heat, and/or carbon monoxide. Modern fire alarm systems utilize cellular communication, keeping the wiring to a minimum.
If you are busy running your business and even slightly intimidated by learning your state’s code, partnering with life safety experts can alleviate stress and free up your time. We lean on our decades of experience to keep our customers protected every day. Working with us means having help with the prevention of loss of life and reduction of property damage.
Intrusion Alarms
Going beyond fire protection but still falling under life safety is a business security system (a.k.a. intrusion alarm). The process of sounding the alarm and alerting a centralized station to call for help is similar to fire alarms but the devices are different.
- Door Contacts | These utilize magnets (one on the door and one on the door frame) to sound the alarm when separated while the alarm system is activated.
- Motion Detectors | Heatseekers sense motion once the system is armed with the assumption that there should be no motion during alarmed hours.
- Glassbreak Sensors | Shattered glass sounds this alarm, which senses a unique sound frequency and the vibration of shattered glass.
- Panic Buttons | Mount them under desks or utilize their portable counterparts, all you need is one press to trigger the police.
As with most new technology, your burglar alarm system can be armed and disarmed remotely. It can be synced with our 24/7 alarm monitoring service so that no time is wasted should the unexpected occur. Last but not least, they can be programmed and utilized to meet your needs; it doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing form of protection. Just like with residential burglar alarms, there is a “stay” mode, protecting only the exterior of your site (good for businesses that don’t get visitors). Contact us for even more options to make a business security system work for you and not the other way around!
Access Control
Determining how to give the proper access to the appropriate people at the designated times can get costly really quickly without an access control system. Utilizing this technology allows you to designate individual access for each person entering your property. Individuals carry key cards or mobile credentials that can be programmed remotely and you can make instantaneous changes to (especially helpful when a former employee hasn’t turned in their key card, you can simply disable it).
Think rooms with private HR files, on-call building maintenance, the carpet cleaners, weekly vendors, employees coming and going after hours, and a plethora of other scenarios. Another plus for access control is that it’s harder to breach an electronic lock than traditional key locks.
Video Surveillance
HD cameras might not sound new to you anymore but they have come a long way! Long gone are the days of paying someone to watch your CCTV cameras 24/7 or VHS tapes that had to be rewound to find what users were looking for, thankfully.
We’ve been watching IP video remotely since 1996, believe it or not. Video resolution has vastly improved along with the ability to watch events as they happen (Live Video Monitoring), which also prevents false alarms. Should an actual intrusion occur, verifying it with human eyes means the police are more likely to respond to your video-verified alarm.
Video surveillance at your place of business can have several other positive effects:
- Crime Deterrent
- Aid in catching the culprits
- Creates a safe work environment
- Lowers insurance premiums
FUN FACT: Video surveillance started taking shape in 1927 with the first documented use in Soviet Russia during the Stalin era. The inventor used wireless technology to connect a video camera and a television together!
Pre-Employment Screening
Companies that don’t run background checks or utilize drug testing put themselves at risk for the number one predator: employee theft. Limit your risk with pre-employment screening and drug testing (DOT and non-DOT).
Our clients love our online background check platform which allows them to submit requests and manage their accounts. We adhere to all federal, state, FCRA, and EEOC guidelines and serve as an extension of your team, accurately researching and validating personal records for potential employees and volunteers. Visit our background checks page for more information or give us a call to walk through your options!
We can also pull a Motor Vehicle Report (MVR) is a record provided by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) that details an individual’s driving history beyond the standard driver’s license check. Traffic violations, suspensions, revocations, and more are detailed in this report. For employers in the transportation sector or companies that rely on drivers for operations, an MVR is a crucial component of the screening process.
We hope you feel more comfortable with the many forms of business security. We’re always just a phone call or an email away should you get curious about the many ways in which to protect your business.