Safety should play a central role in any business. You should do it out of care for your employees and clients.
You also have to make sure that you are compliant with the safety rules and regulations in your jurisdiction. An unsafe workplace could have severe repercussions. Failed evacuations can turn an otherwise minor event into a catastrophe.
There will be more chance of one of your employees getting injured, injuring someone else, or being attacked. People going in and out of your premises could get assaulted as well.
These are all things you’ll need to prepare for and protect against. Here are a few ways you can make your commercial building safer for everyone.
1. Install Emergency Lights
Most commercial buildings are required to have emergency exit lighting, and yours probably isn’t one of the few exceptions.
You need to have those in place as well as a clear evacuation plan in case something happens. If you want to learn more about emergency exit lights and their importance, we suggest you check out lightingmaintenance.com.
If you don’t have emergency lights up, you will not only find yourself in violation of the fire code and safety regulations, but emergency exits could end up being impossible to see if there is an unplanned event. Emergency lights will be responsible for lighting the way if there is a total blackout and it could be the only chance at survival if there is a fire.
2. Add Outside Lighting to Commercial Buildings
You should make sure that the exterior of the building is properly lit as well. This will deter muggers from attacking people after sundown.
It will also make the parking lot and your building more inviting if people want to visit during the evenings. Besides, it will make your building look attractive at any time of the day.
3. Installed Monitored Alarm Systems
This should actually be the very first thing you do if you want to improve commercial building security.
The alarm system you install needs to be always monitored and you should seriously consider one that is fully remotely managed. By using it, you drastically prevent security breaches and break-ins.
The system you involve has to be comprehensive so it can detect potential break-ins in all building parts. Sensors have to detect intruders at doors, windows, and in all vulnerable areas. The best options include warning systems and alarms so alerts are sent to off-site monitoring teams, the police, and on-site personnel.
4. Add Video Surveillance
Besides the monitored alarm system, you should always add surveillance cameras to the commercial building. This in itself will deter numerous criminals. Cameras should be added to several vulnerable spots, like parking lots, windows, and doorways.
Criminals will rarely target commercial properties when they see several security cameras. They would just be exposed to too much risk.
Also, in the event that the break-in does happen, the surveillance system will assist in identifying culprits. Just make sure that you add one that has infrared technology.
5. Chain Link Fences
This is quite an effective way to improve security for commercial buildings and it has been tried-and-true for a long time now. Just install high-quality chain link fences all around the commercial property. Thieves often get deterred simply by looking at this fence.
Besides the chain link fence, you can add fittings, a good framework, and a proper gate. Burglars will thus find it to be quite difficult to even get close. This is useful as an extra obstacle. Also, because of the fact that thieves do not see what is inside the building, the risk is higher for them.
6. Carefully Secure All Windows And Doors
Always install strong windows locks and heavy-duty doors when you want to secure the commercial building. There are so many offices and other buildings that have window looks and doors that are very easy to pick.
When locks fall apart, are old, or are of low quality, they need to be replaced as soon as possible. This should be a huge priority.
Also, it is a very good idea to consider door reinforcement so they are more secure and stronger. Preventing intruders is easier since forced entries become difficult. For some extra security, it is worth taking into account the possibility of installing access control systems.
Add key fobs to be one hundred percent sure that just authorized staff is allowed entry. Such an addition makes it very simple to prevent unauthorized access.
7. Increase Parking Area Security
When talking about commercial buildings, parking areas are often overlooked and the security present there is very low. Do not make this mistake because we are talking about a very important part of the property.
Increase security for all your staff members. This includes when they go to the car and when they are inside the office. The parking lot is so often targeted by muggers and thieves. They might be lurking for free victims whenever not enough security is present.
The most important thing is to keep the parking area as lit as possible. Then, also include security cameras since they are very useful.
8. Carefully Evaluate Your Employees
Whenever you work inside the commercial building you own, it is important to talk about this fact. Serious measures should be taken to be 100% sure that the right staff is hired.
One of the biggest security thefts for literally any business in the world is the employee. As a result, background checks need to be very strict during the entire onboarding process.
You should never hire anyone that cannot be trusted or that has a very bad work history. In addition, make sure that you only share the information that should be shared with the employees. This is true even if a criminal background does not exist.
Due diligence whenever hiring the best people helps you to secure the business much more than many other things.
9. Use Technology
You should also take advantage of technology if you want to make your building as secure as possible. Judge whether it could be beneficial to have a gate with electronic ID cards for your employees.
You could also require that they use their card to enter the premises. This could be a great way to prevent intrusions but it’ll also allow you to cut off disgruntled employees and deny them access in case they would want retribution.
Motion sensors can be great tools as well. You could place them in sensitive areas like storage and have a light turn on when they get close. Some detectors will turn the lights on immediately at certain times of the day.
Another neat addition you could make is talking cameras. A lot of intruders will simply ignore cameras or may not see them, which negates their deterrent effect. A talking camera, however, is much tougher to ignore. More importantly, it lets intruders know that an actual person is watching.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, making your commercial building safer for the public and your employees only takes a few small adjustments, and the benefits are well worth it.
However, it is important to highlight the fact that the tips offered are just basic. Whenever you want to fully secure your commercial property, the best thing you can do is hire a professional that can help you.
Security companies can help you so much more than you think. They can personalize the solutions they offer.
I am Adeyemi Adetilewa, the Editor of IdeasPlusBusiness.com. I help brands share unique and impactful stories through the use of online marketing. My work has been featured in the Huffington Post, Thrive Global, Addicted2Success, Hackernoon, The Good Men Project, and other publications.