According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, employers should provide a safe workplace to their employees. And one way to do that is to enforce security measures in your business premises.
Whether you are new in running a business or would like to update your office security features, here are some safety measures that you might want to consider:
Conduct a Security Audit
Before you go ahead and set up or upgrade your workplace security measures, the first thing you need to do is conduct an audit.
Doing so allows you to update your security policies. It also helps you discover the vulnerabilities in your protocols. For instance, your CCTV has a blind spot, which happens to be integral.
However, we suggest that you hire a professional to do a security audit. Instead of relying on security checklists available online, they know better what to look for regarding workplace security.
Entrance and Access Controls
There is a difference between access control and entrance controls.
Access control provides access for authorized personnel. For instance, access control is what determines whether you can access the company server or not.
On the other hand, entrance control is what reinforces this decision. Because what is the sense of having access to the company server if you cannot enter it.
This also means that access and entrance controls go hand-in-hand. For instance, only your employees can access your office door using their ID and ID reader. This will then trigger the locks to open up so they can enter.
Doing so ensures that only authorized personnel can come into the office.
Surveillance System
Aside from having access and entrance controls, it would be a great idea to have a surveillance system.
At Alarm System Store, we recommend business owners install video surveillance in the office. That’s because it is a great way to protect both the company and your employees.
For one, it allows you to record whether there are malicious people who intend to break-in or vandalize your commercial property.
Meanwhile, it can also help record whether abuses are going on in the office. Mind you; there is a rising case of workplace bullying since 2008. And if you have surveillance cameras, you can monitor if your employees can get out of the office to their cars safe.
Security Lighting
If you already have your surveillance system, you can level up your game by installing security lighting.
So, how can proper lighting help enforce workplace security?
For one, a well-lit area deprives a burglar of a hiding place. Hence, it deters them from doing something malicious in your office.
Another benefit is that it helps your camera detect facial recognition from a few feet away.
Other than that, security lights encourage pedestrians’ presence, giving you and your employees a sense of security.
Sensitive Data Security
Here’s the thing: Not every company can afford to go digital just yet. And if you are one of them, that means you have sensitive data written on a piece of paper and store in a file cabinet.
There is nothing wrong with that. But if you are not careful, this can compromise your company. After all, these data might include contracts, business proposals, and financial statements.
That said, it would be best if you know various methods to protect paper documents:
- Have a Records Retention Plan. It is as simple as having a protocol to keep the documents and not leave them open on the table.
- Set Up Protocols. To minimize the risk of people stealing or peering through your documents, ensure that you implement data protocol.
- Digitize Your Documents. If you have not already, you can opt to digitize your documents. That way, you can save them on Cloud storage, which does not take too much space.
- Safely Dispose of Your Documents. Once you digitize your documents, the next step would be to dispose of them. But remember to shred them off first before throwing in the garbage.
- Consider Off-site Storage. It is possible that you have documents that you cannot dispose of, yet they are too old to keep in the office. The best solution would be to rent a storage facility.
It’s Time to Develop a Culture of Workplace Security
Almost every business depends on security. Be it in information management or the workplace. Hence, it is essential to create a culture of security in the workplace.
The culture of workplace security encompasses company values. It is meant to build your employees’ attitude towards security.
Your policies and security measures will not work unless your employees have a positive attitude toward it. And you can do this by educating them on the importance of your security protocols.
It would also be best to let them know what they can do to enforce your security protocols. That way, everyone is doing their part in keeping the workplace safe and secure.
Andi Croft is a freelance writer whose main interests are topics related to business, technology, and travel. This is brought about by her passion for going around the world, meeting people from all walks of life, and bringing along with her the latest tech to enhance her adventures. @AndiCroft.
Security stock photo by deepadesigns/Shutterstock
