At TAL Global, we have helped our clients address scores of security issues over the decades. No two are alike. Further, how they are addressed is usually different as well.

Typically, they involve any or a mixture of the following:

Unauthorized building access.
Theft.
Vandalism.
Violence (this can include physical assaults, threats of violence, or active shooter incidents).

However, the one common denominator found in all incidents is the need to conduct a physical security and risk assessment. To clarify:

The gist of a physical security assessment is an evaluation conducted by security professionals of every aspect of security measures currently in place. It usually includes an inventory of all assets to be protected, as well as recommendations on how best to protect them.

A risk assessment is a much more in-depth security evaluation. The benefits are many, identifying any current facility security-related vulnerabilities and potential hazards, the likelihood of an incident occurring as a result of these vulnerabilities, and other security weaknesses. The assessment will also provide a detailed list of ways to address them. (More on risk assessment benefits here.)

Here are Four Security Issues and Their Solutions

Here are examples of security issues we have addressed over the years and how we suggested our clients handle them:

Issue: A client noticed that employees were leaving doors unlocked after they left for the day. This posed a security risk, as unauthorized individuals could enter the building.

Solution: We suggested keeping all interior doors locked 24/7 so they could only be opened using an employee badge system. We also suggested communicating with employees regularly about security and steps they can take to protect themselves and others in the facility. This form of messaging can be enormously powerful.

Issue: A company noticed that there were several break-ins in its warehouse. They needed help understanding why their security system was not notifying them and finding ways to prevent future incidents.

Solution: We evaluated the current security system and found it to be outdated and problematic. We suggested that the client upgrade to a more sophisticated security system by adding new digital cameras, motion sensors, and alarms. Additionally, we recommended hiring security guards to patrol the warehouse, inside and out, especially when the facility was not in use.

Issue: A company had a problem with employee theft. Employees were stealing supplies from the company and selling them online.

Solution: We suggested several things, including conducting more thorough background checks of employees; creating and communicating a clear anti-theft policy; making it safe, easy, and anonymous for a “whistleblower(s)” to report stealing incidents; installing advanced security cameras in critical areas of the building, especially loading and unloading sites’ and conducting regular audits of all items ordered and where they were shelved or stored.

Issue: A company had a threat of violence from a disgruntled employee. The employee had been fired and threatened to harm his former coworkers.

Solution: The immediate first step was to contact the police, who would investigate the threats and, if determined credible, arrest and charge the individual. However, a more significant action was to determine ways to prevent or minimize chances of incidents such as this in the first place, and if they do occur, ways to manage them and help the organization get back on its feet as quickly as possible. It’s all part of our Prepare-React-Recover methodology.

These are just a few examples of onsite building security issues we have handled and how they were addressed. Of course, there have been many more, which were quite involved and complex.

Here are some additional recommendations for addressing these issues:

Create a security management team that has been taught what to do if an incident occurs. Again, this is a key component of Prepare-React-Recover mentioned earlier.
Work with security consulting and risk assessment professionals. Don’t make the mistake of believing managers can handle security issues. You need security professionals to handle security issues.

TAL Global is an elite security, consulting, and risk management firm that protects human and physical assets around the globe. For more information, email: info@talglobal.net