Laying the foundation strategy
The emerging role security entrances play in mitigating the costly liabilities associated with unauthorized entry, while assisting in the safety and wellbeing of staff, has never been more important. For instance, building owners working closely with emergency departments understood they should account for the changing social landscape and the growing options of available entrance technologies to control access and monitor safety. Picking a product which fits the blueprint, without considering the organizational culture and unique nature of the building, can lead to project failure.
Understanding the goals
Before launching a physical security plan, the project team should be aware of the unique needs and demands of every organization. To mitigate risks and liabilities, they must address unauthorized entry, such as theft, bad press, legal fines, and loss of life. Each organization has a different building layout, security goals, government regulations, etc. Prior to selecting an entrance strategy, it is the specifier’s responsibility to research and incorporate various elements, such as culture and throughput, and anything the organization should take into consideration with respect to security.
For business owners wanting to upgrade the physical security of their facilities using security entrances, the first step is to define their organization’s security goals by understanding the threats to the facility and the culture of their facilities. With this information, they can choose the right security solution which meets their organization’s needs and is a good fit with their office culture. Often, specifiers looking into security entrances for their clients are asked the wrong questions such as, “How much does it cost?” and “How many do I need?” Instead, clients should focus on the “Why?” questions, to discover their overall goal surrounding security. Some examples of these questions are: Why should a company do this? Why does it matter to prevent unauthorized entry? Why is it important to provide security and peace-of-mind to the employees? Why should one know who is in their building at all times?
One challenge of a security retrofit project is modern technology replacing an already-existing solution. In many instances, it is possible for existing technologies to still be part of the retrofit plan. To aid in the process, security professionals should develop a strategic roadmap ahead of time. This map should outline how to keep existing systems and devices functioning while the project is in progress. This map should be communicated to employees and stakeholders in the organization for transparency purposes.
The entire retrofit project team should discuss three implications when selecting entrance solutions to mitigate unauthorized entry: security, mustering, and corporate culture. By considering elements such as the need for guards, knowing how many people are in the building at all times, and balancing convenience with security, a security specifier can select the right entry solution for their project.
Types of physical security entrances
Understanding the goal before selecting the technology solution is vital, especially on a retrofit project, because the new entrance may differ in expectation from the current device. Creating a checklist of available technology options is a good starting point. The following list highlights security protection levels from the lowest to the highest. It is important to take note of the types of security solutions which require supervision.
