In business investing in a robust industrial security system always pays off. The level of security each type of business requires may differ, but all of them require some form of industrial security system to protect not only their personnel and but also their resources.
The worst thing a business owner can do is to procure security equipment and get them installed without the advice of a security professional. There is always a danger of getting a system that cannot handle the perceived threats or obtaining a system that is far more sophisticated than is necessary. Both result in waste of valuable resources; the former because it will not work properly, and the latter because a simpler and cheaper version would have sufficed.
What To Look For In Security Systems
Security systems are made up of detection, alarm, surveillance, monitoring and recording equipment. The entire system is coordinated by software which is the main component of security system command and control centers. The following are the basic features of industrial security systems:
-
Access control systems: This is made up of ID cards and badges which contain access permissions and card/badge readers deployed at entry and exit points as well as elevators in a building. Access control systems are set up for two main purposes: to keep unauthorized personnel out, and to monitor entry and exit of a company’s own employees. Both result in greater security for the facility, personnel, and the company’s resources.
-
Intrusion detection & security alarms: This is made up of sensors and alarms deployed at strategic locations within a facility which are designed to detect entry of unauthorized persons into restricted areas. There are many types of detectors which can be used, and these are chosen based on the nature of the threats a company faces. Glass break detectors, motion detectors, heat detectors, pressure change detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors are a few of the most common types
-
Video surveillance cameras and recording equipment: Video surveillance deters people from stealing from the company; it deters people from outside the company as well as its own employees from doing anything illegal. Keeping video footages also protect the company and its staff from false claims made by its clients. It also provides a fair and reasonable way of settling disputes.
-
Monitoring system: Some companies prefer to hire their own security personnel to monitor the entire security system. In such cases the control center is usually built onsite and is powered separately from the rest of the facility. Some industrial security control centers are as simple as home security panels, while the most complex control numerous cameras, sensors, and alarms through several large screen monitors. The most complex systems are controlled externally by the staff of a security company on 24/7 basis.
-
Remote access: The proliferation of laptops, tablets and smart devices make it desirable to be able to access an industrial security system through the internet. This ability enables better and faster responses to any incidents.
The above are only the basic. Companies who work on sensitive US defense department contracts, for example, are required to adhere to stricter security standards. Carefully choosing an appropriate security system is always a smart move.