When it comes to site security, many business owners think of gates, fences, CCTV, and security personnel. However, one of the less obvious, but nonetheless commonly used forms of perimeter security are barriers.
Easy to understand and incredibly useful, barriers are increasingly utilised by those in the know. As their name suggests they act as a strong defence against unwanted intruders, and ultimately provide you with the keys to the castle. Allowing you to decide who can and cannot get entry to your property. If you are interested in installing barriers at your site though, there are a few things you should know first. There are a variety of different options to choose from which will we run through today.
The benefits of barriers
Regardless of whether your premises is a business or a residential site, barriers are commonplace around the UK. Used properly, and installed with care, they are a perfect solution to managing entry to your site. They can be used as a manual tool operated by security staff, or automatic and controlled with keys, codes, or fobs. But with so much variety on offer - which barrier should you choose for your business?
Manual barriers
Manual barriers are one of the more cost-effective types of barriers available on the market. Typically used in rural or isolated settings, manual barriers are operated by hand. However, they are also a good choice when manned security is preferred for operation. They might be used to stop traffic and check the visitors' credentials before providing them access. Manual barriers are perfect if your site is located away from the grid and electricity is not available to power an automatic barrier. You can also lock them into position, so if you wanted to leave access shut off during the evenings, or open all day then you could.
Automatic barriers
A sophisticated solution, automatic barriers are used in a variety of settings and require electricity to operate. You might use automatic barriers on staff car parks, or at the entrance to a particular area of a site. With automatic barriers, the options for gaining access are almost endless. Depending on your needs you can provide entry via manned guards, CCTV for visual confirmation, pushbuttons, cards, tokens, or even fingerprint recognition.
Height restrictor barriers
Height restriction barriers can be found in a variety of sites from construction and garages to car parks. Their main goal is to block access for heavy vehicles and are often utilised in public car parks where overstays and unauthorised long-term have become an issue. Similar to manual barriers, they are a cost-effective solution and do not require electricity or manned guarding.
Guide your decision with a professional risk assessment
When it comes to deciding which barrier to choose for your property, it is important to take professional advice. Numerous factors need to be considered including but not limited to: available space, the type of business, cost, level of security threats. Every business is different and all of these factors should be taken into account. With a professional risk assessment, we can take a forensic look at your business needs, and requirements to help you make an informed decision and start you on the path to a more secure future.
Gateway Automation can provide free, no-obligation quotes and feasibility surveys for your premises to assess your security requirements. To find out more, contact us on 01522 68255 or take a look at our brochure here: http://www.gatewayautomation.co.uk/brochure/.
How to decide which barriers are best for your business
Protecting your business this Christmas
Many businesses such as offices, schools and factories are are shut between Christmas and New Year. Although this break is much appreciated by employees, business managers need to ensure that security is up to scratch as it is often during this quiet period that criminals target business premises, they believe to be unoccupied.
Here we discuss some tips that managers should consider in order to ensure their premises remains as secure as possible during this time.
• Create a procedure in advance for the last day in the office. Nominate and agree an individual to secure the premises. Communicate the plans thoroughly to avoid any mistakes or confusion about what the plan is.
• Keep track of visitors- Christmas, for many establishments is a busy time for guests due to more deliveries for example. Ensure you know who is in your building or premises at all times. Having access control barriers and panels for your building can help ensure no unauthorised vehicles or personnel can access your premises.
• Decide which key holders will be contactable during the Christmas break- Although the likelihood of them being needed is relatively small, always confirm which members of staff who have keys will be available to deal with any emergencies. Share a list with relevant staff to confirm.
• Turn off electrical items or put in safe mode. If your premises will be empty during Christmas, carry out thorough checks prior to the break to avoid risk of fire.
• Check heating settings- Although there will not be anyone in the building, you might want to have the heating on for a short time each day just to ensure its being used regularly. This is especially important is certain stock needs to be temperature control.
• Consider employing security guards- Depending on your organisation, you may decide if it is worth the investment to have a physical security guard on during the days the office is closed. For many companies this may be unnecessary.
• Ensure nobody is left on their own- On the last day, try and avoid having one person closing the office or building on their own. It is a lot of pressure for them to remember everything and can also make them vulnerable to any criminals that are watching the premises. If you decide to close early, ensure everyone leaves at the same time.
• Keep the perimeter well lit- Having strong security lighting is not only protecting your employees during dark mornings and evenings, it is also a good deterrent for potential criminals as it can scare them away but also means any CCTV footage will be clearer.
• Install barriers, gates and signs- Barriers and gates create a physical barrier that can protect your company but they, along with strong signs such as “CCTV in action” act as a strong deterrent.
• Do a trial run- You can always do a trial run to ensure all protocols are met. You should also carry out a trial security threat to test reaction times.
The tips above are just some of the ways you can ensure your security levels remain high over Christmas. Of course, these tips and precautions can and should be implemented all year round. Having a permanent high level of security all the time ensures the security remains a part of everyday life and will reduce the vulnerability of your business throughout the rest of the year.
To find out more about how we can help with your business security needs, please contact us on 01522 682255 for a free, no obligation call and feasibility survey to assess your business needs.
How to tackle the problem of unauthorised parking
However, this issue which is affecting businesses and landowners nationwide is not something that can be handled by the police, as it is a civil matter rather than a legal one. While in the past land owners were able to use clamping as a deterrent, this is no longer allowed, with The Protection Of Freedoms Act (2012) making it an offence to clamp a vehicle in England or Wales. So with this in mind, what alternatives are still available to businesses to tackle the issue of unauthorised parking on their property?
Barriers
One way to limit access to your site is to use barriers. Automatic barriers, height restrictor barriers and manual barriers all act as effective solutions for limiting access to vehicles or particular types of vehicles. They can be operated either manually – remaining up in business hours and locked down in the evening, or automatically - with access granted via CCTV, proximity cards, a key pad or tokens.
Gates
One of the most effective ways to limit access to a site is to install gates, a particularly effective choice if you are aiming to lock down a specific area such as a staff car park. Having unauthorised cars using up your employees’ parking spaces, or spaces reserved for clients and guests can be infuriating and cause real problems for your business, so gates, bollards and barriers are all good options. Read more about our swing gates, sliding gates and bi-folding gates.
Bollards
If you require a simple but effective solution for dealing with unauthorised access then bollards are a good option. Bollards are particularly effective if you are looking to prevent unwanted parking but also preserve the view of your business site. For example a car showroom might want to retain the views of their property for passing traffic so may opt for a bollard system rather than high fences which obstruct the view of the cars on their lot. Our GA7276H automatic bollards have been built for optimum performance and intensively tested to ensure reliability for over 3000 movements per day. In the event of an emergency or power failure they can be lowered manually and can also be operated simultaneously. Click here to read more about our GA7276H Automatic Bollards.
Gateway Automation provide a range products to help businesses and individuals to secure their sites and also provide nationwide servicing and repairs to gates, barriers and other perimeter security equipment. To find out more, please call us on 01522 682255.