Month: <span>April 2021</span>

Although the onset of the coronavirus saw a significant decrease in crime rates across the UK due to enforced lockdown, there are very few reasons for businesses to take this as a sign of things to come. Indeed businesses should take this time to consider their security protocols and begin to address any shortcomings in good time as restrictions lift and we move closer to the ‘new normal’. Here we will look at some of the benefits of two of our most popular forms of perimeter security: gates and barriers.

1 – Barriers and gates are strong deterrents against crime

Time and time again we hear stories of criminals that have acted on opportunity when committing a crime. A broken fence, unlocked door, insufficient lighting, the list goes on. Having outdated, broken or a complete lack of perimeter security almost guarantees you to be viewed as an easy target by criminal gangs. Barriers and gates are the first port of call for many perimeter security overhauls because they actively send out a message that your business is not going to be easy pickings.

2 – Barriers and gates allow you to control movement

While tools like CCTV are a great way to monitor the flow of traffic and pedestrians throughout your site, they do nothing to act on it. One of the main shortfalls of CCTV is that it simply takes a record of actions. The job of dealing with any issues is left to others. With barriers and gates, you can proactively limit entry to your site. With the use of pin pads, tokens, and fingerprint recognition you can reduce the need for manpower to administer front-of-house duties.

3 – Real-time savings

This brings us to our next reason to invest in gates and barriers. Perimeter security is essentially an investment in your future. These enhancements protect you from the disasters that follow on from a serious crime. Businesses that are victims of serious crimes like theft, burglary, vandalism, and arson can face significant losses in several different ways. The initial impact of stock loss or damage, losses from downtime for your business, and an impact on your customer relationships or reputation are all very real consequences. They can be successfully averted by investing in your security needs before the worst happens.

4 – Curb appeal

Gates and barriers are often the first thing that visitors to your site or passers-by will see. A high-quality installation will provide a level of professionalism to your company brand and reputation and show that you care about the safety of your employees, assets, and visitors.

5 – Privacy

For businesses that operate in sensitive areas or highly competitive fields, privacy is often high on their agendas. Gates and barriers extend your footprint to the far exterior of your property and mean that the only people who can approach your site are those who you have given explicit authorisation to do so.

6 – Restrict vehicular access

Smash and grab type crimes are on the rise. This is when a perpetrator uses a vehicle to approach their target quickly, commits their crime, and then escapes again before the police arrive. By utilising gates and barriers you can effectively shut down the chances of a speedy approach or escape and thwart their plans.

7 – Easy use

Tried and tested by a variety of different companies across industries, barriers and gates are a simple and easy-to-use method of increasing your security levels. Depending on the model you select barriers and gates often require no manpower. Access can be controlled via a variety of different methods including tokens, cards, and pin pads and manual barriers can be left open at the start of the day before being closed at the end of the day.

No matter the size or nature of your businesses, we can provide you with a free, no-obligation quotation and feasibility survey to assess the security requirements of your organization. For more information on any of the security options above, or for further advice on how to protect your business premises from criminals, please contact us here or call us on 01522 682 255

Public events and large gatherings of people require a great deal of planning and forethought in order to be successful. Whether managing a music festival, a sporting event, or something entirely different, it is critical that organisers are able to account for the welfare of their guests while taking reasonable security precautions. Not just to ensure a successful event, but also to balance risks and liabilities. Here we will look at how physical security can be used for this purpose.

Creating a crowd management plan

The first port of call in managing crowds and queues is to create a detailed analysis of the risks at your venue or event. This comes from breaking down factors like the type of event, the type of venue, available entry and exit points, traffic management, communications, staffing abilities, and the overall makeup and demographics of the crowd attending or visiting the premises. This will help provide you with an overview of your needs when it comes to perimeter security and what help is needed. The next step is to discuss with an experienced provider some of the options available to you. Let’s take a look at some of the popular choices for crowd control and queue management that might be recommended.

Choosing physical security tools

While manned personnel can play an important role in the management of large groups of people, offering them instruction, monitoring threats, and dealing with any issues, there are physical tools that should always be considered.

Turnstiles

Turnstiles offer a robust and effective solution to managing the entry and exit of large numbers of pedestrians and can slow down traffic to a manageable level. Turnstiles effectively limit the number of people who can enter at any one time, avoiding a dangerous build-up or rush of people through entry or exit points.
Turnstiles are designed to only let one or two persons enter at any one time and depending on the type of business or event can be enhanced with a range of different access control methods such as manual entry, token or ticket entry, pin pads, and more. Another key benefit of turnstiles is the ability to prevent tailgating where one person quickly enters behind another.

In terms of aesthetics, waist-height variations of turnstiles have a sleeker, more corporate look, while full-height, 3 / 4 height, and full height combi turnstiles are more suited to sporting or arena-based events.

Gates, bollards, and blockers

Another important tool can come in the form of pedestrian gates. They serve a dual purpose in that they can be used to manage pedestrian traffic, but also used alongside turnstiles as a separate means of access for crew and staff during an event.

Pedestrian traffic should not be the only concern with crowd management. For specific venues and events, there are times when vehicular access also needs to be carefully managed. This might be to ensure that only staff and contractors are allowed entry to an area such as a car park, or it may be that members of the public or customers are required to have their credentials or passes checked prior to entry. There are several tools that can be used in these scenarios such as automatic barriers, road blockers, and bollards.

Gateway Automation is a nationwide manufacturer and installer of perimeter security systems and devices. We undertake civil and electrical site preparation and automate existing perimeter security devices and equipment throughout the UK. For a free, no-obligation quotation please contact us on 01522 682 255 or visit our website for further information: http://www.gatewayautomation.co.uk/.