/ By Gateway Team / access • barriers • gates • security/ 0 Comments

Things to consider before buying barriers and gates

Buying barriers or gates can be a big investment, so you need to ensure that you are choosing the best option for your needs. Here are a few questions you should ask yourself before deciding which is best for you to buy.

1.    What level of security do I need?
This is the first question you should ask yourself. The barriers or gates needed will completely depend on the type of business you have and what security you need. If you require the strongest and most secure barriers then these will inevitably cost more, but you need to think about it as a long-term investment and how much they will benefit the business by protecting your assets.

2.    What access do I need?
You need to think carefully about who needs to access your building. Will staff members be needing vehicle access on a regular basis? Do you also need access for delivery vehicles and if so, how regularly? If the answers to these questions are yes then you will need to think of a barrier or gate which is easy and quick to open. Will you have a high number of pedestrians coming onto your premises? If the answer is yes, then you may want to consider the use of turnstiles.

3.    What space do you have available?
Another major thing to consider is what space you have available on your property. Do you actually have the space to install the gates you want? For example, if you are thinking about getting swing gates, you need to consider the extra space required for the gate to open fully.

4.    What is your budget?
For most businesses, you need to stick to a strict budget and although it would be great if money wasn’t a factor, it often is. You need to ensure you get the product you want which meets your needs whilst still being affordable. Again, you need to think of it as an investment and not automatically go for the cheapest option, as it could lead to your property and assets not being as protected as they should be.

5.    Will you have any staff members for security?
If you are planning on having security at your entrance then this will change the type of barrier and gate you want significantly. If you have someone there to open and close the gates and monitor who enters and leaves, then your options will be different.

6.    What do you want them to look like?
Last but not least, you need to ensure that the barriers and gates you choose are secure but also look good and fit in with the rest of your property. You also need to think about what impact you want to make. If you want to make an impression and deter people from entering, then you may go for imposing gates. On the other hand, you may want the property to have a sense of people being welcome when they enter, so you may go for a more subtle option instead. Each business is different.

At the end of the day, each business has its own needs for barriers and gates. They vary significantly depending on the sector you work in and the location of the business. There are many factors that will determine what you require from barriers and gates. They are a big investment for companies, so you need to ensure you choose what is right for you. If you ask yourself the six questions above, then hopefully you will know exactly what you require, and we can help you go through the options available to you.

To find out more about our barriers and gates, please contact us on 01522 682255 for a free, no obligation and feasibility survey to assess your perimeter security equipment.

/ By Gateway Team / barriers • gates/ 0 Comments

Why your business will benefit from barriers and gates

Security is of the upmost importance for businesses and should be a priority. Online security is becoming a main focus for many companies, which is great, but physical security is still just as important. One of the main and most effective methods you can use to help make your premises secure is with the use of barriers. There are many benefits to your business of having barriers which we will discuss now, including that they are easy to install and one of the most cost-effective ways to protect your business in a physical sense.

1.    Barriers can save you money in the long term
Physical security measures should be considered as an investment for the long term of your business. Yes, some options can be costly, however when you consider the potential losses your company can make if you were ever broken in to, then barriers are extremely good value for money. As your business grows the value of your assets also increases and therefore it is important you protect these as soon as possible.

In addition to these, some gate and barrier options come with automated keypads which allow only authorised people in. This reduces the need of having someone physically being part of the security which will significantly lower costs as you will not need to pay them a salary.

2.    Barriers control who enters and exits your premises
Barriers are great at controlling who enters your premises. Although CCTV and other methods can show you who is near your premises, barriers are physical and therefore a must have for most companies. They can be used alongside fences to establish where your boundaries are, ensuring that people understand where this boundary lies. If you have people regularly visiting your premises then you may still need some manned support to help this, however the use of security codes and intercoms help make the entry process both secure and easy.

3.    Barriers act as a deterrent
Not only do barriers physically keep people out when they are trying to enter without authorisation, they can help act as a deterrent and put people off even attempting to enter if they are not allowed. In addition to this, some people accidently trespass on company property if they have not clearly defined where they own. By having barriers and fences, this shows people immediately and will avoid any confusion from innocent people who do not mean any harm. This is especially a problem if your property is near public footpaths or roads where accidental trespassing is likely.

4.    Barriers can improve the image and professionalism of your company
Having sufficient security can show to others that you take your business seriously. By having high quality barriers and gates, you present the image that you care about your assets and want to protect them. This comes across well to employees who will inevitably feel safer working in a more secure environment, but also to people who you are doing business with you. It shows you are a respectable business and it will look good for your brand and reputation as a company.

5.    Barriers are easy to use
Barriers and gates are some of the simplest forms of security but also some of the most effective. They are tried and tested to work well for companies and the fact they are relatively cheap compared to some electrical security solutions makes them an obvious choice. Sometimes all you will need is someone to open and close them at the end of each day.

6.    Barriers can prevent certain types of vehicles entering
Barriers are also a great way to ensure only certain types of vehicles enter your premises, or sections of it. Going to height restrictor barriers can ensure you do not get large vehicles entering and parking. This is great for businesses which have car parking areas. However, you need to ensure that if you do need access to large vehicles for deliveries or other purposes that they have an alternative route for access.

To find out more about what barrier and gate options are available for your business, please contact us on 01522 682255 for a free, no obligation and feasibility survey to assess your perimeter security equipment.

/ By Gateway Team / barriers • bi-folding gates • fly-tipping • gates • height restrictor barriers • perimeter security • risk assessment • sliding gates • swing gates/ 0 Comments

How a strong perimeter can prevent fly-tipping on your property

gateway blog 80Fly tipping is one of the biggest annoyances for land owners. Not only does it look unsightly, cause damage to property and local wildlife, it can also incur a heavy financial cost to owners of land who have to clear up the mess left behind. Here we will at look at some ways you can prevent your premises from becoming a target for fly tippers.

The first method of securing your property from fly-tippers is to perform a risk assessment. If trespassers can’t access your site, then they can’t occupy it or leave waste there. A risk assessment can help to highlight any vulnerabilities in your site such as areas which have no security, or areas where security can be easily bypassed, such as old or faulty gates and fences.

Waste has to be transported and for large amounts vehicles are needed to move it. You can prevent vehicles from gaining access to your site by having height restrictors installed. Height restrictive barriers are often chosen by councils, land owners and private companies as a way of preventing HGVs and Motorhomes from accessing their sites. Our GA5600 provides an ideal way to prevent unauthorised access, it is a durable and reliable restriction barrier and is available as a single, or double leaf.

Another method of prevent vehicular access is to use an Automatic Rising Kerb. Our GA8000 model utilises high quality hydraulic technology to provide ultimate security against unathorised traffic.

Gates are of course one of the staples of perimeter security and provide a strong physical and mental deterrent to would be fly-tippers. Here at Gateway we provide three key types of gates which include swing gates, sliding gates and bi-folding gates.

Finally, barriers can also play a key role in keeping out unwanted vehicles and pedestrians. They can be controlled either manually, or through other means like push-buttons, tokens, proximity cards and CCTV. Check out our barrier selection to learn more.

While some waste can be left behind by ‘fly-by-night’ criminals looking to offload or traders trying to get rid of business waste, serious damage can be caused by criminals looking to spender a longer period of time at your premises. This is why it is important to not only make your premises look highly-secured but also that if your premises are vacant that you make them as unhospitable as is possible. This means turning off access to electricity, water and other amenities so that your site offers very little to trespassers.

No matter the size or nature of your businesses or site, we can provide you with a free, no-obligation quotation and feasibility survey to assess your security requirements. 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 or call us on 01522 682 255.

/ By Gateway Team / access control equipment • anti-terrorism bollards • automatic rising kerbs • barriers • bi-folding gates • crash tested road blockers • harbour security • maritime security • port security • sliding gates • swing gates/ 0 Comments

Maritime Security: the role of Access control at ports and harbours

maritime securityPorts and harbours are busy, complex environments with large numbers of people and goods moving in and out of them every day. Traditionally the nature of ports and harbours have made them a target for criminal gangs and smugglers, however the maritime industry now also faces the very real threat of terrorism due to the vital input that harbours and ports have in the UK’s economy. Here we will look at how access control equipment can play a critical role in defending vessels, cargo and protecting the supply chain in maritime environments.

First, it’s important to understand that, as with almost every type of premises, there is no ‘magic bullet’ solution to deal with the threat of crime. Any approach to security at ports and harbours should revolve around a holistic strategy. This means a combination of both physical security options like access control equipment, lighting and CCTV as well as operational security through manned guarding and checkpoints, as well as a company culture that puts security and identification at the forefront of operations.

What role can access control equipment play?
In a nutshell, access control equipment serves to control the access of vehicles and of persons into a port or harbour. This in turn can help to reduce the threat of smuggling, disruption to trade, theft and potential terrorist attacks. Every port is of course different, and measures need to be identified appropriately through a risk assessment, but there are several options available which will likely have a positive impact in the protection of a port or harbour.

One of the toughest security solutions that we provide is the GA80000 Automatic Rising Kerb. A formidable first line of defence against unwanted vehicle access, it is a strong visible deterrent with yellow and black warning stripes and tall stature to stop cars, vans and lorries.

We also offer anti-terrorism bollards and impressive crash-tested road blockers to deal with potential terrorist attacks aimed at disrupting UK infrastructure.

Barriers are an important way of controlling access to only authorised and scheduled visitors. We provide fully automatic barriers which can be controlled by push-buttons, tokens, proximity cards, pins, CCTV or by on-site security guards.

Swing gates,  sliding gates and bi-folding gates are among the strongest barriers to unauthorised entry and a strong physical deterrent.

Gateway Automation can help the maritime industry to protect their assets from crime with minimum disruption and while maintaining safe and comfortable working environments for staff and customers. For a free non-obligation quotation and feasibility survey please contact Gateway Automation on 01522 682255. Alternatively, download our brochure

/ By Gateway Team / automatic barriers • barriers • bi-folding gates • bollards • car park security • gates • height restrictor barriers • manual barriers • perimeter security • sliding gates • swing gates • unauthorised parking/ 0 Comments

How to tackle the problem of unauthorised parking

clip_image002With an ever increasing number of vehicles on the road, the problem of parking, particularly in inner city areas, has begun to reach boiling point with thousands of land owners becoming increasingly frustrated by vehicles illegally parking on their land, obstructing their day to day activities.

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.

/ By Gateway Team / access control equipment • automatic rising kerbs • barriers • bollards • crash tested road blockers • flow control plates • gates • risk assessments • security • security posts • speed ramps • turnstiles/ 0 Comments

Why physical security is crucial in protecting your business from crime

While many businesses fall back on CCTV as a low maintenance form of security, as we explained in our recent blog it is anything but an all-in-one solution. CCTV has indeed proven to be weak in many areas and it is particularly worth remembering that a camera cannot physically prevent a crime from happening, only document it taking place. It simply records the event in the hope that police or private guards can be informed in time and a conviction can be secured later on.

Here at Gateway Automation we provide full risk assessments so that we can identify any vulnerabilities and then recommend the best tailored approach to protect your business. This often means a variety of different physical barriers designed to make your property unattractive to criminals and could include one or a combination of the following protections:

Creating a robust physical perimeter around your business site should be high on your agenda, but equally it is just as important to maintain your gates, fences and other types of security solutions, for if they are damaged over time due to intrusion attempts or even just accidentally damaged in your day to day activities then they could leave you vulnerable.

This is why we offer a nationwide reactive callout service with engineer response times of 8 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours and 7 days meaning that we can get to you quickly to repair any damage and keep your business safe and secure.

To find out more about our servicing and repairs options, please visit https://www.gatewayautomation.co.uk/servicing/ or contact us on 01522 682255 for a free, no-obligation quotation and feasibility survey to assess your perimeter security needs.