/ By Gateway Team / access control equipment • biometric fingerprint readers • perimeter security • security • tailgating • turnstiles/ 0 Comments

How to prevent and reduce the damage of tailgating

Tailgating is one of the most annoying lapses in security that you can have happen and unlike many other security bloopers it is often it is the result of common courtesy rather than ineptitude or criminal intentions. Picture the scene – one of your employees swipes their security fob to gain access to the front door of your building, as the door is about to swing shut they notice someone else stood there and courteously hold the door open for them.  While your employee might not realise the gravity of the situation at the time, they could have unwittingly given a criminal access to your property that could quite easily go on to commit vandalism, theft, criminal damage or even a violent crime on your premises.

What can we do to prevent tailgating?
The first place to start when it comes to defending against tailgaters is to seek out a risk assessment. A professional company will be able to take an audit of your facility analysing the strengths and weaknesses in your operations and helping to develop a security solution that protects your assets and your employees. For example a risk assessment might result in  recommendations to install waist height or half height turnstiles or biometric fingerprint readers, both of which can be effective in preventing tailgating.

While you can put lots of measures in to place to prevent tailgating, your security is only as strong as the culture you build around it. If your employees aren’t trained in the risks of tailgating, and are not told to challenge unidentified visitors then you run the risk of your systems being ineffective.

Most businesses have some kind of important asset that they need to protect, whether that is expensive equipment, confidential information, restricted chemicals or something else. This is why it is important to not only secure your entry and exit points but also to lock down any important areas of your building with high quality access control equipment.

Whether your business runs from small retail premises or a large industrial site, we can provide you with a free, no-obligation risk assessment, feasibility survey and quotation to assess your perimeter security requirements. For more information please contact us

/ By Gateway Team / crime • perimeter security • risk assessment/ 0 Comments

Risk assessments – the first step in securing your premises

The perimeter of your property is the boundary between your buildings and land and the outside world. As such, the strength of the physical security around your perimeter is the first line of defence against criminals. It acts not only as a deterrent, but also a means to physically delay or completely stop a criminal from gaining access to your site.

Crime remains a major threat to businesses and organisations in the UK with crime against businesses accounting for as much as 20% of all the crimes recorded. What’s more, a large proportion of these criminal activities are unplanned and opportunistic – meaning that criminals spot vulnerabilities in a business’s perimeter security and decide there and then to exploit them.

Time and time again, we find businesses that rely solely on only one or two forms of perimeter security, perhaps only installing CCTV cameras or relying on outdated or broken equipment which leaves their property vulnerable. The problem with this approach is that it fails to consider every eventuality and does not deliver the 360 degree approach that is needed for adequately securing premises. For example, CCTV may be able to witness a vehicle entering your site as a robbery takes place and alarm systems may notify authorities, but a piece of equipment like a Crash Tested Road Blocker may prevent the vehicle from ever gaining access in the first place.

When it comes to securing your property the absolute first step you should take is to ask a professional company to undertake a risk assessment. This means that, rather than relying on guesswork as to how best to deter criminals, you will have cold hard facts as to where you are vulnerable and which products would best suit your needs.

Taking in the needs, processes and operational style of your business, a risk assessment will help to create a security solution that works for your business. Looking at your organisation and how it operates, what threats you face and the constraints of your location, buildings or other factors it will help you and your employees to feel safe and secure in the face of criminal activity.

Whether your business runs from small retail premises or a large industrial site, we can provide you with a free, no-obligation risk assessment, feasibility survey and quotation to assess your perimeter security requirements. For more information or for further advice on how to protect your business premises from criminals, please contact us