/ By Gateway Team / winter security/ 0 Comments

Winter Security Tips

Winter Security Tips

Colder weather and darker nights bring challenges for businesses all around the UK. Are you prepared for the arrival of winter? Here are some security-related tips and advice to help you on your way.

Prepare for adverse weather

Here in the United Kingdom, the winter months bring vast changes to the climate. On average temperatures during these months range between 0 to 7°C and although sunny days are possible they will still feel cold.

If you are a properly prepared business, then you will likely have some key perimeter security measures in place already such as gates, fencing, and barriers. However, like any piece of equipment, they all require a degree of upkeep and cold weather such as rain, wind, sleet and snow can speed up degredation. To prevent this, you should maintain a simple programme of upkeep to protect against the elements. This may mean regular programmes of cleaning up leaves and other debris and washing or scrubbing down your tools.

Equally, you need to be wise enough to know when to call in the experts. A sudden onslaught of high-speed winds or other disruptive weather could cause damage and if you can’t get an engineer out in time then this could cause real disruption to your business, or your holiday plans.

Always maintain your equipment, have regular performance checks, and opt for a supplier that is able to provide reactive callout services to deal with any damage.

Prepare for darker nights

Criminals are opportunistic by nature and many crimes are carried out in the depths of the night when lighting is less abundant. This lowers their chances of detection and increases the liklihood of a getaway.

To weigh the odds back in your favour, your first port of call should be to develop strong perimeter security that both reduces the chances of an intrustion, and also sends out a strong message to criminals that your permises is not an easy target.

You should also ensure that any security lighting is in good working order, placed effectively to target particular zones or areas, and that any dark areas are free of any dangers. For instance, a bin that could be used as a climbing tool to scale a fence, any loose pannels that could be broken to gain entry.

Consider storage

While it is not always avoidable, you should try and ensure that high-value goods or machinery are either carefully locked down, or taken indoors during any periods of closure. Criminal gangs are known to target plant and machinery and leaving them out in the open, and in the darkness can lead to you becoming a target for theft.

Equally, any tools that could be used as weapons to damage facilities or gain entry should be secured or placed indoors out-of-hours.

Risk assessments

Your number one defence against crime, not just in the winter, but all year long is to have strong perimeter security tools in place. However, it can be difficult to know exactly where to focus your attentions. With a risk assessment from an experienced provider, you can pinpoint any weaknesses and begin to address them in a way that suits your operational needs.

Whether your business runs from small retail premises or a large industrial site, Gateway Automation can help. We provide you with a free, no-obligation quotation and feasibility survey to assess your perimeter security equipment. We also offer a nationwide reactive call-out service

to deal with any equipment issues and are proud to be Gate Safe accredited. Please contact us on 01522 682255 for more information.

/ By Gateway Team / bollards • business security • winter security/ 0 Comments

Business Security Considerations for Winter

Gateway Winter SecurityAlthough security is important all year round, businesses should focus on ensuring they have a specific security plan for the Winter months. Winter months bring unique security concerns that will need to be addressed. Here are eight business securing considerations for Winter.

Install Good Lighting  

This may seem obvious but it is a potential downfall for many companies who simply forget about it. As the nights draw short during the late Autumn months, the sun often starts to set before 5 pm and during many people’s working hours. This makes it more important than ever for a business to have sufficient lighting around its premises. Not only does it help visibility for staff members to get to their cars, but it can also help deter criminals from your site if you have strong security lights. Sufficient lighting is also needed where there are surveillance cameras installed for maximum effect. 

Carry out a risk assessment  

Although risk assessments should be carried out regularly, ensure you have a specific security risk assessment during the Winter. This can help highlight specific seasonal issues that you otherwise may not have considered. The assessment should ideally be carried out by a professional security company. They have the benefit of years of expertise and they will be able to identify issues that you could potentially overlook. Not only will they identify weaknesses and vulnerable points in your current security, they will be able to suggest the best options for your business and also help identify the best places for access control and security cameras for the maximum impact. 

Consider the clock changes 

When the clocks change in Autumn, ensure your security alarms and security lights are timed correctly and the time change is taken into account. 

Christmas holiday considerations  

A major part of Winter is Christmas and many businesses either have reduced hours, reduced staff, or the entire Christmas period off. Although Christmas is a joyful time, it is also a key time for criminals to target these empty premises. Therefore business security should be at its tightest. During times where the premises are closed to employees, should the company consider hiring a security guard to man the gates or have surveillance cameras installed? 

In addition to this, some businesses have office parties and this includes strangers coming into the building. If this is the case, you should review the access control permissions to ensure that any non-employee cannot enter any restricted areas to keep the premises and company data safe. Also, have a specific social media policy in place to stop any sensitive information from being shared. 

Hire Security Guards 

Although you may not need a security guard all year round, they provide a great additional layer of security to a business. They can patrol the property both during and outside official business hours. They can also deter criminals from committing crimes on the property in the first place. Security guards are constantly on the lookout for suspicious behaviour and are great for emergencies. 

Check Perimeter Security  

The adverse winter weather can potentially cause damage to your property. Despite having security fences or gates protecting the premises, high winds can be destructive and may cause a vulnerable point in your security which will need to be dealt with urgently. Having regular perimeter security checks to ensure the perimeter security remains intact. Also, ensure you have your perimeter security maintained regularly by a professional company. This will ensure it remains in the best possible condition for longer and reduces the risk of future damage. 

Be prepared for power issues  

Heavy snow and high winds can potentially cause havoc and can even lead to power outages. During the winter months, this is not ideal as not only will data potentially be lost, employees will be in darkness and access control may stop working which is dangerous. Ensure there is an emergency backup generator to cover the security systems, lights, computers, and more.  

Be wary of slippery surfaces 

All exterior walkways and paths should be cleared and prepared to avoid ice during the winter months. Ensure there is a designated walkway for members of staff that are away from moving vehicles. If there is a carpark alongside walkways, consider installing bollards along paths. Not only does this protect pedestrians, but it can also help avoid vehicles hitting the building due to slipping on ice. 

Although business security is an all-round concern, companies should ensure they take additional precautions for the cold winter months as their business may become more vulnerable during these times. We have discussed eight ways to keep your business secure this Winter. By incorporating these additional measures into your overall business security strategy and pre-planning,  you can have peace of mind that you have ensured your business’ premises and employees remain as physically secure and safe as possible.