Is your business as secure as it should be when it is closed? No matter when after-hours work occurs at your business locations, it brings with it a unique set of security and safety challenges. What are some of these challenges? And how can you successfully address them? Discover some of the most common issues that every owner or manager faces.
1. Unoccupied buildings can be an easy target
When your buildings are not occupied by a significant number of people, they can become the target of a variety of crimes. Some of these are relatively minor, such as loitering youths and vagrants, but others can cost your business dearly.
The best way to protect your property depends on the risks it faces. A building in a bad neighborhood may need a combination of security patrols, physical access protection and monitored cameras. A company that holds sensitive data on customers may need to update the security of its computer servers. And a company with a lot of vacant land may need additional patrols to keep out intruders.
2. Workers at risk after hours
Most companies have staff that must work at least some of the time in their off hours. Your production staff may need to prepare for holiday sales. The accounting staff may need to work late to close out accounting. Or your management team needs to brainstorm a challenge for the company. Whatever the reason for employing workers late at night or on weekends, the company obviously needs to keep them safe.
The way your employees use the location after hours will determine the best approach to security. For example, you might provide live camera surveillance to virtually guide employees to their cars or monitor lone workers in their offices. If an entire team needs to work at night, adjust security patrols so there are helpful security guards to keep an eye on them. And access control ensures that employees are safe from intruders.
3. Suppliers may not be as diligent
Are there third parties who need to be on the job site at unusual times? Many companies contract with cleaning services that work when employees are not around. You may also have deliveries on weekends or early in the morning. And repairs may not be able to wait until business hours.
It is important to keep an eye on vendors who are not under your direct supervision. After all, a cleaner who fails to lock a door could inadvertently open your building to thieves. Surveillance cameras are some of the most cost-effective and useful ways to know what vendors are doing. You can further pair these with encrypted access control or a patrol of security guards to check the premises after the vendors have left.
4. Fires and other disasters could occur during off hours
Just because your business is closed does not mean it is immune to natural disasters. Even dormant businesses are susceptible to things like spontaneous combustion of chemicals in storage, electrical short circuits in automated equipment, or a broken water main. And the damage can be greater than during the day because there is no one to stop it early.
Every business owner should make sure there is a good surveillance and alarm system in place for common risks such as fire and flood. Cameras can often be a good alternative to having people on site all day. And regular patrols by trained professionals can spot emergencies, such as a broken pipe, before they get out of hand.
Could your business use help with any of these after-hours security challenges? If so, start consulting with the security professionals at Guardsmen Security today. Our experienced team will assess your location and listen to your concerns, then help you create a plan to protect your property and employees, no matter the time of day.
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