A robust warehouse security system can deter crime, eliminate insurance woes, stop crimes in progress, and make an enormous positive impact on a business’s bottom line. Between “breakage,” vandalism, and unnecessary insurance payouts, it’s actually more expensive to have a poor security solution than a state-of-the-art one. Today we’re looking at 8 concrete things you can use as a warehouse security checklist to shore up your vulnerabilities.
If you’re truly committed to reducing theft in your warehouse or taking effective action against problems like vandalism and employee fraud, you need to get serious about your warehouse security plan. That means stop putting off security decisions for “another day;” instead, start utilizing effective communication among management to lay out threats, areas of weakness, and priorities in terms of your security goals. In other words, if you’re still relying on that grainy warehouse CCTV system from 1999 as your main line of defense, it’s time for a wakeup call.
Often, the very first step to making an actionable warehouse security system plan is to consult with a veteran firm like Galaxy Protection. Once your warehouse is thoroughly and expertly assessed, you’ll have a better idea of what you need to do to mitigate liabilities and improve the things you’re already doing fairly well.
The following warehouse security tips are some of the main pillars you can lean on as you lay the foundation of your business’s future protection logistics.
Of all the warehouse security tips we’ll go over today, this is arguably the most important one. Taking the plunge and modernizing your warehouse’s security system can be a scary prospect; but the reality is, it’s a lot more affordable in 2019 than you might expect. Technology prices have come down to where even the most cutting-edge security systems are within reach of most businesses.
A remote guarding team’s power is twofold: first, it can surveil your entire warehouse in real time, peering into corners and areas that are essentially blind spots for on-the-ground guards. Second, it provides you with valuable data and insights about your facility; and in the event of a crime, you’ll have crystal-clear HD video and audio of the event to streamline the law enforcement or insurance company response. Afraid of a bogus worker’s comp claim? A proper video surveillance system installation in your warehouse eliminates that nightmarish possibility.
If your remote guarding team and camera system are the brains of your security operation, an on-site guard is the brawn. Let’s face it: without a legitimate presence physically patrolling the property, criminals can become emboldened. On-site guards are an important counterpoint to your remote guarding team that can sync up to perform important actions right there on ground level to keep your employees and assets safe.
However, be cautious if you think that an on-site guard alone is enough to keep a massive, sprawling warehouse secure and under watch. One or two guards are a drop in the bucket against a well organized team of motivated thieves or vandals at 3am on a Tuesday. They need the support of a remote surveillance team to stay effective.
When you have the benefit of a commercial grade security camera system like the one Galaxy Protection installs for clients, you end up with some incredibly valuable data at the end of each month. A well-placed warehouse security camera system won’t just focus on high-traffic areas: it should also cover obscure corners and places where theft or employee fraud can potentially occur. By covering yourself now and monitoring those positions, you save yourself a world of hurt later trying to account for lost inventory or fight back against a bogus claim. Also, a warehouse security camera system can provide tangible business insights in terms of foot traffic, logistic improvements, and more.
With remote guarding, your warehouse security alarm system comes with an incredible power: access control. Simply put, access control refers to the ability to have a remote guard grant or deny access to certain rooms or sensitive areas of your building. If your virtual guarding team or on-site security guard sees that a crime is in progress, access control can highly mitigate both losses and danger to people in the warehouse.
Not only can access control guard your most valuable assets or cash reserves in the event of a robbery or burglary, but it can also protect or shield employees from intruders in a worst-case scenario. Access control is one of the most powerful ways to ensure that you’ve always got a watchful eye in the sky looking out for your protection.
If you want your warehouse to run like a tightly secured ship, you’ll want to make sure that your employees are bought in to fundamental best-practice ideas of site security. That means being diligent about clocking in and out, wearing ID badges, and being willing to speak up if they see or hear something out of line. If your workplace culture is positive and fosters an environment of respect and valuing employees, your employees will be more likely to spill the beans about theft or unprofessional behavior they’ve witnessed.
During a hiring round, consider screening for employees who seem like they’re willing to play ball in terms of adhering to operating guidelines, and respecting the importance of following security protocol to the T. This can save headaches later when you find out that a gate was left unlocked by an employee who doesn’t realize that site security is a team effort.
Your whole team should also have an emergency plan on hand that discusses various contingencies in the event of a security incident or disaster. Having a formal plan rehearsed and codified in employee handbooks is part of making sure your warehouse is secure and safe for everyone working there. In fact, it’s considered a requirement by OSHA, so hopefully you already know this one. Evacuation routes, emergency procedures, and strict requirements for signing in and out of equipment operation are absolute necessities.
If your warehouse is allowed to run informally or sloppily, in addition to the obvious negatives you’ll also have to deal with glaring security holes at nearly every level. Instead, ensure that everyone is professional and conscientious when it comes to protocol.
No list of warehouse security tips would be complete without mentioning the fact that testing, learning, and adjusting are all part of the process. If you’re not regularly reviewing and analyzing your warehouse site to determine where its inefficiencies and weak points are, you’re stagnating — and stagnation usually leads to liability from a security standpoint. The good news is that a remote guarding firm like Galaxy Protection can offer you regularly reported data and insights about your facility logistics and security considerations.
By analyzing your site plan and continuing to evolve it beyond its initial iteration, you can stop losses or crime before they’re even conceived. And by combining cutting-edge remote guarding technology with tried-and-true methods like on-site security, you’ll be able to sleep well at night knowing that your warehouse fortress is well-protected and being watched constantly.
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