Why Should Physical Security be a Priority for Your Business?

July 11 2017
Physical security

In this digital age, the importance of physical security has been underestimated. Most businesses focus on cybersecurity. Companies spend thousands of dollars to protect IT systems and data from hackers. But physical security is an equally crucial element that is often overlooked.

Why is Physical Security Important?

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reported there are more than 1,550 commercial burglaries every day. That’s more than one burglary a minute. Retail, wholesale, residential, automotive, office spaces, warehouses, and construction sites can face a large number of threats. Thieves constantly look for an easy target with easier ways to get inside.

Physical Security Elements

Two aspects of physical security are video surveillance and access control. Access control cards are inexpensive to produce, difficult to copy, and can easily be replaced if damaged, lost, or stolen. The sight of surveillance cameras could be a deterrent to thieves. Security cameras can be placed where valuable indoor and outdoor assets are stored, including expensive construction equipment and materials.

Video surveillance uses IP security cameras and live video monitoring to help protect your property from vandalism and theft. Surveillance cameras can be strategically placed indoors and outdoors of commercial properties and construction sites. Trained monitors can watch multiple cameras at once and look for unusual activity, activate an alarm, and call the local police.

Operational executives, facility managers and construction site managers are responsible for helping reduce threats and risks while protecting their facilities, equipment, contractors and employees. They need to be aware of all the activities occurring inside their business and property. It might seem easy for thieves to steal critical data and digitized information, but physical thefts could be just as simple. For example, a criminal can easily enter the property through an unlocked and unmonitored area.

