Theft. Vandalism. Employee or customer harm. Securing a building not only protects your property, contents and inventory – it can also prevent harm to employees and help you avoid future liability claims. Here are steps to increase building security, making your property more secure.
View the infographic below to learn ways to increase your building security.
One of the top ways to deter any potential crime is the use of security cameras. Here are some ideas from Zurich to ensure your cameras are functioning properly, to provide the help you need:
- Place your cameras where previous incidents have occurred.
- Make sure they’re high enough and unobtrusive enough that they’re not easily in reach, and that no one can stand in front of them, blocking the view.
- Determine how long you’ll maintain the recordings, using either a loop system or a longer timeframe option.
- Decide if you need real-time monitoring by security staff.
- Ensure your cameras are recording the proper time and date.
- Check, on a continual schedule, that your equipment is in good repair, operating properly and adjust any angles as necessary.
- Keep a professional repairman’s contact info handy so that you can quickly get cameras repaired or replaced, with little down time.
- As you discover more blind spots, add new cameras.
Note that the Zurich infographic emphasizes that security cameras alone won’t keep you safe. They provide a checklist of other risk mitigators that you should include, such as security lights.
Additionally, more and more crime victims are filing premises liability lawsuits. They allege they could’ve escaped injury if the business or property owners had provided proper security. Many states only require plaintiffs to show that similar criminal acts previously had occurred on defendants’ property. This paves the way for judges to include in their consideration:
- criminal activity near defendants’ property
- the nature of defendants’ businesses
- other factors that judges deem relevant, if other factors suggest that defendants should have foreseen risk to visitors.
Related: Deadly weapons coverage: How to be more prepared for the threat of violence
View the infographic below to learn more ways to increase building security:
