Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
Dangerous chemicals necessitate adequate security to mitigate risks. If you are a facility with a chemical designated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a chemical of interest (COI), you may only have 60 days after taking possession of the COI to initiate a security screening process under the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards […]
The security concept known as CPTED—or Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design—started back in the 1970s with the publication of architect Oscar Newman’s book, Defensible Spaces. His thinking has influenced building designers, facility maintenance directors, security consultants, and even police agencies since that time. The question today is, does it still work?
A comprehensive risk analysis is the first step in assessing security vulnerabilities at any facility. Accurately performing vulnerability risk assessments of premises’ physical security and logical data takes a complete and comprehensive evaluation based on key areas. Let’s take a look at some tips that apply across facility types and industries.
As more threat actors look for new tactics to breach existing security measures, there is an increasing importance to integrating information technology (IT) and operational security personnel. A united security team is essential when it comes to confronting the many intersecting threats coming from all directions.
It can be flattering when the local or national news media contact the director of security at his or her facility for help on an article about the latest security trends, equipment, or policies. But security practitioners must be careful about how much information they discuss.
We’ve been told since we were kids that it’s polite to hold the door for folks coming into a building or room behind you. While this cultural maxim works fine at, say, the coffee shop, though it could actually pose a security risk at your business or facility. Too often, unsuspecting employees use their credentials […]
In this era of mass attacks, cyberattacks, workplace violence, hacking, and the challenge of providing necessary security improvements without breaking the budget, it can help to prioritize your must-haves. This requires thinking beyond the usual (and expensive) security approach of “more guards, gates, fences, cameras, and lights.”
On Monday, November 19, emergency room doctor Tamara O’Neal was shot outside her workplace, Mercy Hospital & Medical Center on Chicago’s south side. According to sources, the shooter, Juan Lopez, was angry with her over a broken engagement, leading to yet another workplace active shooter situation. While coworkers can be the perpetrators of workplace violence, […]
When it comes to security systems, access controls, and the policies and procedures in place to dictate their proper usage, there is often a tendency to set it and forget it. That is right up until there’s a critical failure. It’s important to continually test and evaluate the systems we have in place to protect […]
Voters in four states had the opportunity to weigh in on the issue of marijuana use when they went to the polls November 6, and the results will have an impact on employers. In Missouri and Utah voters approved measures to allow the medical use of marijuana. Voters in Michigan and North Dakota voted on […]