Winter is coming, whether we like it or not!
With each day getting darker for longer and the outside temperature getting colder week by week, now is the time to prepare for the worst before it’s too late. Once Winter hits, visibility is going to be poor so security is even more essential!
Whether your business is in an office block, shopping centre or stand-alone, the dark makes you more at risk from opportunistic burglars and the cold makes your employees more likely to make mistakes. To ensure that your business is kept as safe and secure as possible this Winter, here are our best safety and security tips!
4 Ways to Keep Your Business Safe
1. Carry out a full risk assessment
Don’t put off carrying out a full risk assessment because you could potentially prevent something from happening before it’s even happened! With the Winter comes the wet weather and icy remains, two things that can cause slips and falls and serious injuries. To keep your employees and the public safe, assess your usual business risks as well as new potential risks from the change of season.
Read: Protecting Your Business in the New Year: The Complete Security Risk Assessment
2. Prepare for the cold weather
As we protect ourselves from the cold by adding layers, your business may need to do the same! Prepare for the cold weather by checking your property and putting in potential precautions to avoid any nasty surprises. Snow can be heavy, so is your roof in good enough condition to manage it? The Winter can become freezing, so how will you avoid freezing pipes and potential injury due to frozen carparks? Storms and floods could arise, is your property prepared? With the varying conditions of the season, it is important to be prepared for the worst so make sure your maintenance is kept up to date.
3. Fireproof against the chill
Many people don’t think of fire as an issue in the Winter, but it is something else that you need to be prepared for. With the cold weather comes increased risks of fire, usually from overuse of electricity to heat properties. Keep your business safe and secure by implementing fireproof measures such as fire exits and shutters.
4. Take precautions for winter driving
Your employees are your business, so keep them safe and educate them on the potential dangers of Winter driving. As the evenings get darker, the roads become less resilient and accidents take place, so make sure that you consider your business vehicles. Are they covered if they are involved in an accident?
7 Ways to Keep Your Business Secure
1. Do a full perimeter check
You should check your perimeter regularly anyway but even more so in Winter. During this season, foliage dies and any weaknesses in your perimeter may become apparent to burglars. The last thing you want is to be exploited, so always check all your security measures are in working order and that there are no holes in fences or objects around the outside that could be used to get onto your property.
Read: Protecting Your Land Perimeter from Intruders and Theft
2. Check your insurance
It is always handy to check your building and contents insurance before the Winter months, because how annoyed would you be if you didn’t and something got stolen? By double checking that your policy is up to date and covers everything of value including new additions, you will ensure that your mind will be at ease when you shut down for Christmas.
3. Check your security lighting and CCTV
With the darkness filling a lot of the days, it is essential that your property is well-lit and well monitored. Make sure to check your security lighting and CCTV to ensure that this is the case, as it is important to see that they can detect movement even in low visibility. It’s also essential to check that all cameras are housed properly, are appropriate for all weather conditions, are clear from snow and that there is no risk of the cables being disconnected.
4. Inspect your staff sabotage measures
Many companies don’t account for staff sabotage in the first place which is crazy, but the ones
5. Don’t forget your cybersecurity
We all put measures in place when it comes to physical burglaries but we tend to forget about cybercrime! Businesses that have a lot of sensitive data need to ensure that it is protected, so online security is essential. Make sure to keep secure passwords that you change regularly, always back up data somewhere else and make note of valuables and their serial numbers.
6. Consider off-site storage
Always keep your sensitive data, archive files and back-ups at a different location for safety and preparedness. As Winter is a time for potential burglaries and fires, you are preparing for the worst case scenario by doing this, so don’t just keep your data on site!
7. Enforce security measures with all staff
Mistakes can be made when it’s cold, whether it’s something as small as leaving the blinds open to see inside or a more serious one such a staff member cutting the perimeter check short to get out of the weather and get home. To ensure everyone is as safety-conscious as they should be during these vulnerable months, you need to be refreshing and enforcing security measures with your employees. Always remember to lock your windows and doors, shut your blinds and keep your valuable equipment out of sight!
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So, is your business safe from the cold weather and secure from opportunistic burglars in the upcoming months? With the bad effects that the weather can have on your business over this period, use these tips to prevent them and keep your security measures intact.
If you prepare for the worst over the Winter months, you can sleep easy over the Christmas shut down period. Keep your business safe and secure this Winter and don’t be an easy target!
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What we can do for you:
RGM Security offers a wide range of security services including a free consultation where we carry out a weakness assessment of your site. If you need threat awareness training for your staff, intrusion testing to check your defences or even just advice, please don’t hesitate to contact us!
