Security in the Workplace

Unless you hit it big by penning a series of novels about boy wizards or sparkly vampires, chances are you spend the greatest part of your day in an office of some sort. And, since the focus of our newsletter has predominantly been on domestic security, we reckoned it’s high time we explored some of the ways that you can keep safe in your place of employment.

The reality is that we spend a great deal of time (and money) turning our homes into the kind of high-tech fortresses that would make a Bond villain green with envy – and rightly so – but how prepared are we to deal with threats to our personal security in the building where we spend 80% of our day?

Sure, there’s the obligatory fire evacuation drill every couple of months, and you might even have a working clock-in machine, but there’s a lot more that you can do to help ensure that you and your coworkers don’t fall victim to crime at work (and we’re not talking about all those hours of unpaid overtime you put in, either).

Here’s a few useful (and potentially life-saving) tips to keep in mind when you leave for the office tomorrow:

•  Ensure that there is a proper evacuation plan, and that it is communicated to all employees and contractors. This includes establishing emergency assembly points and designated exits
• If you’re in the habit of arriving at work early or leaving late, have a trusted co-worker escort you to and from your car or, if you are in a position to do so, move your car closer to the building entrance
• When entering the office park or building, check that you are not being followed
•  Know your co-workers and report anyone who seems out of place or is acting suspiciously. Your vigilance might just save a life!
•  If you’re the last one leaving the office, ensure that entry points are locked and secured and that the alarm has been armed
• Regularly check that camera and surveillance equipment are in working order
• Have a maintenance schedule drawn up for security equipment such as traffic barriers, gate motors, keypads and card readers
• If a co-worker is acting in a suspicious or threatening manner, report this to your HR representative
• Assign asset numbers to all movable assets and keep an up-to-date inventory