Commercial properties are typically very large buildings and are often used by many people regularly. Warehouses and retail buildings are a particularly common type of commercial building. Because a significant number of individuals pass through the doors of a commercial building every day, there are few places where good security measures are so important.
It’s advisable that you get commercial landlord insurance alongside the other security measures you have. Should the security of your commercial property be breached, this could help protect you.
Here are a few measures you’ll want to ensure you have in place.
- CCTV cameras
CCTV cameras are a great way to deter criminals and help capture evidence of criminal activity if the worst happens.
If installing CCTV cameras, make sure you are aware of the government’s policies concerning these. You’ll need to have a sign on your property making people aware that CCTV is in use, and you must keep images only as long as the business needs them.
It’s recommended that you opt for a surveillance system that offers cloud storage, meaning you can access your footage from anywhere and face a lower likelihood of running out of storage capacity.
- Outdoor lighting
A well-lit commercial property improves security because it is much less appealing to burglars than one that sits in complete darkness at night. Reduce your chances of getting burgled by having floodlights around your building. It’s especially important to install these near doors and windows.
It’s a good idea to invest in lights that automatically turn on at dusk. This way, you won’t have to rely on somebody remembering to manually flip the switch every evening.
Of course, lights can eat into the electricity bills, so if this is a concern, you could look into solar-operated lights. Just ensure you keep them clean so that they can use sunlight to stay charged.
- Door entry systems
It’s always wise to install a door entry system to improve the security of your commercial property. This means you can ensure the people in the building are meant to be there.
A door entry system has a telephone handset, a control unit with a power supply, a door panel and a lock release. It should have a doorbell unit that allows someone to ring a buzzer or bell and contact you from outside the building.
Multiple or combined door entry systems are best for buildings where there are several entrances. This means that one single control panel can control each of them.
- Alarm systems
In addition to having all the right prevention measures in place, it’s good to have something in place to protect the building if it is breached. If a break-in occurs, a good-quality alarm system will be able to notify you and the police.
This is especially important if your site doesn’t employ on-site security personnel to manage it 24/7.
One of the decisions you will need to make when purchasing an alarm system is whether you want a wireless, battery-operated alarm system or a wired system. Unless you have a building that is complicated to fit new systems into, it’s best to go for a wired alarm system. These are usually more reliable.
Don’t leave your commercial building vulnerable to thieves and trespassers. Strengthen your security and there’s a much lower chance you’ll find yourself covering the costs of a break-in.
