Facility managers are constantly faced with addressing new challenges. When it comes to facility security, their systems are facing ever-evolving and increasingly complex risks. Security cannot be “set it and forget it,” it needs to evolve to keep up with emerging and evolving threats. That goes for your facility’s physical security, too. Here are some essential operational imperatives facility managers need for better physical security:

1. Approach physical security as active instead of static infrastructure.
2. Prioritize perimeter security & structural integrity.
3. Leverage available access control features.
4. Include emergency response readiness considerations at every step.
5. Align processes and workflows across systems and teams.
6. Train teams on security technology capabilities.
7. Keep up with preventive maintenance.
8. Do not overlook technology lifecycle planning.
9. Conduct recurring physical security risk assessments.
10. Implement continuous monitoring & detection protocols.
11. Use incident management and reporting to measure effectiveness.

1. Approach Physical Security as Active Instead of Static Infrastructure

Physical security has to be more than just installing components and systems. Even with digital and cloud systems monitoring and analyzing data collected by physical systems, iterative improvements and additional physical security measures are still necessary.

Despite advanced measures and systems, tailgating is still a risk with access control. Insider threats are also evolving risks, in addition to other risks that can disrupt the continuity of facility operations, like supply chain vulnerabilities.

Physical security cannot just be a camera you put on the wall or a security gate you stick at your property perimeter and then leave alone. For effective and comprehensive facility security, physical security cannot just be static infrastructure; you have to approach it proactively and treat it as active infrastructure that needs to be able to update and evolve.

2. Prioritize Perimeter Security & Structural Integrity

Facility security is not just about the facility itself; it has to include the surrounding property and the area beyond the property boundaries. One of the operational imperatives facility managers need for better physical security is to prioritize perimeter security and structural hardening. This should come with treating physical security proactively as active infrastructure, but it can still often be overlooked.

The presence of physical barriers, their structural integrity, the structural integrity of the facility, and more are all environmental considerations during physical security assessments that must be taken into account. Not only will this help identify missing barriers or barriers in need of repair around the perimeter during an initial assessment, but it will also help identify potentially weak or vulnerable areas of the facility structure.

For example, back doors and windows leading to underused alleyways can often slip under the radar over time. These are already vulnerable access points, which only become more so with general wear and tear or unrepaired damage. Physical assessments and prioritizing perimeter security and structural integrity can help facility managers proactively monitor and address potential security vulnerabilities like these.

3. Leverage Available Access Control Features

Access control is essential for good security in any facility, but access control is more than locks, gates, and other barriers. Leveraging available access control features, along with the right infrastructure, can improve physical security.

Robust access control systems allow for effective access control and visitor management. Credentials can be created, secured, and managed conveniently within a good access control system. Internal access logs and audit trails help minimize insider risk.

Varied access levels, customizations, support for multiple locations, zoning, and more are all benefits of access control systems that facility managers can leverage for better physical security and overall facility security.

4. Include Emergency Response Readiness Considerations at Every Step

Another one of the operational imperatives facility managers need for better physical security and better life safety measures overall is to include emergency response readiness considerations at every step. Defined emergency response protocols, establishing evacuation routes, and more are all essential components of an emergency plan.

Including emergency response readiness in the planning and implementation of your security solution only makes it more effective. In addition to any systems that need to be configured to communicate and respond with egress devices or elevators in an emergency, facility managers can also account for things like first responder access for various types of emergencies.

5. Align Processes and Workflows Across Systems and Teams

Disjointed, disconnected, or separated security systems leave gaps in your security and can leave your facility vulnerable. It’s important for systems and teams to be integrated and aligned to close gaps and vulnerabilities. Comprehensive monitoring and protection, real-time data, full context, and more are some benefits of integrated security systems.

The most effective, powerful, and comprehensive facility security solutions:

• Combine and seamlessly integrate physical security and software.
• Centralize systems to funnel and analyze information from multiple security touchpoints for real-time data, a full view, and a single source of truth.
• Make sure security & IT teams collaborate on data strategy, data governance, cybersecurity, and scalable policies.
• Align security processes and workflows across teams.

6. Train Teams on Security Technology Capabilities

Part of aligning processes and workflows across systems and teams includes training your team on security systems and technology capabilities. Undertrained teams can become security risks themselves. From an operational standpoint, undertrained teams that don’t understand why something is in place, how it fits into overall facility security, or what it is capable of can leave your security technology and systems underutilized.

You can have the latest and greatest security technology and systems that monitor 24/7 in real-time. However, if end-users and operators don’t understand what to do with that data or the why behind it, the solution will not be used to its full potential, important alerts could be missed, and your facility can be left vulnerable.

Your team needs to understand:

• Security technology capabilities
• Use cases
• How it fits into facility security day-to-day
• Why it matters

This ensures that the people behind the systems are using them as intended and keeping facility security comprehensive.

7. Keep Up With Preventive Maintenance

Even if monitoring and data analysis happen online, there are still physical components related to obtaining that data. Physical components and systems will need to be maintained, and repaired or replaced at times. Security technology has its own preventive maintenance, including software updates and upgrades.

Keeping up with preventive maintenance for all components of your security solution should be included in operational imperatives facility managers need for better physical security. You can look into service plans for your security systems to help manage maintenance and updates. This is something to consider when you are evaluating security integrators.

8. Do Not Overlook Technology Lifecycle Planning

Technology is always evolving, and so are security risks and threats. Over time, your security technology can become outdated, which can leave your facility vulnerable. Without proactive management, your facility can also end up with technical debt, where systems and components become outdated and unusable. This is a major risk and challenge of legacy security systems, and can be particularly problematic for proprietary systems.

As facility managers approach security budget planning and how to best protect their facilities, it is essential to include technology lifecycle planning, as well as maintenance and updates. You don’t necessarily need to overhaul your software and systems any time there is an update, but upgrades over time should be considered, monitored, and addressed as needed.

9. Conduct Recurring Physical Security Risk Assessments

Physical security failures often stem from operational gaps. This is a key reason why you shouldn’t skip vulnerability assessments. One of the operational imperatives facility managers need for better physical security, and facility security overall, is to conduct recurring security risk assessments. Security risk assessments will allow you to proactively identify emerging risks that need to be addressed, opportunity gaps for improvements, and ensure your systems are working as intended.

10. Implement Continuous Monitoring & Detection Protocols

In addition to recurring physical security risk assessments, facility managers can improve physical and overall security by implementing continuous monitoring and detection protocols. It’s one thing to have the right security in place from the beginning, and another to make the iterative improvements necessary to maintain good security over time in the face of evolving threats and risks.

Leveraging existing systems, software, and technology, facility managers can continuously monitor performance and detect issues before they become security breaches. Security cameras can be monitored for proper placement and function to ensure they remain installed correctly and are monitoring the appropriate areas.

Intrusion detection can provide early warning signs of areas particularly vulnerable to a potential or attempted breach, whether by people or vehicles. This approach can help facility and perimeter security address drone protection. Regular audits keep every component of your security solution running the way it should.

11. Use Incident Management and Reporting to Measure Effectiveness

Incident management software can help you monitor your facility and measure the effectiveness of your facility security solution. It can also provide valuable insights to include in security risk assessments. These are key reasons you need incident management software.

You also need an intelligence layer to help turn all of that data into identifiable insights for humans. Robust reporting and analysis are some things to look for in incident management software. Should incidents occur, you will also be able to see what happened, why it happened, and use that information to provide concrete recommendations to prevent it from happening again and mitigate damage in the future.

Reporting will also help you easily take all of the data coming from your various security touchpoints, get the insights and answers you need, and be able to share that with other facility leaders. This allows facility managers or physical security operation managers to:

• Answer questions from the business side.
• Provide concrete results and ROI for security systems.
• Maintain a seat at the table for contributing to business decisions.
• Make a compelling argument for continuing to invest in comprehensive facility security.

Improve Your Facility Security With Northeast Protection Partners

These are just a few operational imperatives facility managers need for better physical security. Every facility is different, and the right mix of security systems and integrations will vary based on unique operational needs and security risks.

Partnering with an experienced, reputable security systems integrator can help you ensure your facility has the comprehensive security it needs. If you need to review, update, and improve your facility security, contact Northeast Protection Partners at 1-800-736-1456.