What is warehouse security?
Before delving into the best warehouse security methods, what is warehouse security? And why is it important? Although it’s vital to ensure that your inventory is kept safe, ensuring the welfare of your employees is pivotal. Without upholding a security-focussed working culture, it’s highly likely that staff morale will be negatively impacted. To reduce the possibility of potential health and safety risks, along with minimising the chances of vandalism and theft, it’s essential that warehouse
Warehouse security measures
Map out your warehouse
To consider which warehouse security measures are the most relevant, it’s advised that the building is firstly mapped out to identify any weak points. This, for example, could be a section that houses particularly valuable or potentially unsafe equipment, or an entrance that could be broken into. In doing this, it’s easier to see which spots may need additional layers of protection.
Security cameras
Ensuring that your building is equipped with CCTV cameras is essential for optimising warehouse security. Recognised as a major crime deterrent, they reduce the risk of a break in by putting a crook in full view, so that no suspicious activity is left unseen. The placement of your security camera is important, so make sure that you’re able to clearly capture an area – whether that’s the entrance to your building or otherwise – without any obstructions; this will make it easier for the police to identify criminals, and use the footage as evidence.
Not only this, if an accident does unfortunately happen, you’ll be able to look back at the footage captured on your security camera to reveal the events leading up to it. In doing this, the relevant precautions can be taken to ensure that it won’t happen again.
Suitable lighting
Suitable lighting is needed both for the inside and outside of your warehouse to not only ensure that staff can carry out tasks safely, but to reduce the risk of crimes going unseen. Entrances and exits, cargo handling areas, along with storage and parking areas should all be fully illuminated to enhance security.
Install an alarm system
Installing an alarm system is another vital warehouse security measure that isn’t to be forgotten. In the instance that someone does attempt to break into the building, an alarm will sound, immediately alerting both you and those surrounding the area to the scene. Just as criminals prefer their activities to go unseen, the risk of their presence being detected and triggering an alarm automatically makes a building a less appealing target.
Access control
Limiting access to certain areas of your warehouse will also increase security. By equipping your building with various access control systems – such as number plate or fingerprint recognition, gate intercom or key cards – you’ll have total control over which individuals (whether that’s members of staff or visitors) enter or exit your building at any given time.
Secure doors and windows
Keep your warehouse protected by making sure that any entrances to your building – be it doors or windows – are fitted with locking devices, preventing any unauthorised entrances. In instances where opening mechanisms become damaged, you could unknowingly increase the chances of the warehouse being broken into.
You can rely on SSS Industrial Doors to equip your warehouse with a secure entrance solution and, depending on your preferences, there are a variety of designs for you to choose from. That could be a (Rapidor) high speed door for environments where speed is crucial, a steel hinged door for unmatched durability, or robust rollers shutters – which are a suitable security solution for a range of industries and buildings.
In the unlikely instance that you do notice any sign of damage, it’s vital that you act immediately. You can rely on our 24-hour call-out maintenance service to get your door back in working order, which will enhance your warehouse’s protection against outsider threats.
Protecting stock
For an added degree of security, and to make sure that any valuable equipment and stock stored within your warehouse is protected, use security cages or hide them in secure rooms that are equipped with an access control system. This way, you’re less likely to become a victim of warehouse theft, which can seriously impact business operations.
Employee training
To uphold a security-focussed working culture, it’s vital that regular employee training and refresher training is provided to both new and long-term employees. Whether these modules cover the best practices in safe warehouse operations, how to transport goods safely, or general topics like leadership skills, they must be available to all staff members. Not only will this reduce health and safety risks, your business will be able to perform at its best.
Looking to enhance the security of your warehouse? Get in touch with our team today to discover an industrial door design that will best protect your premises.
