Basic Security Measures For Small Businesses

Basic Security Measures For Small Businesses

Small businesses have every reason to protect their establishments, especially in the face of increased crime. Statistics indicate that last year 103,391 burglaries were committed against these businesses. A further investigation also indicated that 69.2 crimes are committed hourly, and the targets are usually commercial properties. With these in mind, it becomes mandatory to step up security measures. The tips below highlight some things you can do whether you’re running or starting a small business.

1. Secure high-value goods

Sometimes, it is impossible to keep high-value goods only at the warehouse. In the same way, there are times you may have to store significant sums on-site. Perhaps, it was too late to deposit the money at the bank, so you decided to keep it in the office. This is considered a high-risk decision, making it necessary to have a secured area to keep all high-value items. For a small business, losing such goods or money can be detrimental to the establishment. As a tip, storing them out of sight is recommended. You may have to invest in a quality safe to keep money and other portable high-value items. Additionally, heavy-duty locks and bolts can be utilised in business areas where necessary. You should also limit access to these areas.

2. Carry out regular risk assessments

It is advisable to detect vulnerable areas of your business. Your location will often determine the type of assessment to take. Additionally, it will also influence the security measures to adopt for your small business. Your operational costs can also determine the security measures to adopt.

For example, if you’re concerned about the costs of security guards, you may want to use metal detectors and strategically-positioned CCTVs. If you’re a small business interested in the former, you can enter metal detectors for sale near me in a search engine. The results will help you choose where to purchase and the types available. Furthermore, incorporating cyber security monitoring services into your risk assessments will provide comprehensive protection for your business, safeguarding against both physical and digital threats.

3. Provide your staff with basic security training

As a small business, your first line of defence is your staff. This explains why you need to train them in basic safety procedures and build a safety-conscious culture. This will be particularly useful when there is an emergency. Regular drills complement safety and security training. In this case, when the real thing occurs, everyone will know exactly what to do, lowering the risks of accidents. Your training should not only be technical and focused on crisis management but should include preventive measures like identifying suspicious behaviours and characters. By creating awareness among staff, you would have created a security-conscious team.

According to data provided by UK security agencies, many attacks on small businesses could have been avoided if staff knew what to look out for. The agencies also noted that more focus seems to be placed on training staff to be aware of cyber attacks. Unfortunately, this leaves a gap in basic physical security knowledge. As proof, you can enter ‘basic security training for staff’ into a Google Search engine, and the results are skewed towards cyber awareness.

If small businesses focused more on physical security measures, it could positively affect their safety.

Contributed Article. Contains a sponsored link.