Your warehouse security should always be a high priority but as the winter months draw closer with darker mornings and evenings ahead it is time to ensure all your warehouse security is in place.
What security measures do you have in place? Is your CCTV functioning and not just a ‘staged’ camera in the hope to deter criminals? Are your locks intact? There is a lot to think about when it comes to ensuring your property can withstand a potential break-in. Can your business afford to take the hit if you have not prepared yourself against potential security risks?
We also have to address the unwelcome fact that there is sometimes the potential of employee theft, the ’oh, they will never notice’ thought can and does sometimes cross the minds of your staff and although there has been a steady decrease in employee theft with approximately 7 thousand less offences in 2017/18 than 2002/03*, it is still important to make sure you are protected from any kind of theft or fraud and it really should be at the top of your business security planning.
Our warehouse security top tips:
Get alarmed – security alarms are a great deterrent, if your warehouse is vacant at night the alarm will trigger a police call out, or alert neighbours nearby who will raise the alarm.
What you see – CCTV security cameras prove to be a fantastic way to deter those pesky thieves and staff who have the ‘Oh, they will never notice’ mentality. Make sure that your cameras are functioning and are doing their job, visual evidence will help police catch thieves and help to make your case stand up in court. There are some great offerings out there so make sure you do your research to find the best possible CCTV security for your warehouse, internally and externally.
Someone’s there – a security guard is the ultimate security weapon, although a little expensive than the other available options. Criminals are very unlikely to try and break in if they know there is a security guard is on site and protecting your premises around the clock.
Other important warehouse security tips to consider:
Make sure only authorised staff can access your warehouse management systems and that everything is password protected. This allows you to keep track of who is updating stock level information, goods received, goods dispatched and when the information is being updated. Data security for any business is hugely important and businesses must be extra vigilant now with the new GDPR legislations in place.
For visitors coming onsite make sure you have a signing in and out procedure in place, if you are using a signing in book, remember not to keep this on display as you will be breaking GDPR regulations. Drivers waiting for pickups should have a designated waiting area rather than being able to freely roam around your warehouse. You should also ensure you have done relevant staff checks before deciding on access to various areas within your warehouse. If you have locked cages and locked pallet racking areas it would be best to have a ‘two-person rule’ in place for improved security.
Add another level of security by providing staff with identification badges or tags, this allows you to identify who is staff and who are visitors and delivery drivers.
You should consider the layout of your warehouse for maximum security, thinking about your positioning of specific areas such as your shipping and docking areas which are most vulnerable. These should be in clear view at all times, consider placing your site managers office next to, or near to these areas, if you can, try and restrict vehicle access to your loading bays for added security. You can install convex mirrors to be used throughout your warehouse, these can also act as safety accessories, pop them in blind spots, these will discourage any fraudulent or criminal activity from taking place.
Finally, make sure all your entry points, doors and windows, are securely locked when not in use – ideally, pass keys and electronic tags should be provided only to authorised personal to gain access to your warehouse.
Make your next move a walk around your warehouse and check all your security!
* https://www.statista.com/statistics/303567/employee-theft-in-england-and-wales-uk-y-on-y/
