Conmen are always looking out for ways to scam businesses. Whether that’s phishing emails to acquire bank details or more sophisticated attempts to get you to change the payment address on a regular invoice. And the Coronavirus crisis has given these toerags even more ways to test how alert businesses are.
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We live in uncertain times. But nothing changes for thieves, vandals and arsonists. The current lockdown means that many commercial buildings will be empty for an extended period of time. Have you done everything you can to ensure that your property is secure enough? A report from the Metropolitan Police Business Crime Hub gives some recommendations on how to protect your premises.
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A friend proudly took me round his new business premises. He had pictures from the last 4 months of work getting the office shipshape. It was all ready for his staff to move in on the Monday. But his happy face turned into a frown when I asked about his security arrangements. After all that effort and expense, he had forgotten that there are people out there who want to spoil it all.
I took him through a few things that can make a real difference to keeping your business safe from burglary. read more…
In 2018/2019, there were 606,282 crimes against businesses in England and Wales. Down on the previous year. But that’s still an average of 69.2 crimes every hour. Or more than one every minute! WOW… those are some sobering statistics.
This post looks at what businesses can do to lower the impact those statistics describe… And why relying on the Police is probably not the best option.
First, the most common crime!
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Speak to any engineer or manufacturer and they will tell you that their biggest security problems are:
1. the theft of metal/parts for scrap – usually from an outside yard; and
2. “accidents” in the factory – meaning a lot of factories have inside cameras to make sure staff are keeping to Health and Safety rules and record any incidents.
I can see you nodding in agreement.
But there’s a third issue that is not at the forefront of your mind – although when it happens, it cuts right through to your bottom line.
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How to keep burglars out of your business
You’ve invested time, energy and money in your business premises, but burglars are cunning and make it their business to gain entry to it. Below you'll find advice on how to deter them.https://t.co/wXJLss3Tm4#SaturdayMorning pic.twitter.com/7FKBx1IEPd
— Hillingdon MPS (@MPSHillingdon) May 25, 2019
When my daughter was in her late teens, she worked in one of the local nightclubs until the wee small hours.
I was always worried about her getting to and from the club but I never really considered her safety whilst she was working inside.
One evening, a punter took exception to the speed that she was pouring his drink. He reached over and grabbed her by the throat.
Fortunately she was able to fend him off and he was immediately grabbed by the security staff, who had rushed over at the first sign of a problem. They escorted this individual out of the building.
My daughter was shaken but not stirred and continued to work there for the rest of the year.
Checking that your Fire Protection provider has Third Party Certification or Accreditation is the best way to ensure you are working with a competent, experienced expert.
And know that you can rely on them to protect your premises, your staff and your liability as the Responsible Person.
A certification or accreditation from a recognised third party organisation is independent verification that your provider is working to the appropriate standards and best practice for the service you require.
Following on from our blog post about virtual trip wires that work with analytic cameras to identify different categories of security equipment on your property.
Sometimes CCTV installers are stuck for a way to get sufficient coverage from their cameras. It’s all about angles. The cameras need to be higher than your building. This means cameras can end up mounted on trees! Which is great until the tree needs to be cut down.
For businesses, here’s just the thing. A mobile rapid deployment tower system.
I saw in the news recently that it is Fire Door Safety Week from 23 to 29 September 2019. It’s now in its seventh year! They are dedicated to raising awareness about fire doors, fire stopping and safety for the whole building industry and every property owner, including the business owners who rent those buildings.
It made me think of a conversation I had with a local business owner.
He said:
It wasn’t until I employed person #5 that I realised the importance of fire door safety.
Fire Doors in multi-occupied buildings