It’s the most wonderful time of year… but for building owners, agents and property & facility managers, the long, dark nights can worry. Commercial properties often attract burglars, and regardless of their use, their contents are generally worth more than residential property. This makes commercial properties a big target, especially over the festive season.
Despite break-ins decreasing by 44% throughout October 2020 – March 2021 due to lockdown restrictions, authorities urge commercial (and residential) owners not to become complacent with their security and to take extra precautions as the nights drawn in.
With the extra stresses of managing a property, especially over Christmas, you might worry about leaving your property unattended overnight. You may feel stressed about your current security measures or lack time to manage your security effectively. If you’re experiencing these concerns, BASSE Solutions can help alleviate your worries and support your commercial property’s security from start to finish.
Take a look at our detailed checklist on how to increase commercial property security and keep your buildings safe and secure this season.
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Inspect your property
Whilst regular inspections and risk assessments should be part of your on-going general property maintenance anyway, we’d advise scheduling in an inspection prior to the winter months.
Important for the safety of all employees, inspecting sidewalks, handrails, car parks, garages and driveways is a solid way to address issues. These issues may arise should ice and snow make an appearance. This is especially important when patrolling your perimeter at the end of the day. Double-check that your property is clear before you leave the site.
Ensure landscaping is free of all unaccounted-for debris that could present itself as a hazard or create blind spots. Hiding spots for unwelcome visitors are also possible. Undertaking regularly planned maintenance checks will ensure you stay on top of your site’s security hazards. This allows you to rectify issues as they arise and minimise the risk of sudden, costly complications.
However, you can’t always predict the future, so please remember it’s never too late to call for help.
Here at BASSE Solutions, we can help with any last-minute maintenance or repairs you may have. Our experienced team can also check your property and estate through in-depth site surveys. These surveys ensure all aspects of your site’s security have been checked.
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Increase lighting
As a recent case study of ours demonstrates, lighting can make or break the safety of your commercial property.
Not only does increased, quality exterior lighting lower the risk of accidents occurring for employees, but a well-lit property will deter and scare off trespassers.
The lighting of your commercial property can also impact the effectiveness of any CCTV you may have installed. With the low light conditions that winter brings, trespassers may still be able to conceal themselves if your exterior lighting isn’t up to scratch. BASSE Solutions’ extensive experience allows us to install or repair a variety of supreme quality lighting systems, including emergency lights, controlled systems and LED upgrades.
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Enhance perimeter security
Does your commercial property have impermeable perimeter security? With a variety of sophisticated CCTV systems available to you, there’s no reason why your perimeter security should be lacking.
CCTV should be checked to make sure it’s durable for winter as the colder weather could affect the quality of your CCTV feed. Make sure to check for any blind spots as well!
The help of a security expert may be required here. They can assess your property and its risk levels. They can also advise on the best security solutions or upgrades for your commercial property. These could include installing CCTV or putting a patrol team in place for added perimeter security.
If your perimeter security isn’t sufficient to fully protect your commercial property, BASSE Solutions can consult on, supply, install and maintain advanced CCTV systems. This includes wired, wireless and even dummy cameras, which can sometimes scare off unwelcome guests!
Although we don’t actively offer physical security operatives, we have relationships with security providers. These providers can help take your commercial property’s security to the next level. If you want to engage a patrol team to check your property throughout the night, please contact our team.
Alternatively, contact us if you need keyholding and alarm response services to give you peace of mind while you sleep.
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Secure your surroundings
As an added layer of security, it’s always worth investing in a reliable physical barrier to protect your building. This protects your building, employees and, of course, your grounds. Protective barriers come in many forms and work well for keeping unwanted visitors outside.
While you may think a door entry system or CCTV is enough to protect your site, consider additional security measures. Gates, fencing and shutters can provide an added layer of protection.
Here at BASSE Solutions, we have extensive experience installing Palisade security fencing. We often recommend this type of barrier due to its longevity and easy installation.
If you’d like to discuss an effective (and appropriate) barrier for your property, please speak to a member of our team.
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Invest in access control
Should thieves not be scared off by lighting, fencing or CCTV (dummy or not), make sure they cannot stroll through the front door. They also should not enter through any other unsecured access point.
By installing and maintaining an advanced door/access control and alarm system, you can control who accesses your building and when.
This becomes obsolete if you leave other potential access points unchecked and unsecured. Check all windows, doors and locks to ensure they work and suit the cold weather.
“Despite last winter’s decrease in break-ins due to COVID-19, the 70 years’ experience across the BASSE team, we’re aware the festive season sees an increase in break-ins and crime of this nature. Want to help you make sure that the anxiety and stress of anticipated a break in, or the result of one, is something you don’t have to deal with.”
– Management team, BASSE Solutions Limited
Remember, a break-in will always cost you money, even if the intruders don’t manage to take anything. They can also cause costly damage to doors, locks and windows, as well as disrupt your business.
Follow our checklist to prevent the risk of your commercial property security being compromised. As an experienced total facilities maintenance team, BASSE Solutions can help with everything you’ve read about in this blog. Please contact us regarding any queries you may have.
