A complete guide to warehouse security

What is warehouse security?

Warehouses store large quantities of expensive, dangerous equipment, and a lack of security could lead to damaging financial losses through theft, alongside risking the safety of employees. By installing a variety of physical barriers and crime deterrents, you can ensure that your workplace is constantly protected – which is especially important when you’re away from the premises. With this complete guide to warehouse security, you can ensure that you’ll have everything you need to protect your staff, your valuables, and your building. 

Warehouse security methods 

Identify weak spots 

To enhance warehouse security, you’ll need to have a scan around your building to make a note of any weak spots. By acknowledging any particular areas that a criminal may be likely to target, and understanding the journey a trespasser may take as they move through the warehouse, you can install security measures accordingly to capture any activity. When it comes to this, you could ask for a second point of view to ensure that you haven’t missed anything. 

CCTV systems 

CCTV systems will keep a constant watch over your premises, alongside acting as a major crime deterrent by alerting trespassers that they’re on camera. Using high-tech video analytics that allow for facial and behaviour recognition, alongside capturing a crystal clear picture, you’ll be able to keep track of any suspicious activity. Not only this, if an accident does unfortunately occur in your workplace, your CCTV camera will reveal the steps leading to the event – this is important to know to ensure that it won’t happen again. 

Appropriate lighting

By providing appropriate lighting both on the inside and outside of your premises, not only will you ensure that no criminal activities go unseen, you’ll be protecting the wellbeing of staff. To move through areas safely, drivers must be provided with enough lighting to clearly see where they’re going – preventing any accidents. When installing lighting, pay particular attention to entrances and exits, parking areas, and cargo handling or storage areas. 

Secure entrances

Industrial gates paired with an access control system will put you in charge of who is able to enter and exit your warehouse, with various designs being tailored to your security needs. From automatic sliding security gates that allow for an easy entrance, set up with keypads, proximity cards, intercom access or fobs for complete security, to powder-coated industrial swing gates that won’t compromise on your business’s aesthetics, there’s an entry solution out there to suit any premises. 

Secure windows

Don’t forget about your warehouse’s windows. If there are any ground-level windows that could be easily broken into, you’ll need to make sure they’re efficiently secured. To do this, you could install window bars, fold away gates or sturdy locks that can’t easily be tampered with. 

Alarm system

Installing an alarm system in your warehouse is another vital criminal deterrent, as it will minimise the amount of time that a criminal has to get out of the building, therefore limiting the amount they can steal. The shrill sound will alert all those close by to the scene, scaring them off the premises in the process. Some alarm systems come complete with a professional monitoring package, meaning that a monitoring centre will be notified if the alarm is triggered. If they can visually verify that your warehouse has been broken into, the local authorities will be contacted immediately. 

Data security

Ensure that only authorised members of staff have access to warehouse management systems through strong passwords. There are several dos and don’ts when it comes to creating a secure password – why not take a read of our previous blog post to make sure that you’re protecting your business’s data? 

Here at Expert Security UK, we understand the importance of business security. Have a chat with one of our security professionals today to find the right methods for your premises.