Despite numerous security measures in place to protect your building, intruders do still sometimes gain access. Bearing this in mind, it is vitally important to take steps to minimise the amount of damage that is done, to slow any intruders down and also maximise any opportunities to apprehend them.

Your Reception Area

Your Reception area should be your first line of defence against any potential intruders during normal working hours. It should be considered as one of the most important parts of company security, and it should always be the first point of contact when anyone enters the building.

Rule One - Reception area, under no circumstances, be left unattended. 

Rule Two – Know who is, or who has been on site.  Every visitor entering should be signed in and out.  Issue them with identification against a signature. There are numerous good quality visitor pass products on the market.  These range from simple paper-based systems to more advanced computer-produced versions which may even include the photograph of the visitor. 

Rule Three - Educate your staff to challenge any stranger on site.  If it is a legitimate visitor they should be wearing a visitor’s pass which will cut down on the number of enquires that staff have to make.

Rule Four - All visitors should always be met, and escorted back to, the reception by an authorised member of staff ie not permitted to "find their own way up". They must not be permitted to wander around the building alone. 

Rule Five – It is common practice for potential thieves to 'case the joint' by visiting the Reception area and often gain access into the building by tailgating legitimate visitors. It is paramount that Reception staff are trained in security, thus enabling them to recognise suspicious behaviour and are made aware of techniques used. 

Rule Six - If reception staff are used to control access from a public reception area into more secure parts of the building, some sort of risk analysis should be carried out to ensure that they are not put in a position whereby they may be threatened or placed under duress to allow unauthorised entry. The Reception area should always be equipped with a personal attack or panic button.  It is vital that this is linked to a permanently staffed area close by so that immediate assistance can be given.  Also bearing in mind the first point, your Reception should not be left unattended.
 

One of the methods of gaining access is for intruders to enter the building and secrete themselves until it is closed and empty. You should carefully search the premises before locking up.