Controlling Access to Warehouse and Manufacturing Sites Protects Supply Chain
Manufacturing facilities and warehouses each represent a vital link in the supply chain. When something disrupts operations at these sites, such as a security threat, it can slow or temporarily stop the movement of goods and services to the hands of the consumer. This results in customer frustration and lost revenue.
Because of the value that manufacturing facilities and warehouses produce, they represent tempting targets for bad actors wanting to disrupt the supply chain. Restricting access to these sites with the help of Delta Scientific plays a key role in mitigating security risks at these facilities.
What Are the Physical Security Threats to These Facilities?
While some security issues, such as pilferage or workplace violence, originate from inside the facility, some of the most significant risks come from the outside.
1. Theft
Theft of property can originate from either inside or outside the company. When it comes from outside, the thieves typically gain access to an improperly secured facility after hours. The purpose of the theft is typically to resell the items for a profit. Theft can result in loss of revenue from inventory shrinkage.
2. Vandalism
Vandalism is the deliberate destruction of someone else’s property. While vandalism is sometimes motivated by ideology, more often vandals act out of a need for stimulation to stave off boredom or to exert dominance when their ordinary condition makes them feel powerless. Whatever the motivation, vandalism can result in significant financial losses. It can also reduce workplace morale as employees may not feel safe in an environment where vandalism has taken place.
3. Terrorism
Broadly defined, terrorism is an act intended to strike fear in others. Often, the terrorists seek to leverage the fear to promote a particular ideology or attain a political goal. Sometimes, however, disrupting the usual order is a sufficient motive in itself. In either case, disrupting the supply chain serves the terrorists’ purpose of engendering fear. Manufacturing facilities and warehouses represent soft targets, making them attractive to potential terrorists.
How Can Facility Management Address These Threats?
The U.S. Department of Justice has identified three vital functions of an effective plant security system:
- Detection
- Delay
- Response
Detection involves identifying the threat early while response involves neutralizing it. Delay involves presenting an impediment to the progress of the adversary to give security personnel time to respond to and neutralize the threat.
Having eyes on the premises at multiple locations helps with early detection of a potential threat. A standard guard booth from Delta Scientific allows you to post a guard at the entrance of your facility where he or she may be able to detect a possible threat before anyone else. If our standard booth does not suit your needs, we offer other designs, including a customizable option.
A beam barricade can be raised and lowered to permit employees and approved guests to enter the facility while preventing access by unauthorized personnel. Even a shallow-mount beam barricade, such as the TT2123, is crash-rated to stop a 6,000-pound vehicle traveling 40 miles per hour. This is sufficient protection for embassies and government facilities, so it should be effective for your manufacturing plant or warehouse.
A comprehensive security strategy involves a multi-layer approach. Physical security measures represent one of several layers of protection for your site.
Sources:
https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publications/abstract.aspx?ID=70758
https://www.scjunction.com/blog/warehouse-theft-prevention-tips-how-to-spot-and-stop-light-fingers
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