In order to keep manufacturing facilities safe, you have to approach it from different angles.
First, there’s the very real threat of crime. Many criminals view manufacturing plants as jackpots since people usually aren’t onsite round the clock. All that expensive equipment and material—including intellectual property—may be considered an easy target.
Then, there’s also the need to keep employees safe. This means coming up with security protocols that lessen the chance of a staff-related injury or some other mishap.
For those wanting to keep their assets safe, here are the top manufacturing security recommendations.
Secure the Property
Making the property hard to access by people who have no business being there is an excellent place to start. The more barriers in place limiting access to the property, the less appealing it becomes to those with criminal intent.
Establish a secure perimeter
The most basic means of keeping the property safe is to create a barrier limiting access. Typically, this is achieved by erecting a fence—at least around key assets—to keep intruders out.
Invest in CCTV
Surveillance systems are becoming more and more sophisticated, yielding high-quality images, issuing alerts, and transmitting recorded data to the cloud.
Having a robust 24/7 surveillance system that lets key people remote in and view at any time to see what’s happening on the property is an excellent way to catch an intruder immediately.
Hire Security Guards
Hiring security personnel to be on patrol round the clock is one of the biggest deterrents there is. Along with biometric entry points, private security can ensure that only certain people are allowed entry to various locations.
The professionals at Security Explorer are trained to safeguard all kinds of assets and are exactly who you need to protect your site.
Criminals are deterred when they realize there’s a person on location at all times, and will typically choose another less secure spot to target.
Private security does a lot more than deterring criminals as well. They are trained to act in crisis situations, leading people to safety, notifying authorities, and keeping things under control until help arrives.
Additionally, should a fire break out overnight at the location, security will be able to spot it and notify the fire department before everything goes up in flames.
Secure Equipment
Equipment should be stored securely in a restricted area, and kept out of the elements.
Consider installing GPS tracking systems on all mobile pieces of equipment, and maintain regular logs for both use and maintenance.
Visitor Management
When non-employee visitors are on site, create a visitor management protocol.
Perhaps safety protocol requires each guest to be supervised during their visit, and log their name and note arrival and departure times.
Manufacturing Plant Technology Safeguards
Intellectual property theft and security threats are other key areas that need to be addressed.
Here are the system security protocols you need to enforce:
- Encrypt communication channels
- Install anti-virus protection, real-time threat monitoring, and intrusion detection software
- Use multi-factor authentication
- Update software regularly
- Implement advanced firewall protection
- Conduct security audits on a regular basis
- Educate employees on the importance of cybersecurity, and cybersecurity best practices
- Implement network segmentation
- Use secure data storage, and encrypt stored data
It’s important that employees understand the variety of sophisticated means hackers use to gain access to proprietary information.
Conduct robust cybersecurity trainings for employees that covers the range of methods scammers deploy to access sensitive information.
Personnel Safety and Management
Keeping employees safe and secure is essential. Given the nature of the equipment used, it’s imperative that they be properly trained and required to wear safety equipment, when applicable.
Pre-Employment Background Screening
Though there’s no current law in place that requires this type of testing for private companies, some employers require that potential employees undergo and pass a pre-employment background screening—which includes a panel that tests for illicit drugs.
Strict Safety Protocols
Manufacturing plants are held to rigorous standards when it comes to the safety and well-being of employees.
To avoid being penalized or shut down, it’s imperative to abide by guidelines set forth by OSHA, and follow EPA regulations.
Employees should be given annual training and refreshers to ensure they understand the proper procedures for various safety-related scenarios.
Make sure these standards are upheld, and be prepared for surprise inspections from state and federal institutions.
Meet Industry-Specific Safety Regulations
It’s important that the manufacturing facility meets all required safety regulations, and employees have all the necessary safety training and equipment—including being current on required certifications.
Documented Security Protocol
Each aspect of security-related protocol should be added to a document that employees can readily access.
Update the document regularly to account for any changes in policy or procedure.
Conclusion:
By approaching safety in a comprehensive multifaceted way, one that safeguards the physical, technological, and employee aspects, your facility will be spared the variety of ordeals that befall the unprepared.