A PIDS can counter act & help prevent potential business risks including:

• Illegal entry to site for the purpose of theft
• Vandalism and low-level nuisance due to trespass
• Preventing wildlife from entering the site and causing contamination and/or damage
• Protecting staff & visitors from the above
• Insurance claims & reduce liability

Business benefits:

1. Alarm as intruders are attempting to break in, giving more time to respond
2. Cut down on damage and theft
3. Lower level of claims due to injury or theft and also minimise associated bad press
4. Very stable – low maintenance & minimal support required
5. Longevity – lower total cost of ownership
6. Peace of mind, protect business assets and staff.

Understanding the risks

Illegal entry to site and burglary –the most common threat whether it’s offices, industrial or military sites; none are immune to crime. According to the UK crime statistics, there were 19,011 burglaries in April 2020 alone, constituting both domestic and commercial break-ins. A commercial burglary involves illegally breaking into an office building, store, warehouse, or any similar structure to steal, cause damage, or inflict harm. Commercial burglaries have always been very lucrative for criminals and are becoming more common, as the objects stolen, such as from a distribution centre, could be worth a lot more than what they would generally find at a residential property. The only thing keeping them out is the security measures taken by the business, which is why they hold so much importance and must be given the upmost priority.

Impact of a burglary on a business

The impact of burglary on a business is pretty far-reaching and includes not just financial losses and property damage, but a lot of other things too including the potentially emotional impact and stress on staff. The effects of a burglary on any business include:

• Financial losses

Most burglars are after money and the most valuable items or assets a business owns.

• Property damage

Acts of crime usually involve force. Illegally entering a property involves the perpetrators to force themselves inside a property by breaking things such as fences, gates, doors and windows – sometimes a ‘smash and grab’. Criminals also use ram-raiding techniques, using vehicles to force their way in, causing substantial damage. Burglars are generally in a hurry and have zero regard for the property and the more sophisticated criminals may try and tamper with security systems, which can result in huge repair costs.

• Lost time

A burglary might result in complete or partial downtime for the business, due to the time required for repairing any damage. Every minute lost results in additional financial losses. Also, the management might need time to deal with the issue and take the necessary measures to avoid any such incidents happening in the future.

• Employee and customer dissatisfaction

Commercial burglaries often leave the employees and customers of the business feeling dissatisfied, unsafe and unhappy. It can trigger feelings of mistrust, thinking that the employers / company owners have little regard for their safety, especially if the crime resulted due to neglect, such as the use of low-quality locks, lack of security systems, and overall poor safety measures. It may even result in employees leaving the organisation and customers choosing competitors over them, which can be disastrous for any business.

• Decline in productivity

Burglaries, or any crime for that matter, can have a huge psychological impact on the victims. Feeling unsafe and vulnerable takes a toll on your day-to -day life and affects every aspect of it, including work. People witnessing a burglary and becoming victims of crime often struggle to concentrate at work, feel unmotivated, lose sleep, and develop anxiety issues. All of this results in them being less productive at work, meaning reduced output and effectiveness of the business.

 

Liability & Insurance

• Are you liable for on-site injuries?

If a guest, customer, or trespasser is injured while on your property, they may be able to bring a personal injury lawsuit against you. If the landowner fails in their duty of care to those entering their property, they may be liable for negligence.

• Do occupiers really owe a duty of care to trespassers?

Occupiers do owe a duty of care to trespassers but, as may be expected, that duty is not as high as with other categories of visitor.

All of these points have potential to effect insurance premiums so adding to perimeter security to mitigate against un-authorised and un-wanted site access will help reduce future policy costs.

Work with our experts in perimeter protection

The security of each and every site is often a challenge for every company as there are so many factors that need to be taken into consideration, but by utilising our experienced team and the steps laid out in the Heras Security Model we are very confident we can provide the best solution for our clients. We first assess the threats and what valuables you want to protect and establish the scenarios that are relevant to your company. Then we determine how to prevent these scenarios and advise on the measures you can take to achieve this.

More information 

Advice and support for your perimeter protection solution? Request a consultation with one of our experts.