Opening a new business location is an opportunity to build security into the facility from the beginning rather than trying to fix gaps after employees, visitors, and operations are already in place. Whether you are opening an office, school, healthcare facility, warehouse, retail location, or other commercial space, security planning should be part of the building and operational planning process.
A well-designed security strategy can help control who enters the facility, monitor important areas, protect employees and visitors, and provide better visibility during an incident. Here are several important factors to consider when planning security for a new location.
Start With a Security Assessment
Before selecting cameras, access control equipment, or other technology, evaluate the facility and how it will be used.
Consider:
- Where employees, visitors, vendors, and contractors will enter
- Which areas need restricted access
- Where valuable equipment, information, or inventory will be located
- How deliveries and shipments will enter the building
- Which areas will be occupied after normal business hours
- Where parking and pedestrian traffic will occur
- Potential security risks around the property’s exterior
Understanding these factors helps determine which security technologies and controls are actually needed.
Plan Access Control Around How the Building Will Be Used
Not every door needs the same level of security. Main employee entrances, executive areas, server rooms, storage areas, and other sensitive locations may require different access restrictions.
When planning access control, consider:
- Which employees should have access to specific areas
- Whether access should change based on schedules or job roles
- How employees and credentials will be added or removed
- How visitors and contractors will access the facility
- Whether certain doors need additional authentication
- What should happen when an employee leaves the organization
Planning these requirements before installation can help prevent expensive changes later.
Determine Where Security Cameras Are Needed
A new facility is the ideal time to plan camera locations because cabling, network infrastructure, and mounting locations can be considered during construction.
Rather than simply installing as many cameras as possible, focus on areas where video will provide useful security information.
Important locations may include:
- Exterior approaches and parking areas
- Main entrances and exits
- Reception and visitor areas
- Employee entrances
- Loading docks
- Hallways and common areas
- High-value or restricted areas
- Cash-handling or transaction areas
- Areas with limited visibility
Camera placement should provide useful views of people, vehicles, doors, and other activity—not just cover as much space as possible.
Don’t Forget Visitor Management
Employees are only one part of your building’s traffic. Visitors, contractors, vendors, delivery personnel, and temporary workers may also need access.
A visitor management system can help organizations establish a consistent process for checking people in, identifying visitors, managing access, and maintaining records.
Think about visitor procedures before opening the facility, including where visitors will enter, who will approve them, how they will be identified, and what happens during an emergency.
Consider Security Screening Where Appropriate
Some facilities may require additional screening at entrances, particularly locations with higher security risks or large numbers of employees and visitors.
Depending on the facility, security planning could include technologies such as weapon detection, metal detection, bag screening, or other screening solutions.
The goal should be to balance security with the way people actually move through the building. A system that creates significant entry delays may create operational challenges, while insufficient screening may leave security gaps.
Secure More Than the Main Entrance
One common mistake when planning security for a new facility is focusing almost entirely on the front entrance.
Employees and visitors may enter through:
- Employee entrances
- Side doors
- Emergency exits
- Loading docks
- Parking garages
- Service entrances
- Interior connections between buildings
These access points should be evaluated individually. A highly secure front entrance does little to improve overall security if other doors provide uncontrolled access into the facility.
Think About Parking and the Property Perimeter
Security planning should extend beyond the building itself.
Consider how people approach the property, where vehicles park, and where pedestrians travel before reaching the building. Depending on the facility, security measures may include cameras, license plate recognition, lighting, access-controlled gates, or other perimeter security technologies.
Exterior security can also provide valuable information when investigating incidents that occur near the building.
Make Security Systems Work Together
A new location is also an opportunity to avoid creating isolated security systems.
Access control, video surveillance, visitor management, intrusion detection, license plate recognition, and security screening can potentially work together to provide more useful information.
For example, an access-control event could be associated with nearby video footage, helping security personnel understand what happened rather than simply seeing that a credential was used.
Planning integration early can also make future upgrades easier.
Plan for Emergencies
Security isn’t only about preventing unauthorized access. Your systems should also support your response when something goes wrong.
Consider how security technology will be used during:
- Unauthorized entry
- Workplace violence
- Medical emergencies
- Fire or evacuation
- Suspicious activity
- Severe weather
- Lost or stolen credentials
- Other facility-specific emergencies
Determine who should receive alerts, who can access security information, and how security personnel will communicate during an incident.
Build a System That Can Grow
Your security needs may change as the new location grows.
You may eventually add employees, expand the facility, change the layout, add new entrances, or introduce additional security requirements. Planning for expansion from the beginning can reduce the need for major infrastructure changes later.
Ask whether the systems you select can support additional cameras, doors, users, locations, or technologies as your organization grows.
Create a Security Plan Before Construction Is Complete
The best time to plan security for a new location is before the facility is finished, not after problems appear.
Security planning should be coordinated with facility design, IT/network infrastructure, construction, operations, and organizational policies. This allows security equipment, cabling, door hardware, cameras, and other infrastructure to be incorporated into the facility rather than added as an afterthought.
Build Security Into Your New Location From Day One
Opening a new location gives your organization a chance to create a security environment that supports both safety and daily operations. Starting with a security assessment, identifying access requirements, planning camera coverage, considering visitor and screening needs, and connecting systems together can help create a more effective long-term strategy.
Planning Security for a New Facility? Contact LINSTAR Today
Opening a new location and not sure where to start with security? Contact us today. Our team can help you evaluate your facility, identify security priorities, and develop a technology strategy designed around your organization’s needs.