How can you incorporate security into your office redevelopment?

Redevelopment of your office premises offers a unique opportunity to evaluate your current security measures and upgrade them where appropriate. While it might be tempting to stick with the tried and tested security barriers you’ve previously installed, you should instead think about how you can incorporate a security-conscious mindset into every aspect of your premises.

Where do you start with office security?

Fundamentally, you know your business and you know the pressure points. For instance, if your office has a dedicated staff carpark, start from there. External car park access should be controlled by a quality traffic barrier which limits entry to staff and trusted visitors. Keeping track of who enters the car park is a basic yet effective first step of maintaining security to your office.

If you require higher levels of security at the car park entrance, perhaps to control access even more tightly, HAG speed gates are an excellent option. Underground car park spaces can also incorporate these to ensure not only the strict monitoring of staff entering and leaving, but also to ensure the safety of those staff within the car park itself. In this way, high security gates work as a form of protection for both the business and its employees.

Beyond the car park, what’s the next layer of security necessary for your office? An obvious point of vulnerability is the main door. Here, you need to consider general accessibility alongside security. If a system of entry is too convoluted, for example, employees will circumvent it by leaving doors ajar or jamming them open.

So, ideally, you need to install doors which are user-friendly and yet secure enough to protect your premises. The HAG Sliding Operator is an excellent example of a system that ticks both boxes, with the potential for keypad, keycode, card reader, and remote-control options. In addition to this, a security grille or shutter over the main door outside of business hours will lend an extra layer of security to your redeveloped offices.

What else do we need to secure the office?

Other points of vulnerability include fire doors and windows. Your obligation to provide emergency exits doesn’t need to create a weak spot in the office. Our Armourdoor Fire Exit Steel Door, for example, is constructed from 1.2mm zinc protected steel sheets. There are several upgrade options available to meet the specific needs of your office site, ensuring that you meet your legal requirements without putting the site at risk.

And what about windows? During a redevelopment, you have the rare opportunity to easily install window security measures that suit the needs of your business. For example, if most of your important documents or assets are retained in a specific room, you may want to improve security in that room using Seceuro Mesh. While only allowing for 60% external light penetration, this mesh is the ideal protection for those areas at a higher risk. A popular option for internal office windows are Seceuro Removable Window Bars, which are anti-cut steel bars locked into place, or there are window shutters which offer lower levels of security but may be appropriate for areas of your site.

Ultimately, office redevelopment offers a fantastic opportunity for you to assess and install the security features which will make your business safer in the long-term. Undertake the redevelopment with security in mind and seek advice from HAG if you’re finding it difficult to choose between the large variety of security shutters and other products available. Office security is like all forms of security – you very rarely need it, but it’s indispensable when you do.

For help and advice call our team on 0800 072 3444 or fill out our contact form.