Warehouse Security

Warehouse Security by PW Comms UK Limited

Securing warehouses against theft from both inside and outside an organisation has become top priority for many warehouse managers. While most security polices look to reduce theft outside an organisation, almost £1.5 billion of stock was stolen from shop/warehouse workers in 2009, according to the Centre for Retail Research.

This paper will highlight some top tips to help you keep your Warehouse secure from threats both inside and outside of your organisation.

Building Plan

In most cases the structure of a warehouse cannot be altered. However, the design and layout of stock inside the building can be arranged to help reduce opportunities for theft. Look to store goods away from doorways to avoid thieves leaving the building undetected. Remove any large containers or waste bins from store rooms to stop employees hiding goods to return later to collect. Try and eliminate secluded areas that give privacy to disguise products or at least keep these areas monitored.

Product Placement

If you have particular products stolen more frequently, rearrange these items into different locations preferably in plain sight of staff, security cameras or security guards. For new warehouses, try to anticipate what your high risk items might be. They’re often high in value and small in size, so organise your stock system to protect these items.

Security Cages

By placing expensive or high risk items in secure cages you restrict access from employees, and make it difficult for ‘smash and grab’ raids on the warehouse. Storing all high value items in one location can be more cost effective to secure and monitor, than items spread throughout a warehouse.

Video Monitoring

Surveillance cameras are an excellent way of monitoring a number of locations from a single terminal. Recordings offer proof for criminal prosecution as long as the camera notes the time and date of the incident and can clearly recognise the individual. IP cameras offer a wider range of benefits in these situations over more traditional analogue cameras because they have digital time signatures with every recording that cannot be removed. They also offer higher resolution for improved picture quality, a wider aspect of footage per camera and a range of housings from unbreakable to non-intrusive. IP camera technology allows camera networks to be managed and viewed from any location in the world. This helps cross site management of surveillance systems and empowering warehouse manages to monitor assets and staff when off site.

Secure Access

Intelligent door access can monitor who enters a building or warehouse before access is granted. Coded locks, timed entry and wireless alarms can also restrict who has access to entry and makes it very difficult for those who don’t.

Smart Recruitment

One of the best ways to reduce internal theft is to hire trusted employees. It is important to use the interview stage as a good starting point to assess a potential candidate’s character. This can be done by carrying out competency based frameworks, using psychometric tests and panel screening. You can check references from previous employers, gain CRB checks and use criminal databases to help minimise potential risks. However, the CRB checks, references and criminal databases are subjective and are only valid on the day they were written and cannot give details as to what might occur in the future. Once employed, you will need concrete evidence of an alleged theft in order to potentially prosecute and also dismiss an employee. One source of evidence is a CCTV film that can show an employee leaving the premises with the stolen goods. CCTV is not subjective, and is not seen as one person interpretation of an incident. It can be used at either an employment hearing or can be handed to the police for personal prosecution. Without CCTV footage you may need numerous ‘concrete’ witness statements that provide exact details of dates, times and what was stolen in order to gain a dismissal for gross misconduct, thus eliminating unfair dismissal or discrimination claims, both of which carry heavy penalties at tribunal.

Asset Tracking

Using your current wireless network and some wireless applications, you can conveniently track all high value assets and map their exact location in real-time. You can also track employees to monitor their movements and see if they are somewhere they shouldn’t be. Because these applications run over your existing wireless network you can track all movements from any location with internet access.

These are some of our top tips to help you lay the foundation for your security network. Although there are no guarantees to securing a facility entirely, you can only prepare your organisation the best way you can. Keep up-to-date with some of the latest technologies and combine them with traditional techniques which have stood the test of time. A combination of the two is the best way to help keep your assets secure.

If you have any questions regarding any IP-security products, give our advice team a call on 01925 751638 or email, info@pwcomms.co.uk