Warehouse security is a priority for plant managers and managers of distribution facilities. You want to protect your products, all while optimizing storage space and building a culture of trust among your employees.
But with high volume inventory that attracts criminals, ever-moving stock, increased rates of internal theft and layouts/shelving that make it hard to properly secure your space, warehouse security can be a lot of work and a complex task.
The good news is, there is some modern technology you can implement to not only ease your security worries, but also improve your everyday productivity. With that in mind, here are seven ways you can enhance your warehouse security.
- Automatic inventory counts
WMS and RFID technology now make it easier to receive inventory and conduct inventory counts. This will ensure items get entered into your system as soon as they arrive, and will eliminate the risk of someone altering the numbers for their benefit.
If you aren’t ready for this type of technology, consider swapping manual data entry for barcode scanners. While these aren’t as secure as other technologies, they will reduce user error and speed up receiving.
- Managed access control
By implementing managed access control (i.e. keyless entry) you can secure high-value inventory and limit who has access. This will help reduce the risk of theft by internal and external culprits.
Managed access control can also be used to monitor who is entering what part of your facility at what time. This will create more accountability and make it easier to pinpoint staff that had access to products when items went missing. It’s also an effective way to control shift work by ensuring only those who are on shift can enter the facility.
- Manage your outside space
To help reduce crime, install a fence around your facility. This will limit the number of people who enter the property and deter a lot of petty criminals. In addition, you should put signage up around your property. While it is unlikely to deter a real criminal – it will give police probable cause to question individuals that are on your premises or look suspicious.
In addition to fencing and signage, you should also consider installing bright lights to reduce exterior hiding places which attract criminals, and you should properly tend to landscape features. By trimming trees and shrubbery around your building, you can further reduce hiding places that will give criminals the coverage they need to sneak in and hide stolen goods.
- Implement regular security checks and procedures
Security affects everyone, which is why all of your employees should have some responsibility in securing the facility. This doesn’t mean you should ask staff to confront criminals, but you can ask them to ensure cages, doors and windows are properly secured when they finish their shifts and that they do a quick walk around to verify the property is empty before setting the security system. You can also provide them with tips on how to identify potential criminals both inside and outside of the facility and provide procedures for confidentially reporting questionable activity.
- Do employee background checks
Unfortunately, not all staff are honest, trustworthy or have an accurate resume. Before you employ any new staff members, it’s important that your company ensures it carries out stringent background checks.
Through a thorough screening process before hiring, which includes a criminal background check, your business will be able to reduce the risks of internal theft by preventing any high-risk applicants from getting the job.
- Require people to sign in
Your warehouse is huge, so there is no way you’ll be able to keep a watchful eye on every person inside the building. That’s why you shouldn’t let people from outside your organization roam the premises freely. It’s a good idea to have each guest that enters your facility write down their name in a logbook and receive a visitor’s pass. This will make it easier for employees to recognize any intruders.
If possible, have an employee accompany them around the property and avoid lingering in one area for too long – you don’t want to give them the opportunity to plan their possible theft.
- Install a verified security solution
Warehouses and distribution centres are large, complex buildings, and that means traditional CCTV security systems are pretty much useless for protecting them. Instead, you should consider verified security.
Sonitrol verified alarms use innovative technology to detect and verify any intrusions into your warehouse or distribution centre. Once an intrusion is detected, security professionals at our 24/7 monitoring centre are notified - who are then able to verify that an intrusion is indeed taking place and notify the police.
Since this verification process almost completely removes the high false alarm rate associated with traditional CCTV security, police dispatch to Sonitrol verified alarms on average in just 3-4 minutes.
With verified video, a criminal may make it into your facility - but they won’t be making it out with anything valuable before they are apprehended by the police.
Looking for more information on how to properly secure your company’s warehouse or distribution centre? Contact Sonitrol Western Canada for a free security audit.
