Ask any business owner about their loading bay and they’ll tell you that it puts them in a catch 22 situation. Any business that holds goods can’t function without its loading bay so it really is a necessity. Yet at the same time it can create an inherent security problem, especially when trucks and goods are coming and going. It makes it hard to track who is entering your premises and it makes it easy for valuable and/or attractive goods to leave without your knowledge.
With this in mind, here are 6 great ways to minimise your loading bay’s vulnerability.
Take a look at your current security
Any security updates always begin from the position you find yourself in now. Therefore, conduct an in-house security audit on your loading bay area and understand how well or how badly you perform. As a minimum you should be looking to check….
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Overhead door locks
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Landing gear and existing vehicle restraints
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Bay door CCTV
If you find yourself lacking in these areas, then you may want to seek further advice as to what can be done. Here at MA Security for example, we’re often asked to carry out security audits for companies. As such, we can give you recommendations where security could be improved in and around your loading bay area.
Good quality CCTV
You get what you pay for in the world and this is definitely true with CCTV systems. The more money you pay the higher the quality and/or standard. For example, Internet Protocol or IP systems don’t come cheap but they allow you to film in much higher quality and spot more detail when zooming in. It also allows you to access the footage from your smartphone wherever you are, so long as you have an internet connection. It may be able to allow you to spot things like quantities and types of goods being moved and the number plates of vehicles delivering or picking up.
Have an observer on hand
Not all loading bay security solutions cost money. This one is simply about ensuring that someone (usually a trusted employee) is available to observe every time there’s a load or unload. This way, when you open the doors you know that someone is being vigilant, rather than simply getting on with their jobs.
Make use of reliable vehicle restraints
Loading bays without vehicle restraints are asking for trouble! From a safety aspect they allow trucks to remain secure to the loading bay when transferring goods in and out. From a security perspective, they prevent criminal drivers from quickly leaving with your goods if they need to make a quick getaway.
Ensure fans/cooling systems are available
In an ideal world, loading bay doors would remain closed when there’s no vehicle activity. However during hot weather it’s pretty common for employees to leave it open to create more comfortable working conditions. Clearly, you need to make certain that your staff are comfortable when working, but at the same time, you need to ensure security, and that means leaving bay doors closed.
To counteract this, you may want to consider investing in some good quality fans or cooling systems. In doing so it means that personnel can stay cool, while you maintain security. It’s a win/win situation!
Ensure all bay equipment in good repair
Your loading bay security equipment is only any good if it’s functioning correctly. So ensure all alarms, locking systems, barriers, and restraints are checked regularly. Report those that aren’t to ensure a quick fix and make the staff aware at the same time.
For further information on how we can help you maintain your loading bay area security, then give MA Security a shout. In addition to carrying out security audits, we can also recommend and install security monitoring systems. Contact us today on 1300 020 406 to find out more.
