5 Key Components of Safety Planning For Government and Municipal Offices

Other News   Subscribe to FREE newsletter

Jun 23, 2022

June is National Safety Month, and it’s a great time to be thinking about your building’s safety strategy. We’re here to talk with you about safety planning specifically for government or municipal buildings and how physical security can help employees feel more secure without detracting from building aesthetics. Here at TSS we know that “secure” doesn’t necessarily mean “unattractive.” Our ballistics experts have the experience and technical know-how to retrofit existing areas and create custom security solutions that work for you.

What Makes a Security Plan Effective?

A security plan isn’t one specific item of protection—several components are selectively and carefully brought together in order to make your building more secure. In our infographic the 5 Key Components of a Municipal Building Security Plan, we explore the most vital areas of building security that balance protection with accessibility, as determined by experts in the industry. Research has found that our combination creates a safer environment for building occupants without hindering day-to-day business operations. Elements of an effective Security Plan include:

• Access Control. Determine who has access to your building’s various entry and exit points and how these access points are controlled. These controls can be anything from locks to key readers, and they are one of the most important considerations when developing a security solution system.
• High-Quality Digital Cameras. A high-quality digital camera can serve not only as a deterrent, but can also provide law enforcement with clear images following an incident. The higher the quality of the camera, the higher the quality of the evidence you can provide, so be sure to invest in the best possible equipment available to you.
• Bullet-Resistant Barrier Systems. Municipalities frequently rely on bullet-resistant barrier systems as a crucial component of their security plans, as these systems are proven to protect your employees from harm. Balancing safety with aesthetics, today’s barriers are designed to be attractive, seamlessly blending into the existing environment.
• Accessories to Support Effective Business Operations. Security solutions are necessary, and need to be designed in such a way that they do not impede daily business operations. Accessories such as package passers, pass-through drawers, currency trays, and talk thrus encourage compliance with safety standards while facilitating accessibility between employees and customers.
• Training. An essential aspect of any security plan should be the training of employees on crime awareness, prevention, and reaction. Quarterly training meetings provide an opportunity to address equipment updates, review core safety principles, and make certain that all employees are comfortable using the installed equipment.

When combined, these components create a successful security plan that addresses the safety needs of your employees and customers. Before you create a safety plan, however, you’ll want to have someone conduct a physical security assessment of your building to fully understand your unique security needs. For more information on why these assessments are necessary and what they entail, read our blog A Guide To Physical Security Risk Assessments.

Upgrading a Government Building Security Plan: A Case Study

Recently, we had the opportunity to assist with security upgrades for a government facility in Washington, D.C. The client wanted to better protect employees who were working in security booths at public entrances. We recommended a ballistic barrier system that fit with the existing booths while also protecting employees working in an area with pre-screened visitors.

Based on architectural drawings of the facility, we retrofitted the existing open-air booths with a custom barrier system, incorporating fiberglass panels below the countertop and ballistic glass above. Design changes and evolving COVID-19 policies created additional hurdles to navigate, but TSS stepped up to the challenge. Because safety policies at the time limited the number of workers allowed on site, we completed the work as ten separate installations at ten different times—an approach requiring months of coordination before even a single ballistic panel was installed.

In total, TSS retrofitted ten security booths with Level 3 rated ballistic materials, providing the desired level of protection while simultaneously minimizing workplace disruption for the client. Todd Ross, Inside Sales Rep for TSS, notes that “Our customers trust us because they know we can handle complex jobs from design to installation.” This is made all the easier when customers collaborate with us early on in the project, allowing us to navigate any design and scheduling changes.

Your Ballistic Experts

Creating a building security plan can be a complicated task, especially when it involves the complexities of working with government agencies. Get it done right the first time by utilizing an experienced company you can trust. Reach out to one of our ballistic experts and download our infographic 5 Key Components of a Municipal Building Security Plan today.

@TSSBulletProof #TSSBulletProof #bulletproof #healthcaresecurity #security #bulletproofglass

For other relevant searches, you might want to try: