Security starts at the fence line, whether your business is an airport, retail mall, or manufacturing plant. Perimeter protection solutions offer a variety of benefits for all businesses.
For starters, they offer physical protection for your building and its equipment. They also help to funnel authorized vehicles and staff through specific access points.
What is perimeter security?
Perimeter security is the protection of the outer boundaries of a physical or digital environment to prevent unauthorized access and external threats. It involves using measures like fences, firewalls, and access controls to secure the premises or network and safeguard valuable assets and data.
Perimeter Systems for Security
Perimeter security systems are a popular solution for business owners looking to secure their premises. These systems use sensors to mark your property’s outer boundary, monitoring and alerting you to intruders. Combined with other perimeter solutions, they help monitor facility access and protect important assets like outdoor equipment and landscaping.
These types of fencing are especially useful for businesses with a high volume of traffic on their site, such as an airport, rail or truck yards, factories, or warehouses. They can protect these areas from unwanted trespassers and increase employee safety. They can also be paired with access control systems to ensure only authorized personnel can enter your building.
The crucial aspect of a security system is detecting intrusions and alerting the right people. Perimeter systems use various technologies like movement detectors, vibration sensors, buried sensors, acoustic cables, and CCTV to detect unauthorized entry. Early detection allows security patrols to respond promptly.
Additionally, your fence should deter intruders with difficulty to climb features, resistance to graffiti and hiding spots, and clear visual surveillance lines. These factors create a strong impression for visitors and customers while discouraging criminals from targeting your property.
Most commercial facilities can enhance security with a perimeter security system, cost-effective and easily integrated with existing solutions. By connecting with alarms and CCTV, it verifies threats before alerting authorities, reducing the need for physical barriers or extra guards.
Enhancing Security and Aesthetics
A fence will help to deter criminals, unwanted visitors, and vandals from your property by providing a strong visual barrier. Additionally, it gives the impression that the property is well-protected and the owners are serious about security. It will also give your business a great first impression.
Perimeter fencing not only protects your property but also enhances its aesthetic appeal and market value. Choose from diverse materials, colors, and styles, such as chain link, weldmesh, or wooden hoarding, to match your security requirements and personal preferences. For instance, you can use wooden hoarding to conceal construction sites or vacant properties and customize it with your desired color and design.
Those who need a high level of security often rule out most timber fencing and railing designs because they require more protection. However, you’re seeking a high-security solution that balances security and aesthetics. In that case, you can opt for security tube fencing, traditional palisade, or weldmesh strained wire systems that comply with BS 1722-10.
A secure perimeter will ensure you can decide who stays and who goes on your premises. It will also help to avoid disputes with neighboring properties about land ownership. In addition, a clear boundary will prevent people from illegally parking on your property and entering through your gate.
You can also install perimeter lighting around the area. This will make your commercial property more visible, making it harder for criminals to sneak in. However, you should research what type of lighting suits your property. Some types of lights can cause light pollution and could be considered a nuisance. So, it’s best to consult your local zoning board for the right advice.
Access Control
A perimeter fence can provide a safe work environment and increase the value of your business. A fence around your property will deter thieves from entering, protect your goods and equipment, and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive areas. It will also help to create a professional appearance in the eyes of customers and employees.
A well-designed security perimeter with access control solutions minimizes false alarms, saving business time and money. An example is the September 2022 breach at Newark Liberty International Airport, which led to costly evacuations and delays.
Perimeter protection solutions include sensors like disturbance, tension wires, optical fiber detection, buried cables, and CCTV. They quickly detect trespass or break-in attempts, enabling swift security responses. The systems can also be configured to delay intrusions, giving ample time for a security response.
Another aspect of a good perimeter solution is that climbing must be extremely difficult. Often, these systems will incorporate a combination of materials and designs to make climbing as difficult as possible. They will be constructed of materials resistant to graffiti and hard to hide behind. They will also feature clear visibility lines along the length of the fencing to reduce the opportunity for a criminal or unwanted trespasser to hide from visual surveillance.
Depending on the complexity of your system, you can integrate the access controls with the sensor technology to achieve the highest level of protection. In some cases, you can do this by using swipe cards or photo IDs to gain entry. Consider using biometric technology such as fingerprint or iris recognition in other cases.
Maintenance
In addition to helping keep intruders out, a perimeter security system helps deter them from targeting a specific business site. This is because the sensors can detect and delay unauthorized access attempts. Vibration, disturbance, tension sensors, energized fences, optical fiber detection, buried or acoustic sensor cables, and CCTV can all detect the presence of unauthorized individuals and vehicles. The resulting alert can provide sufficient delay for security patrols to respond.
Moreover, you can integrate these sensors into any existing alarm system, such as fire or intruder alarms. This integration ensures that an expert team immediately verifies unauthorized intrusions and dispatches police to the site accordingly. This can significantly increase the chances of catching a perpetrator and recovering stolen property or data. Items placed too close to the fence, unrepaired holes, or trees and bushes growing around the site’s perimeter can cause false alarms. For this reason, regular inspections are crucial to identify and correct these issues.
A commercial or industrial site can also use perimeter fencing to protect sensitive areas and equipment from public access. Employees can work without worrying about a voyeur or onlooker disrupting their productivity. This can go a long way in building a productive workforce and increasing the overall efficiency of any organization.
Perimeter fencing is an affordable and effective option for businesses that can’t afford to invest in other high-end security measures. It not only offers a host of perks for your business but also requires relatively low maintenance compared to other options, such as security alarms and entry control systems. This makes it an attractive option for any business looking to make its facility more secure and improve its bottom line.
