In many locations around the world companies find themselves in the setting of one of many company occupants in a multi-tenant building. The security implications of this are significant. Contract guarding in such situations is frequently inadequate and there are numerous loopholes that can be exploited by a potential adversary.
Delegates attending the Premises Security session of the Security Management Stage 1 Course currently underway in Stellenbosch, South Africa, looked at some of the questions that should be asked, including:
1.Who are the other tenants and what risk do they attract?
2.How effective is the contract security team? Are they trained and vetted? Are they poorly paid? Is it easy to confuse them due to the range of building occupants? Do they have very limited jurisdiction? Is there a quick response force and is it adequate? Have the guards been trained and exercised in threat response?
3.Is the security team provided by a reputable company?
4.Is there good liaison with local law enforcement?
5.Do the guard team staffing levels match the threats, or simply the occupant peak inflows/outflows?
6.Does the entire security “system” match your security risk analysis?
7.Is the property boundary commensurate with the assessed risk, and is it clearly demarcated?
8.Is there a comprehensive building emergency plan and a communications system? Is this shared with building occupants? Is there a practised (and compulsory) evacuation procedure? What life safety systems are in place? Are there sufficient emergency exits and is the assembly area safe?
9.Has the building been constructed to be resistant to catastrophic or progressive collapse in the event of an explosion? Are there potentially dangerous design features that could exacerbate blast enhancement?
10.Are there standard access control procedures for staff, visitors, service and maintenance personnel? Are they applied, are they complied with, and are they effective?
11.How easy is it to drive a suicide VBIED into the front vestibule?
12.How easy is it to leave a VBIED in the loading bay?
13.How effective are the vehicle and material delivery security procedures?
14.What is the exterior construction of the building? Does it pose a fragmentation hazard in the event of an explosion?
15.Where is the central security post? Would it be neutralised in the event of a frontal terrorist attack? Does it have ballistic protection?
16.Where are the critical building systems located?
17.Are the air intakes (HVAC) protected, or at least elevated away from easy access?
18.Does the building have strengthened glazing?
19.Do those responsible for security of individual occupying companies liaise? Is there a security committee? Are there weak links?
20.Is parking close to the building? Is it underground? Is there an exclusion zone close to the building for only pre-authorised or searched vehicles?
21.Is there fuel delivery and does this pose a threat?
22.Are the building security systems linked to an uninterruptable power supply?
23.What are the vehicle identification procedures? Do all vehicles require passes?
24.Who manages the CCTV system? Is the surveillance effective and is there a credible response? Are the images recorded and, if so, for how long are they retained?
25.What are the arrangements for intrusion detection and response?
26.What are the access control arrangements by day and night? What are the working patterns of other occupant companies? Do these cause security vulnerabilities?
27.Who has keys to what and how is key control managed?
28.What are the arrangements for cleaners? Is it compulsory to use the building owner’s cleaners, and if not, what security threats are posed by cleaners independently hired by other occupying companies?
29.Are the emergency exits secure and alarmed? Are they misused by smokers?
30.How accessible is the roof from adjacent structures?
31.Are roof apertures protected?
32.Are ground and first floor windows structurally protected against intrusion? Does this violate any life safety codes?
33.To what extent is the building (and its critical systems) redundant?
34.How effective is the standby power for security systems?
35.What are the emergency services response times?
36.Does the exterior design of the building allow for good surveillability (human and CCTV) by day and night, or are there blind spots and overgrown vegetation? Are the grounds well maintained or untidy? Is there sufficient illumination at night?
37.Is there appropriate signage to deter potential adversaries?
38.What have been the experiences of other tenants with the property owner?
39.How is the building constructed? If it is made up of pre-cast concrete or steel framed structures with open-web joists, it is likely to collapse if exposed to blast pressures.
40.What are the insurance arrangements? Who is responsible for reinstatement in the event of a serious security incident incurring building damage?
41.What are the procedures and is the security team is underperforming or performing inappropriately? Do buildings tenants have access to, in input into, the security procedures?
42.What provision is there for responses to a rise in the security operating level?
43.Can in-house intrusion detection technology be monitored by the site security team?
