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6 Tips for Improving Warehouse Security
What do you think of when you hear the words “warehouse security”?
Hiring guards? Installing cameras? Setting up an alarm system?
While all of those things are undoubtedly solid security measures, keeping your warehouse safe requires a multi-faceted approach.
Here are six ways you can improve the security of your warehouse.
1. Use inventory tracking devices
Securing your products is a lot easier when you know where everything is located, and this becomes much easier with inventory tracking technology.
Tracking inventory has become easier than ever with the advent of Internet of Things technology. Integrated handheld devices allow supply chain managers to connect with their teams and track information, making it easier to spot the threat of potential thefts.
2. Invest in more than one form of security
Video surveillance is a great tool, but it’s not infallible. You may want to add warehouse security measures such as motion sensors and fire alarms. And check with your local police to see if they can perform a nightly drive past your facility. Having a police presence can discourage burglars.
And you might have security staff on site during the day, but do you have someone on duty at night? Burglaries are more likely to occur at night, and that’s when you want a security guard on patrol.
3. Require guests to sign in
Part of keeping your facility secure is knowing who’s on site. You can do this simply by having visitors sign in when they arrive. Get them to go to your main office, enter their names in a log, and issue them visitor passes.
This allows your team to keep track of everyone in the warehouse, and to recognize intruders. Put up a sign at your facility’s entrance to let visitors know they’ll need to sign in to get access to your site.
4. Limit warehouse access
While you want guests who arrive at your front office to feel welcome, your warehouse is a different story: it shouldn’t be open to everyone.
Put up signs warning authorized personnel to stay out and take measures to discourage theft. Steps such as requiring workers to park farther away from the warehouse and to work in pairs while in the warehouse can discourage theft.
5. Get notified when you aren’t at work
Your security company can set you up with a remote notification system that goes straight to your email or your phone to let you know when/if your warehouse has been accessed after hours.
If you’re home watching TV on a Saturday night, or running errands after work, this system will let you and your management team track your warehouse security wherever you go.
6. Create an emergency response plan
Every workplace needs a plan that details what employees need to do in case of an emergency. This includes evacuation procedures, and a guide to how to access emergency exits, fire extinguishers and other emergency equipment.
Your warehouse security management team should also have a procedure for accounting for all employees and visitors. And you should conduct a hazard assessment to determine what protective equipment might be necessary based on the hazards that might be present.
Securing your warehouse involves keeping external threats at bay, but it also means making sure the inventory you’re storing is protected.
For more than 25 years, warehouse professionals in the Philadelphia area, New Jersey and Delaware have trusted Greystone Equipment Company to help protect their inventory.
Whether you need wire partitions, mezzanines, guardrail barriers or an in-plant office to oversee operations, our experts can guide you on taking the necessary steps to secure your warehouse and keep your employees and products safe.