Approaching the end of another year, it’s clear as day that longer nights are with us for the months ahead. Before you can say ‘Jack Frost’, it’s starting to get dark at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. It’ll be a while before it changes noticeably for the better!
During winter time, there’s good reason to pay close attention to the protection of your commercial premises against any security breach.
Less daylight is a potential opportunity for intruders to take advantage of the extended cover of darkness to snoop around your property than during a balmy summer’s evening when it’s still light at 10pm. And even if there isn’t any intention to break in, poorly lit sites can still encourage anti-social behaviour or criminal damage.
Equally, the safety of your staff is paramount – the last thing you want is for them to feel vulnerable if they are working late and they’ve got to walk any distance back to a vehicle in an unlit car park.
Whether you are in Birmingham, Wolverhampton or anywhere within a 100 mile radius of our West Midlands HQ, when it comes to commercial security, Justice Fire and Security will ensure your factory, warehouse, office or retail unit isn’t left out in the cold.
So here’s what we would recommend for making sure the protection of your premises passes muster during the gloomiest months of the year.
1.Lights and Cameras to the Ready!
More than at any other time, CCTV cameras with security lighting are essential during the darker months. If your premises are in darkness, it’s an open invitation to burglars. Make sure you have external lighting that will pick up any movement. Most unwanted guests will avoid your premises if they are suddenly lit up like a Christmas tree, with nowhere to lurk in the shadows!
If you already have CCTV in operation, check that the system is working effectively. It may need some adjusting to allow for the longer nights. This may mean altering the time stamp to ensure the cameras are able to pick up anything untoward when visibility is poor. Also don’t forget to check that the camera lenses are kept clean to avoid blurred images.
There are a number of additional features that can be added to your security system, such as infrared cameras. As the infrared will pick up movement that is not visible to other types of camera, intruders won’t be aware that they are being recorded.
Also, make sure that your data is stored for a sufficient length of time. This is especially the case if you have a long shutdown over Christmas, for example. It would be unfortunate if your shutdown period exceeded the duration of your CCTV data storage. Speak to us about this, if you are in any doubt.
2.Don’t leave anything to chance – work with a reputable supplier
Having a proven and accredited company on hand to maintain your security system is also vitally important. This will ensure that you are up-to-speed with any servicing and maintenance. It would be a crime indeed, if you had a break-in because the security system wasn’t working properly, or wasn’t sufficiently robust to repel the threat.
We can work with you to set up a proper maintenance schedule to ensure your Fire and Life Safety , CCTV, Intruder Alarm and Access Control system is fully operational should a break-in occur.
Of course, you want your security to be effective all year round, but it is especially relevant during dark winter months where you don’t have the natural defence that daylight provides.
If you need help with your commercial security and you have premises in cities such as Birmingham, Wolverhampton or Coventry or the counties of Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Gloucestershire and Buckinghamshire, our highly experienced team at Justice Fire and Security can provide all the assistance you require. For more information, call our main switchboard on 0845 468 0927 or visit our Contact us page for your local branch
