Health and safety concerns of responding to an alarm yourself
When it comes to the issue of responding to a security alarm, many smaller and medium sized company owners decide to keep matters within the business and take care of private security and alarm response themselves. There are many reasons why this is not the best thing to do, such as personal safety, liability and other legal and corporate considerations, and there are many reasons why enlisting the help of a private security company is a much better option. This article covers in detail the health, safety and professional concerns of responding to alarms and other business security matters yourself.
Private security in business; the issues
Alarm management and alarm response are important factors for any business, especially privately owned businesses. Aside from the installation, centralisation and handling of alarm systems (which is covered in detail at the Government Health and Safety Executives Website) there are many risks in taking matters into your own hands when carrying out alarm response.
Personal security health and safety
Personal security health and safety is one of the biggest factors to appreciate. When you respond to an alarm yourself, you are putting yourself in personal danger if there is criminal activity involved. Having to respond to an alarm usually occurs at night when the business premises is secured, and while many cases are false alarms due to rodents or birds tripping motion sensors, if the premises is the subject of theft then you will come into contact with criminals, who may respond by attacking you, either maliciously or in trying to escape. Because personal livelihood is involved for private companies, many owners also resist assailants and respond to violence, which puts personal safety in jeopardy.
Professional liability
Physical safety is not the only issue for alarm response. It might sound wrong but you put yourself in danger of professional liability if you find your business being robbed or the subject of criminal activity in general. For companies who find themselves the victim of on-going criminal activity, the damages and stress that are caused as a result can be extreme.
Added responsibilities impacts on your company’s productivity
Owning a business comes with so many different responsibilities and tasks that it can be damaging to your company’s productivity by responding to a security alarm yourself. Managing private security is always time consuming, and even if your company premises is located nearby then it can take many hours to locate the problem, ensure the premises is secure and then set the alarm again. The last thing a busy manager needs is to be awoken in the middle of the night for an alarm response and waste hours putting things right, regardless of whether it is a false alarm or otherwise. If the security alarm is the start of a serious problem, safety breach or case of theft, then the problems associated with your company’s productivity amplify. Even if your company is Limited Liability, corporate responsibility will have an impact when your company is unable to function as it normally does. The point is that if you are wasting your time by taking alarm response and private security into your own hands, your company will take longer to get back on its feet and doing what it does efficiently again.
How will a subordinate respond if an accident or damages occurs?
Many company owners delegate the responsibility of intruder alarm response to subordinates, though handing over the keys in this circumstance also comes with many potential problems. If accidents occur or damages are caused by one of your employees responding to a security alarm or another security health and safety incident, then you will not know how they will behave, and you will not know whether company liability will be called into question. Similarly, the trustworthiness and responsibility of the key handler is always difficult to prove and insure, and you always put your company and its assets under greater risk when you delegate security tasks to someone else, even if you are sure you can trust them. What’s more, if you are a small company then keyholder delegation may be only a verbal contract, which can lead to legal issues and disputes if theft or other damages happen.
The solution for alarm response management
Getting the expert help of a professional alarm response service like that offered by Key Patrol is a complete solution to the issues of handling private security on your own. When you enlist the services of an alarm response firm, they act as keyholders for when any company security alarms are activated, and respond instantly to all cases. They take care of everything, from ensuring that the premises is safe and secure, to notifying the authorities if the case warrants. You get around the clock and complete support for company alarm response, and all types of alarm response are covered. Response units are arranged so that they respond to intruder alarms as quickly as possible, and this a big advantage for company owners who live far away from their company premises.
Mobile patrols and static security are examples of other services available from security response firms, including on-site monitoring, foot patrols, guarding and mobile security patrols for extra safety and security. These static security and mobile services are extremely effective for companies who are targeted consistently or are the subject of organised criminal activity.
You also ensure that your keys are in safe hands, and this safety is completely guaranteed. All security health and safety and associated personal danger and liability is taken from off of your shoulders and put in the hands of licensed and trained security professionals, who are far more ready and able to take care of any situations in the proper manner.
Your company’s security and health and safety should always be at the top of your list of priorities, and while many managers prefer to keep matters in their own hands, this is a risky strategy. The best thing to do for your company’s protection is to enquire with a security alarm and static security response service. This is the choice which thoroughly protects yourself, your employees, your property and your company.
Key Patrol are an excellent choice for business security covering the whole of the UK. Our professional officers will keep both your keys and premises safe, and respond rapidly upon a raised building alarm. We have over 50 years of experience in the security industry and have an excellent working relationship with our clients.
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