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Ask James Miller and Tom Butkovich 
Since the tragic
events of 9/11, facility managers have been pressed to upgrade
security systems to protect their tenants, property and data.
Can corporate America benefit from the U.S. government's more
stringent anti-terrorism standards for buildings? Or is the
cost simply prohibitive? The security experts at Syska Hennessy
Group are actively working to upgrade the protection of the
Pentagon, naval bases, embassies and other government structures.
Here senior mechanical engineer James Miller and communications
and security engineer Tom Butkovich explain how the strict
anti-terrorism guidelines created for federal structures can
lend themselves to private-sector applications.
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| The US State Department had begun upgrading its building
security systems prior to the events of September 11, 2001.
While actual details are classified, how can these upgrades
be easily adapted to a private office building, warehouse
or retail location?
The decision to upgrade protection
must always be weighed against the possibility of threats.
Owners and facility managers have to assess the building assets,
the type of tenants and even the proximity to civil unrest.
One major US corporation had a facility surrounded by vacant
land, which, on the surface, appeared to be safely isolated.
But the firm's business interests in the Middle East caused
them to take precautionary steps including the separation
of employee and public parking, and requiring visitors to
pass through a guard station, walk through a scanner and be
escorted into the building.
Angry demonstrators targeting a structure pose a threat to
any adjacent buildings. At the same time, a building could
be at risk if its tenants include foreign consulates, Middle
Eastern businesses or companies that draw the wrath of environmental
activists. Each situation should be assessed individually
with the goal of insuring the integrity and continuity of
operations. Only then can decisions be made about the number
of zones or layers of protection that a facility needs.
How do you answer cynics that say Corporate America
is just being frightened into spending more on advanced security
systems?
Businesses don't have to buy
the most sophisticated or expensive security systems, but
they do need to take precautionary steps to insure that business
operations remain intact and employees' exposure to an attack
is minimized. For example:
-- A simple chain link fence goes a long way toward stopping
thieves who enter parking lots to steal from employee's cars.
More sophisticated fencing containing fiber optics can pinpoint
any trespassers - essential to a chemical laboratory, but
a bit drastic for a shopping center.
-- Guards walking through corridors, atriums or the outside
of buildings can be trained to question anyone not wearing
identification. Perimeter security should include upgrades
to the all doors so locking systems cannot be defeated. Owners
should also control access to air handling equipment rooms.
-- Outside air intake louvers should be protected. If they
are at ground level, it may be possible to move them higher
or to screen them with a wall and keep the louvers monitored
24/7 by security cameras.
-- Employee key cards are standard issue, but any intruder
can gain access to a building with a stolen card and password.
Access controls using biometric scanners provide better protection
for financial institutions, software developers and any web-hosting
site. They scan retinas, handprints, fingerprints or even
entire faces. The scanners cost 10 to 12 times more than conventional
key card readers. But increased usage will bring down the
price.
-- Colleges, hospitals and libraries concerned about the nighttime
safety of students and staff walking in unlit areas can distribute
handheld alarms. These wireless devices activate an alarm
located nearby at emergency telephone stations. Large campus-like
settings and office parks can install these phone stations
at strategic spots to provide direct connections to a 24/7
security staff.
-- Hospitals concerned about infants being kidnapped or Alzheimer
patients leaving the premises can issue wristbands equipped
with sensors that trigger alarms when the wearer passes a
checkpoint. For private businesses, embedded RFID chips can
be installed on employees so a central authority can detect
if they are on or off the premises.
-- Explosive detection systems designed for airport baggage
systems may eventually be used to scan all parcels at the
loading dock or at a remote location to determine if they
are free of explosives. Mass production will not bring down
the price of these expensive devices, however, due to their
costly components. Standards for shipping parcels also will
have to be closely reviewed. Inspectors on the sender's end
may be required to affix barcodes stating the contents are
safe. At the receiving end, the barcode can be read to trace
the package to its original source. Similar procedures will
have to be adopted for bulk shipments of products in rail
cars, tractor-trailers and cargo ships.
-- The US State Department and Department of Defense are upgrading
their HVAC systems in order to better withstand an intentional
release of biological or chemical agents. Changes include
maintaining positive air pressure for an operationally critical
zone or the entire building, quick-closing air dampers in
ducts serving public lobbies and upgrading the wide range
of air filters on the market. A careful analysis should be
performed in order to determine which air filter or combination
of filters is applicable for a particular building when considering
the nature of the perceived threat, the construction/operating
budget, and capabilities of the existing fan system. It does
add to the overall facility capital and operating costs, but
it's an expense that many corporations might be willing to
accept if it minimizes business disruption.
How do you know when it's time to upgrade your security
systems?
Don't be lulled into a false
sense of security because your firm invested a great deal
on a system a few years ago. Threats have become more sophisticated
so it pays to constantly reassess the threat environment by
analyzing your vulnerabilities and the risk to company assets.
Every facility manager and real estate owner needs to stay
current and not wait until a tragic event occurs. To keep
abreast of new technology, visit security-vendor trade fairs,
read security magazines and browse the vendors' web sites.
Above all, the security measures adopted by any firm should
be fast and convenient so they don't slow down production
or people. And a thoroughly trained security staff is key
for reassuring tenants and employees.
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