The protection of humans, hardware, software, networks, and data against physical acts and occurrences that might cause substantial loss or harm to a company, agency, or institution is referred to as physical security. It facilitates the safety of people and property by securing access to physical facilities and systems. It encompasses the protection against unauthorised access to sensitive equipment and information, therefore, preventing the theft of equipment, data files and documents, etc.
A few of the most vital objectives of physical security are to protect people by establishing a secure environment to perform their jobs, and to protect property by stopping unauthorised personnel from accessing it. This is done by implementing protective measures through floor plans as well as physical barriers. The most basic of these measures include monitoring visitors at all entry points and making sure that they do not carry weapons or dangerous objects.
What is physical security?
Physical security is a process that helps prevent or mitigate losses due to physical events such as fire, floods, earthquakes and intrusion or other criminal activity. It involves managing risks through the implementation of appropriate measures. One of the important aspects of physical security for any organisation is ensuring the safety and welfare of its employees and restricting unauthorised individuals from entering its premises.
The professionals in this field are called physical security professionals. In order to become a competent physical security professional you must possess certain skills, knowledge and expertise that will allow you to secure your organisation’s facilities from both internal and external threats. Physical security involves protection from a variety of hazards including natural disasters.
How does it work?
Physical security is conducted in an organised manner to ensure that people and material such as items, other than articles or objects, are not allowed to enter any premises. Physical security also involves securing your facilities from unauthorised entry and also preventing any changes that may be made to the internal configuration of all areas. The planning of a security policy involves the consideration of broad concepts.
The aim is to provide a plan based on the actual risks that your organisation faces from various threats. The components of physical security involve keeping the building or facility safe from damage as well as preventing unauthorised entry. Physical security is an integrated process that involves many factors such as planning, implementing and maintaining it.
3 components of physical security:
- Access Control: Access Control is the identification and authorization of personnel access to a secured area. It involves the control of points of entry and exit, as well as controlling who may gain access to a given area at any one time. These measures also include controlling the movement of authorised individuals throughout secured areas and ensuring that only those with required clearances can enter into secure areas. These include limiting access to authorised personnel and individuals who are granted special access.
- Surveillance: Surveillance is the monitoring and recording of people’s actions for a specified purpose by using cameras or other equipment such as a magnetic card reader. In physical security, surveillance refers to monitoring by trained personnel who work in shifts in order to prevent loss, theft or sabotage at all times. It also refers to the recording of activities and events that take place in a secured area such as someone trying to steal from or destroy equipment or data.
- Security Testing: Security testing is the process of determining levels of protection by testing the strength and effectiveness of the security measures implemented. It can be done by the physical security team, or potential security deployers. They can assess what works and what doesn’t by using tools and equipment to evaluate a facility’s overall level of security.
Why do people choose Physical security?
Physical security is a dynamic field requiring the ability to think analytically and make quick decisions. You need to be decisive as well as have a strong sense of urgency. It involves lots of time spent on site, developing a detailed understanding of client requirements. You also need to be flexible when planning and implementing security systems in various types of buildings, especially homes because each building is unique in its construction and design.
People who are interested in physical security should demonstrate the following qualities: leadership, initiative and creativity, high moral standards, interpersonal skills, analytical abilities and problem-solving skills. They should also show reliability by performing their duties with confidence at all times. The ability to pay attention to detail and be a risk-taker is also important. Physical security is a rapidly changing field that is constantly changing and developing.
You need to be able to adapt to new trends and deal with technological changes as well as use different methods in order to maintain current standards of physical security. You need to work with other people effectively. In order to succeed in this field, you should have strong interpersonal skills, have excellent written and verbal communications skills, be a leader who knows how to establish different contact relationships with clients and co-workers, as well as plan how they will solve any problems they may face when they come up during their jobs.
The main duties of a physical security professional include:
- Assisting in the development and implementation of policies, procedures, plans and systems for securing facilities from theft, vandalism or natural hazards. They provide advice for clients on operational policies.
- Facilitating and participating in physical security design processes such as designing appropriate management systems, enhancing levels of protection against intrusion, protecting computer networks, etc.
- Designing security programs to protect buildings or regions from criminal activity.
- Conducting assessments in order to determine strengths and weaknesses of existing security systems and suggest ways to enhance them.
Final verdict:
Physical security is the protection of property using physical barriers, locks, alarms and other protective measures against theft, damage or sabotage caused by humans, weather conditions or natural disasters. It involves having a secure perimeter that is heavily monitored by guards with high-quality physical barriers. Physical security also relates to the use of high-pressure water hoses and alarm systems in order to prevent fires from spreading beyond a specific area.
