Failure to maintain an egress as well as failing to protect people from smoke and fire are all too common, yet easy to discern. Better yet, all are preventable through improved staff performance or implementing affordable solutions. Here is a list of ten typical life safety violations along with solutions that can help keep facilities safer for visitors and staff.

The U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management recently held a hearing in response to newly introduced federal legislation (H.R. 2903 and H.R. 2904). This legislation would set the stage for congress to reauthorize the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and two of its expiring programs, while establishing a clear framework for the modernization of its public alerts and warning systems.

Many large organizations are beginning to add the position of chief security officer (CSO) to the C-suite. This is great news as it highlights the benefits and importance of a well-designed security unit as a business function. However, some recent trends suggest that some organizations still may misunderstand the impact and role of security.

There are numerous areas to secure in today’s medical facilities. Outside doors, of course, must offer protection against unauthorized access by patients, visitors, employees and outsiders. Similarly, doors to wards, rooms and offices must be safeguarded. But that is only the beginning of the story. There is also a growing need to restrict access to medicine storage cabinets, medicine carts, computers, medical records systems, ambulances and even parking lots.

The University of Colorado Hospital, located east of Denver in Aurora, CO, is one of the leading hospitals in the nation. In 2011, UCH was ranked as the best hospital in the Denver metropolitan area and in the top 10 nationally for Best Medical Schools: Primary Care by US News and World Report.

With threats of terrorism, political chaos, riots, kidnappings, and growing street crime, today’s international business travelers need to be aware of their surroundings and keep their guard up at all times to maintain personal safety. Navigating even the safest and most developed regions of the world, or those perceived to be, has become more challenging than ever. From Europe to Asia and even in our own back yard, events that can easily put an unsuspecting or unprepared business traveler in harm’s way. As a security officer or manager for your company, you worry about the safety of your business travelers. However, following a few basic tips will help both you and those traveling feel more comfortable and prepared, wherever business may take them.

The process of notifying affected populations in the event of a data breach is complex and littered with potential land mines – handled poorly, the notification can be a black eye for an organization and potentially open them up to regulatory fines or sanctions. Brian Lapidus and his team at Kroll have assembled the following advice for businesses to help them minimize their risk and simplify what has become a very challenging process.

 

Economic downturns typically result in an influx of foreclosed, vacant, idle, and even completely abandoned properties. This affects a range of business sectors—including habitation and office facilities, factories, schools, hospitals and retail.

“Do more with less.” That’s pretty much the message security managers and IT directors hear these days. On the one hand, security now ranks high on the agenda of most organizations; on the other, shrinking budgets pose a real challenge to deploying the security and surveillance systems they need. Fortunately, when you take a deeper and longer-term look at the economics of surveillance systems, a different picture can emerge — one that makes a lot more sense from a financial point of view.

Protection is a core mission of the security department, whether protecting facilities, people or assets. Now it's time for security to embrace an additional protection mission and to incorporate it into every aspect of security operations. Let's look at how the security department can help to protect the environment.