Do Business Well

Crime in a variety of guises is on the increase. One of the major growth industries of our time is the supply of equipment to companies and individuals for deterring the thief. New devices for protecting vehicles and contractors’ plant are now on the market to meet the rise in car and equipment theft. Your firm could be suffering a steady drain on its resources through petty or substantial theft. Save money by reviewing all aspects of security.

1. Regularly review your company security arrangements

The thief soon spots any weaknesses in security routines that have been established and practised over a long period of time. These practices and routines become known to all concerned, including the thief, and the tendency is for slackness to creep into the routines anyway. A review of security practices will act as a deterrent.

2. Make the premises secure

This may seem rather simple, but what may be adequate to the average executive or employee of the company may well be easy meat for the thief. Locks need to be changed from time to time and physical guarding of the premises and stocks should be thorough.

3. Use anti-theft devices on your company vehicles

Three-quarters of a million vehicles are taken without the owner’s consent every year in the UK. Many are gone for ever and those found are often damaged and occasionally beyond further use. The cost to the company lies in being unable to use that asset for some time. Vehicles can be taken from railway stations or airport car parks while you are away on business and can be shipped out of the country in next to no time. The same applies to contractors’ plant on site location.

4. Siting of parking facilities for members of staff and visitors

There are plenty of factories with limited parking arrangements which allow members of staff, visitors and even the public on occasion to park in close proximity to the factory or office buildings. This gives a first-class opportunity for the thief to carry out valuable items in his car boot.

5. Change the routines of your security officers

Security officers and their routines should be altered regularly and without notice. Personnel should be made aware that you take this subject very seriously and that you are taking regular steps to reduce and eliminate offences. If you appear complacent, it will only encourage the problem.

6. Secure cash and valuables

Many companies keep a strict procedure and control over petty cash but are not so strict over canteen tills, social club tills and another areas where there are cash and valuables lying around. Make a list of all points where cash is held and check that security is adequate.

7. Keep a record of office equipment

Many items of office equipment are treated as a consumable expense rather than a capital expenditure. Therefore it is likely there is inadequate recording of their existence. This makes it very easy for dictating machines, calculators, typewriters etc to disappear without trace. A spot or regular inventory from time to time would help.

8. Control company petrol issued at the company pumps

A free tankful of petrol is a temptation for anybody these days. An authorisation procedure coupled with physical spot checks at the pump and fuel consumption checks may well reveal that some individuals are using far more petrol than can be justified.

9. Keep a watch on consumable items in the factory

A good number of consumable items such as tools, drills, yard brushes, oil, tape measures etc are an attractive proposition for personal use. In many instances there is little control over these items, so intermittent checks on consumption of the various types of consumable materials and tools, plus scrutiny of the main user departments, will improve security.

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