Warehouse Security Management
The average warehouse experiences a lot of foot traffic on any given day. From employees to delivery drivers or visitors, hundreds of people are in and around a warehouse at any time. As a result, it can be almost impossible to keep track of them all. Because of this, security should be a primary concern for any warehouse manager.
Importance of Warehouse Security Management
When it comes to improving your warehouse security management, it is important to consider more than just securing the loading dock. While you may not want to imagine it, inventory is most at risk once it’s inside your facility. Having strong security measures in place will help safeguard the inventory on which you rely to make money.
Secure Staff Procedures
One of the most effective ways to improve security when it comes to staff and outsiders is with building access control technology, which allows you to permit and restrict access to your facility or secured areas within the building. With this technology, only the people with appropriate permission can enter your facility.
The same concept applies to your staff and where they can go inside the building. You can provide workers with key cards with clearance levels that permit or restrict access to certain zones in the warehouse based on job classification. Additional methods to strengthen staff security include installing motion detection devices and perimeter protection, as well as using remote notification technology.
Warehouse Storage Ideas
How you store inventory can also have an impact on security. For instance, expensive or highly desirable items should be stored in a locked cage. You can also install glass break detection sensors on your warehouse’s windows so that an alarm alerts the facility’s monitoring centre any time a pane of glass is broken.
Environmental protections should also be used when inventory needs to be maintained at a certain temperature or humidity. With this type of security in place, you’ll receive an alert if the environment experiences a change that could affect inventory.
Using vertical storage techniques makes theft more difficult. Thieves usually want to move quickly and covertly. Making items hard to reach without the help of equipment lowers the risk of theft.
Best Practices for Warehouse Security
There’s a lot that goes into keeping your inventory and warehouse secure. To improve warehouse security, consider implementing the following best practices:
Physical Separation of Receiving and Dispatching Areas
Keep the areas designated for receiving and dispatching physically separated.
Comprehensive Background Checks
Do a comprehensive background check when hiring new employees.
Ongoing Employee Training
Invest in ongoing employee training.
Elimination of Manual Data Entry
Eliminate manual data entry, and use RFID or barcode scanning instead.
Physical Access Control System
Protect entrance and exit doors with a quality physical access control system.
Adherence to Security Policy
Create and adhere to a security policy to remove trash and scrap from the warehouse.
Separate Channels for Unloading Vehicles
Unload vehicles through separate channels.
CCTV Surveillance System
Install a CCTV surveillance system so internal and external activities can be monitored.
Restricted Visitors
Restrict visitors from roaming the premises, unless supervised.
Appropriate Alarm System
Acquire an appropriate alarm system.
Outgoing Shipping Consignment Control
Establish proper control for the outgoing shipping consignment.
Inspection of Vehicles
Inspect all vehicles that enter and exit the warehouse.
Security Lighting
Implement security lighting inside and outside the warehouse.
Entrance and Exit Checkpoints
Place guards at all entrance and exit checkpoints.
Regular Review and Testing
Regularly review, test, and maintain the security system of the warehouse.
It is important to keep your inventory and warehouse secure. The methods and practices mentioned above can help improve warehouse security management and safeguard your inventory.
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