New year – great time to revisit business security measures and make changes
Bryte advised business owners to conduct regular security upgrades .
In November 2018, Bryte Insurance, a proactive business risk specialist, released its Q2 2018 Crime Tracker which measures the annual change, on a quarterly basis, in crime-related claims (due to hijacking, robbery, theft and malicious damage) committed against South African businesses.
The Crime Tracker indicated a substantial increase of 13.51 per cent in the total incidents of crime perpetrated against businesses in Q2 2018 compared to the same period in 2017 where it reflected a deceleration to 7.73 per cent.
The dire socio-economic challenges and high unemployment rate facing the country have been highlighted as a major causal factor for the increase.
Wahl Bartmann, CEO of Fidelity ADT, said while the increase is alarming there are measures businesses can take to reduce the chances of a security breach at their premises.
“A new year is a good time for business owners to reassess their security needs and the systems they have in place.
“Wear and tear on security systems is a reality and maintenance, upgrades and replacements are a necessity,” he said.
Bryte advised business owners to conduct regular security upgrades and to assess their risk exposure frequently to ensure that they have sufficient insurance cover in the unfortunate event that they become victims of crime.
“Waiting until the system becomes faulty is not ideal.
“Unfortunately, we do encounter incidents at small businesses where a break-in has occurred and only then do business owners realise that their security system was not operating correctly.
“With regular maintenance and testing, this can be avoided,” said Bartmann.
There are several options for perimeter security such as access control, gates, electric fencing, and beams.
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As a first line of defence, it is essential that perimeter security is in a good condition and checked regularly.
CCTV systems are no longer as prohibitively expensive as they may have been in the past, and even small business owners can now consider them as options.
Burglar bars, security gates and an alarm system linked to a reaction service are all also vital components of the solution.
“Fires are a very real threat and should also be taken seriously.
“Having a fire escape plan, extinguishers and smoke detectors at the property are must-haves,” said Bartmann.
“It is always best to get a professional in to assess your security solutions and associated risk.
“These experts will be able to identify any vulnerable areas and offer the best solutions.”
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