“The factories that are making the products have brought the prices to a point where [they are] more attractive to a wider segment of business security people,” he said.

Because a safe and secure workplace environment is more important and more affordable than ever, Mr. Soloway created a 2003 workplace security checklist for both large and small businesses. He said businesses need to:

Make sure premises are bright, both inside and out.

Be sure to light all exterior points of entry with permanent fixtures that are difficult to reach or disable, he said, noting that 65 percent of non-residential burglaries occur at night. Light the interior of the business enough so that someone outside the building can see an intruder inside, he added.

Install fences.

If a business is in a suburban or rural area, a chain-link or fence that can be seen though should be installed, according to Mr. Soloway. This creates a first line of defense, but not a cover for would-be thieves to hide behind.

Install window locks designed and positioned so they cannot be reached and unlocked if window glass is broken. Safety glass is highly effective at deterring break-ins.

Install window protective devices such as acoustic sensors.

These detect the sound of breaking glass and will set off an alarm system if glass is broken.

Also, screens with alarmed wiring running through them will set off the alarm if they are cut through.

Have “call for help” buttons installed along premises or distribute hand-held personal panic buttonsin pendant or keychain stylesto summon authorities in case of an emergency.

Install motion detectors to detect motion inside a building and catch prowlers in the act.

Protect restricted areas by installing point protectors, such as pressure-switch mats, to detect when someone enters a restricted area (such as near a cash register, for example). The best point protection is an electronic access control system that keeps unauthorized people from entering restricted areas.

Make sure doors are safely bolted by installing deadbolt locks or latches in each exterior door for an added layer of security.

Protect double doors and glass entry doors with powerful electromagnetic locks. Some have a buzz-in feature for entry, he said.

Use high-quality padlocks on doors where a padlock is needed.

Mr. Soloway added that installing a closed-circuit television system adds security in many ways. For instance, he said, an employee is 15-times more likely to steal than a customer.

He also advised that when hiring employees, applicants should be screenedthe best defense against internal theft.

Other precautions include never having fewer than two people close up an organization at night. Also, all keys distributed to employees should be engraved with the words “Do Not Duplicate.” Even better, he suggested installing electronic push button locks or identification-card-operated electric locks.

The best locks have a separate I.D. code for each employee, he said, “So if an employee leaves, you can easily un-program them from the system, instead of having to re-key the locks and hand out new keys.”

Mr. Soloway advised employers to watch for warning signs within their work forces. These include employees who live beyond their means, those who habitually violate company policies, or seem ingenuous, immature, troubled or “company-victimized.”

For more information visit Richard Soloway's Web site at www.richardsoloway.com or on Napco at www.napcosecurity.com.

Reproduced from National Underwriter Edition, February 3, 2003. Copyright 2003 by The National Underwriter Company in the serial publication. All rights reserved.Copyright in this article as an independent work may be held by the author.