Making Your Office Safer

By David Bjerklie

FIRST, A PLAN Building managers must assess threats, identify vulnerabilities and, above all, coordinate efforts. A trained and motivated staff is just as important as any technological fix

MONITORING DELIVERIES Access to shipping and receiving areas must be tightly controlled. All deliveries should be registered, screened and logged in before being accepted

GROUND FLOOR VENTS Street-level air intakes should be sealed and moved to higher floors to prevent sabotage from below

SECURITY CAMERAS They can spot trouble and offer deterrence but are only as good as the human backup; a lone guard watching 24 monitors is pointless

NO TRASH, PLEASE Hang on to that litter. Waste receptacles that could be used to hide a bomb should be yanked

AIR PATROL High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters can remove airborne pathogens and other contaminants at fresh-air intakes

INSIDE FILTRATION HEPA filters on vents remove nearly 100% of particulates larger than 1 micron in size and prevent their circulation

THIS WAY OUT Clear evacuation plans are critical. Occupants must know what to do, what not to do and when. And yes, drills do work

SAFER WINDOWS Most injuries in explosions are caused by flying glass; making it shatterproof minimizes that danger

POINT OF ENTRY A single entrance allows for greater control, but check-in procedures that cause long lines and delays can actually increase security risks

BETTER SCREENING Metal detectors, baggage scanners and optical turnstiles that check I.D. cards can all be used to give visitors a final O.K.

TRAINED GUARDS Three guards checking the same I.D. are not likely to make a difference; security personnel trained to spot real threats will

BARRIERS They range from ugly concrete highway dividers to elegant sculptures, fountains and benches, but the aim is the same: to keep cars and trucks at a distance