From predictive operations to climate change, the right choice of physical security can help address multiple issues and challenges for sites that process, handle and store chemicals.
The state-of-the-art high security door, enclosure and access cover offer much more than defensive muscle against a gang of assailants with crowbars and power tools. As well as adding value to site efficiency, health and safety, service continuity and whole life planning, they set the bar in tested performance to meet the demands of an ever-changing risk landscape and regulatory framework.
Terry Batten of Technocover highlights four essentials to the procurement of physical security that will maximise the protection of your premises and plant, employees, business continuity and the bottom line.
Look for adaptable and dependable protection with third party approval
Investing in high integrity certified physical security offers many benefits to manufacturers as they strive for business continuity, predictive operations and effective cost control while maintaining regulatory compliance.
Third party approved security doors, enclosures, cabinets, escape hatches, access covers and associated physical protection are no longer viewed as the preserve of high risk critical infrastructure. In providing a tested standard of security performance for a full range of risk levels, certification marques like LPCB are becoming a staple across many industries in managing the three Rs – business resilience, risk and reputation. Updated to Home Office edicts on security risk, LPCB certification is widely approved by insurers who have significant influence on operational viability and the bottom line.
LPCB certification ensures that equipment will resist attack and infiltration for a predictable length of time, during which the assailants will give up or first responders will arrive. This prevents potentially significant business disruption and damage to assets and the associated costs, as well as eliminating the possibility of hazardous substances being compromised with risks to the safety of personnel and the public.
As the basis for long-term business resilience, consider using a LPCB specialist with the technical expertise and product scope to extend, relocate and adapt solutions as regulations and your operations evolve.
Technocover has developed a range of versatile, modular solid panel and mesh enclosure systems that can be scaled up, expanded and even retrofitted with roof systems, new access gates and additional panels – all within their certification. This provides a cost-effective approach to adapting physical security to specific business growth requirements as well as maintaining a consistent standard of security to underpin operational continuity.
Enhance operational safety and efficiency through customisation
Compatible options and accessories can add significant functionality to security equipment to help improve safety management, site efficiency and extend the lifespan of the facility.
Fundamental to this is the scope to coordinate new security doors, kiosks and enclosures with house security. Technocover manufactures bespoke products that are designed to meet the existing security protocols for each site, incorporating the preferred access control systems and linking to CCTV and alarm networks, while adhering to structural and LPCB requirements.
Tested and certified access control furniture options, such as emergency panic bar exit, vision panels and internal override handles to secure roof hatches, will help support security management and emergency planning considerations.
The installation of acoustic insulation, for example, may be required within a large assembly of plant room access covers, to reduce intrusive noise affecting the comfort and performance of personnel in adjacent workspace. Many access cover applications will also need an assisted lift mechanism, safety stays and fall protection to properly safeguard the operative.
Drawing on a wide range of options and accessories, Technocover can adapt the scale and functionality of its modular buildings, to meet detailed requirements. Kiosks can be easily configured with full M&E services, including heaters, and fitted with racking systems, aesthetic interior wall panels, and different floor finishes including anti-slip. With the benefit of our own in-house manufacture, we can quickly create fully functional, secure extensions that enable clients to add capacity with minimal impact on operational continuity.
Intelligent design will offer minimised downtime and best whole-life returns
With the emphasis on keeping assets live, clients increasingly want ‘plug and play’ kiosks which are built and customised offsite, then lifted in and hooked up to services the same day, where possible.
Technocover is adding value to the delivery of physical security solutions by offering offsite construction and crane-in solutions. Where site access is constrained or possession is limited, these can be assembled and fitted with M&E services offsite for quick and simple lifting into position, minimising or even eliminating asset downtime.
Security retrofit or upgrades can call for unusual shapes to fit existing plant or constricted space, such as a hexagonal access cover for a tank, or a mesh enclosure with bespoke footprint to wrap around existing assets.
Early consultation allows us to work with the client on both high security solid panel buildings, and on complex mesh enclosures that allow instant visibility and ventilation of plant. We also engineer large scale, elaborate access cover assemblies for underground plant or tanks, with integrated ladders, personnel hatches, and fully removable support beams allowing flexible maintenance access.
Operational issues can typically be identified and resolved in the design that may otherwise lead to delays or difficulties in completing routine inspection and maintenance tasks, or even emergency procedures.
As well as avoiding specification errors, early collaboration helps to eliminate risks associated with health and safety and asset failure through attentive design – all within the parameters of the certified performance. There is opportunity to ‘build in’ maximum functionality and necessary contingencies so that reactive maintenance, unplanned interventions and service disruption are minimised.
Look for unobtrusive design built to weather the elements
The accelerated ageing of operational assets and their vulnerability to disruption from the effects of climate change are now key concerns for industry.
Existing external protective structures may be susceptible to structural weakening, corrosion or failure from factors such as high winds, water, background atmospheric corrosion and temperature extremes that exacerbate the degradation of infrastructure.
Security equipment that is not sufficiently ‘climate-proof’ will be a drain on maintenance budgets as well as risking service disruption if it succumbs to storm damage or water inundation in extreme weather.
Within the envelope of LPCB certification, Technocover is consistently evolving the weather resilience of its security solutions with a range of features. These include domed, water-shedding covers and roofs, raised thresholds to walk-in kiosks, and high-performance water sealing.
A potentially life-critical physical security system also needs a high-quality finish; this means a post-galvanised zinc coating to properly corrosion-proof steel. Clients must closely scrutinise system finish as it may not meet service life expectations or could be of compromised quality in order to lower price. The outcome can be a product that meets the security specification but needs replacing after, say, as little as three or five years.
Technocover uses high quality steel, galvanising and paint processes to provide 25 years’ service life of products. This underpins a maintenance-free security system and extends the time to replacement to assist with reliable cost forecasting and resilience planning.
A range of colour finishes, including wood effects, are available on doors and kiosks to blend with site design and other aesthetic considerations.
Technocover is a leading designer, manufacturer and installer of LPCB certificated physical security solutions for assured protection, efficient operation and long life of buildings, assets and processes.
tel: 01938 555511