Industrial installations are complex places to protect. They need the best industrial security systems that should be like a custom suit. The factors that influence security change from one site to another. The safety measures of an industrial plant are never the same. They may be similar, but there will always be aspects that differentiate it: the geographical scope of the industry, the weather or the presence of specific risks, such as fire risk, for example, make them need a previous engineering and consulting work appropriate to the concrete installation.
In this article we are going to talk about the best industrial security systems and the different industrial environments that require specific security measures.
Industrial environments to protect
All the industries that we are going to detail in this section need an advanced security consultancy service because these are environments with many threats, sometimes with critical security situations. The engineering consultant must do a thorough design and planning of the security facilities.
It should also be taken into account that some of these industries are regulated by strict industrial security regulations that must be considered when designing the security system. Industrial security is necessary in all these examples:
Petrochemical plants
They are wide environments that need an advanced perimeter security system, an access control system and in addition to a face-to-face surveillance and a good CRA. They also meet a specific need for protection in explosive atmosphere environments (ATEX areas) since there is a potential risk of explosions.
Car Factory
The car factories are very wide spaces where you have to perform an engineering of perimeter and interior security systems. It is also important to establish access control measures and prevent theft and industrial espionage.
Fish Farm
They are large spaces in isolated places and with easy access if a good security perimeter is not created. Thefts in this type of plants are frequent if measures are not taken.
Electric Plants
Stations, electrical substations and energy production centers are critical security environments. There is a risk for people and they are susceptible to theft and sabotage that can cause serious damage to companies and the economy.
Biodiesel Generation Plants
As in petrochemicals, they are environments with ATEX protection equipment needs.
Water treatment and supply stations
They are important plants for people’s health and for the environment. They are also in remote and isolated environments. And they are susceptible to acts of sabotage that can have dramatic consequences.
Explosives warehouses
They require very strict security measures, as in petrochemicals, we find ATEX environments. Theft and sabotage of these facilities can have disastrous consequences.
Data Processing Centers
CPDs are critical facilities for businesses. All information is centralized there. They are facilities that can never be left unattended or without fire protection systems. A destruction of a CPD can mean the complete stoppage of a company or an administration.
Telecommunication stations
They are very important for our society. It is necessary to prevent any possible sabotage or terrorist attack that would leave a part of the territory incommunicado. Many essential services like internet could stop working.
Installation and maintenance of industrial security systems
It is necessary to have a company specialized in the installation of security systems for industry that has specialized personnel and that knows how to develop its work in the most complex environments. The situations can be very different as we have seen above. These companies must know how to protect a power plant in the desert, an explosives depot or a solar park.
Security measures in this type of infrastructure that provide critical services cannot be left to chance. Potential damages can be disastrous for property and for people, and can paralyze a company or institution completely.
To guarantee the security of these industries, we have at our disposal different technical means that, with a correct design and installation, prevent the possible damages of intrusions or accidents:
- Perimeter detectors
- Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) with night vision.
- Fence sensors.
- Intelligent video analysis through special software.
- Access control.
- Fire protection.
For industrial security, as important as the design and installation is their proper maintenance. Maintenance can be corrective — the items that have stopped working are repaired or replaced — or preventive — the necessary revision work is done to keep the equipment active.
There is no security plan that does not imply a maintenance plan. This should be left in the hands of specialized companies, which have the necessary experience and supplies to ensure that the security facility performs its functions.
The importance of the alarm receiving center (ARC)
This is the third part of the security system. We have a security facility capable of detecting intrusions, incidents or attacks, but we need the information to reach the correct hands so that you can activate the corresponding security protocol. We achieve this with the alarma receiving center (ARC).
In addition, this ARC must be specialized in the surveillance of industrial spaces such as those we have seen here, and should know how to analyze and prioritize all the signals that the perimeter surveillance system can emit.
Many false alarms happen in this type of environment, but it is necessary to know how to detect and prioritize them. There are also real alarms that need a quick response. And finally, technical incidents that must be treated correctly.
The ARC will be responsible for alerting the security forces, the security guards or the client when necessary.
The effectiveness of the ARC is essential for the best industrial safety systems to work like a clock.
