This article is designed to provide guideline security risk management and proffer solutions for cross-sectoral safety risk management. It focuses on practices used to reduce security vulnerabilities to life and property. The course content used in this module is based on NFPA 730 – Guide on Premises Security and NFPA 731 – Standard for the Installation of Electronic Premises Security Systems. This standard covers the application, location, installation, performance, testing, and maintenance of electronic premises security systems and their components.
The overall goal of the guide (NFPA 730) and Standard (NFPA 731) is to provide a framework for assessing the security needs of a facility and to provide guidance for implementing a program to address those needs. A security program needs to address all the features of a facility as well as building services, maintenance activities, and operations.
Nigeria now Africa’s Largest economy continued its downward trend and falls seven places to 127th in 2016, largely on the back of weakened public finances as a result of lower oil exports. Institutions remain weak with insufficiently protected property rights, high corruption, and undue influence. In addition, the security situation remains dire. The need for businesses and individuals to properly protect and secure their assets cannot be overemphasized, as security is always key to the survival of any business, be it security of goods, facilities, and personnel, the resultant losses suffered by business in Nigeria due to poor and inadequate security programs and security measures are on the rise, especially at this time when there is an economic recession.
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NFPAWA decided to focus its ESRM 01 module on the security benchmarks as indicated in this standard and guide. NFPA committee drafted the guide and standard for premises security to highlight key points and provide advisory information on means a premise can be protected. On attending NFPAWA ESRM 01 training you will learn in this module the various benchmark and mitigative measures for security in all facilities, the importance of a security plan, how to develop a security plan, the various type of security barriers that can be applied specifically to your organization and the guiding principles for installation and specification for electronic security systems in a facility.
According to NFPA 730, Chapter 5 provides a seven-step process for developing a vulnerability assessment that is the cornerstone for any security plan.
- Form a team of representatives from each area of the organization.
- Characterize the organization and the facilities to be protected. This involves identifying the assets, property, people, information, and products to be protected. This step also includes reviewing and identifying the layers of protection currently in place.
- Conduct a threat assessment by classifying critical assets, identifying potential targets and potential threats and adversaries. This should include a consequence analysis to identify the effect of an adverse incident.
- Conduct a threat vulnerability analysis to identify actual and potential threat scenarios and estimate the relative security risk level.
- Define specific security countermeasures to address the areas of the vulnerability identified in the threat assessment and threat vulnerability analysis.
- Taking the countermeasures into account, assess the security risk reduction.
- Document the findings and recommendations and track the implementation of recommendations.
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NFPA 730 provides a comprehensive review of perimeter security measures. These include fences and other physical barriers, protective lighting, ironwork (e.g., bars and grills), glazing materials, passive barriers, and electronic security devices. Depending on their construction, walls, floors, roofs, doors, and windows may also be considered exterior security devices and systems. Chapter 6 provides guidance on the design and installation of these types of features. Whereas NFPA 731 covers the application, installation, performance, testing, and maintenance of physical security systems and their components. The purpose of the standard is to define the means of signal initiation, transmission, notification, and annunciation, as well as to establish standard levels of performance and reliability for electronic security systems. It also establishes the minimum quality of installation and discusses where redundancy is required.
NFPA 730 provides a tool for systematic security program development and NFPA 731 provides a baseline for quality electronic security system design and installation. This document is very important for engineers, consultants, and manufacturers as it is expected that they will eventually become the foundation for the development of security plans in the built environment.
To understand more on the steps to develop and implement a functional and holistic security program in your organization and also how to specify and identify fit-for-purpose security systems and devices, kindly register at info@scspng.com.
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