I’m Brandon Lorenz, senior editor for Building Operating Management magazine.
Most facility managers have taken common sense steps to improve security in their buildings. If you've taken steps to harden the perimeter by using concrete bollards, planters or barricades, good for you.
But taking steps to prevent chemical, biological or radiological attacks in an existing building is expensive and often challenging. An easier step is to draft a preparedness plan. To begin, start by conducting security and threat assessments.
Questions to ask include:
* Do trains or tanker trucks carrying hazardous chemicals rely on roads near to the property? Is there another facility nearby that uses or produces large quantities of industrial toxins?
* In the event of a contamination external to the property, what steps can be taken to mitigate the danger to the occupants of the facility?
* How quickly can staff shut off the ventilation and HVAC system?
