Holiday Shutdown Guidelines
INTRODUCTION
Leaving your premises for an extended period over Christmas/New Year is a risky time. Vandals, arsonists and burglars have the luxury of a quiet period and fewer pairs of eyes observing their activities. There are idle hands and alcohol induced bravado to contend with.
In manufacturing, maintenance programmes are often undertaken at this time with reduced management staffing. Contractors may also be involved. It is essential that loss prevention controls such as hot work permit systems are fully functional at this time.
Security monitoring and attendance at your premises are seen as a deterrent to unauthorised entry and arson. This attendance should be accompanied by indicators that the building is occupied, such as leaving lights on, patrols at irregular intervals, vehicle movements etc.
It is also pertinent to consider the potential hazard posed by any growth of vegetation and accumulation of rubbish close to your buildings. Action to remove these should be taken now.
SECURITY GUIDELINES
Fire remains a significant exposure to many operations. This arises from the severity of such events, even though they occur relatively infrequently. The more frequent losses are break-ins, which represent around 30 percent of incurred costs. Consequently, illegal entry and arson are the largest "controllable" threats to property and business.
The key to controlling these exposures is providing adequate physical security of premises.
These risks can be reduced with common sense actions without resorting to uneconomic measures.
Common sense actions can include:
- Employ high standards of housekeeping
- Regular rubbish removal (excess rubbish adds to the fire risk).
- Close and secure all external rubbish containers after hours.
- Wherever possible don't store combustible materials (timber, rubbish etc) adjacent to the walls of buildings. Lock up such materials in areas preferably more than 3 metres from buildings. Regularly dispose of unwanted materials, as they often represent a high fire risk.
- Check the operations and effectiveness of your security alarms and the response time of your security watching service. A response time of more than 10 minutes is generally too long.
- Ensure that cutting power or Telecom/alarm signal/lines sets off an alarm to the monitoring service. When the alarm is out-of-service for any reason implement temporary Security arrangements immediately.
- Ensure all physical security measures are operating effectively ie.
- Locking hardware (high quality deadlocks and padlocks)
- Secured windows (locks and/or grilles on all exposed windows)
- Wherever vulnerable (eg. thin metal or fibro-clad) perimeter walls are hidden from view of passers-by and traffic, add additional security measures such as 50mm square weldmesh to say 2 metre high internally.
- Take precautions against "smash and grab". Carefully prepare your display windows eg. Low value or partial sets only are within easy reach.
- Secure the premises for holiday periods by using the attached industrial security checklist for shutdowns.
CHECKLIST FOR SHUTDOWNS
- Empty jumbo bins and/or store them away from walls and windows to reduce potential for malicious fires spreading to structures
- Protect vulnerable sections of your premises.
- Ensure valuable stock and equipment is kept in the most secure areas of your premises.
- Keep money and other valuables in a proper safe. Never leave them unprotected.
- Lock desks and filing cabinets after hours.
- Know who holds keys to premises, safe, etc.
- Never leave keys lying around or in open drawers and do not leave them in locks. (That includes keys for vehicles left on premises)
- Check with your security consultants if you wish to relocate valuable merchandise.
- Watch for any unauthorised person on your premises.
- Check intruder and fire alarm systems.
- Chain and lock shut all flammable and dangerous goods storage tanks / areas.
- Ensure that sprinkler, site monitoring and security systems are switched ON when they should be.
- Have Christmas payroll delivered by armed contract carrier, cheque or direct debit banking. No CASH payroll to be collected by employees.
- Check fire extinguishers have been serviced within the last six months.
- Be sure fire doors are not blocked and are shut.
- Maintain good standards of housekeeping. Sloppy housekeeping is an invitation to pilferage and is potentially dangerous - careless stacking, slippery floors etc. cause accidents, lost time, public liability and workers' compensation claims.
- Vermin protection is important. Birds in the eaves can be a health hazard and can also cause false intruder alarms.
- If you have lifts or powered roller shutter doors, make sure that they are locked during the shutdown.
- Immobilise trucks and forklifts or at least park them so that unauthorised use is not easy. Such vehicles are sometimes used to break OUT with bulk goods after entry is made.
- Do not leave ladders, stock or equipment where they help access to your premises.
- Check indoor and outdoor security lights.
- Have mains power and security power on separate circuits.
- Protect high risk windows.
- Check that all doors and windows are securely locked shut.
- Check perimeter door hinges - ideally these should be sealed or welded.
- Check perimeter fences, repair if necessary.
- Display security warning signs prominently.
- Report any suspicious circumstances promptly.
- Consider the need for night surveillance of premises either by your own staff or by a watching service.
- If you have an alarm system be sure that your listed after-hours contacts are updated at holiday time to include your holiday contact number.
- Update after-hours contacts with security firm and your local police station and advise them of planned shutdowns over holiday periods.
- Know how to contact an after-hours electrician, locksmith or other building services.
- Know how to contact a 24 hour window repair service.
FIRE RISK CHECKLIST :
(a) Leave The Site Clean
Combustible wastes should be removed from the building and yard areas.
(b) Isolate Non-Essential Electric Power
If necessary, alarms, security lighting, fire pumps etc. should be placed on separate circuits.
(c) Isolate Dangerous Gases, Liquids Fuels
If it can be done, the main gas valves outside the building should be shut off. Otherwise, individual burner valves should be shut. Gas cylinders should be disconnected or shut off at the manifold. Remove portable gas cylinders from the building and store in a cool, ventilated and secure place. Drain dip tanks of flammable paints or solvents or cover the tanks. Remove drums of chemicals into approved and properly constructed storage areas.
(d) Safeguard Any Special Work being done during this period. Idle periods are frequently used for maintenance and alterations which cannot be carried out conveniently at other times. Closing down a plant can involve the removal of equipment and machines. Such work can introduce serious fire hazards, particularly if it involves cutting or welding. Alterations sometimes require shutting off a sprinkler system.
(e) Hot Work Permits
If there will be cutting, welding or any hot work, a competent supervisor should be appointed to control operations and fire teams should be available at the premises. It is also recommended to lay out hoselines(s) in the work area. Written "hot work" permits should be issued for all cutting or welding work.
Sometimes work conducted during the shutdown period involves employees or contractors working alone. Ensure they have a means of calling for help or are within reach of others.
All work done by personnel or outside contractors should include a system of written permits introduced for the specific work. All contractors should carry public liability insurance. Proof of insurance should be witnessed by the Site Manager prior to any work being commenced by a contractor.
(f) Impairment of Fire Protection System
Prior to commencing any projects which will require the isolation of or modification to fire protection or detection systems, consult your insurer for advice. Failure to do so may place insurance cover in jeopardy.
For "procedural" work involving disruption of fire detection or suppressions systems forward copy of fire impairment details to your insurer.
(g) Supervision
During idle periods, someone with knowledge and authority should be responsible for ensuring that adequate security measures are taken to deny unauthorised entry to the property or plant and that emergency and contact names and phone numbers are prominently displayed, preferably by the main entrance. It is also appropriate to have an on-going liaison with your security firm, the fire brigade and local police. As a general guide, if your site has been broken into or suffered a suspicious fire in the past 6 weeks then consider doubling all security patrols at your site.
Produced in the interests of a safer and more profitable holiday season, by Systems For Business Limited.
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