Atticus Risk

12 Market Square

Winslow, Buckinghamshire

MK18 3AF

 

Tel: ++44 (0) 1296 715470

Fax: ++44 (0) 1296 301892

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Security Risk and Threat Assessment

 

Before beginning any works to upgrade security, and prior to funds being committed or contracts being placed, it is essential to undertake a proper security risk assessment. The process should not be confused with the fire risk assessment, for life safety purposes, which is now a legal requirement for all places of work other than those used solely by the self employed.

 

The security risk assessment seeks to identify and quantify the potential threats facing the premises and their contents. At its most basic, the assessment can be produced by asking some simple questions:

 

·         What items are we seeking to protect?

 

·         Who is likely to want to steal or damage them?

 

·         When are the intruders likely to attack?

 

·         How are the intruders most likely to try to gain access?

 

When undertaking the risk assessment, scenarios for each hazard are looked at and an assessment of the levels of damage which could occur in terms of disruption, the damage to reputation, financial implications etc are made. Once these levels have been clarified and quantified, it is possible to judge which hazards pose the most severe risk and which resources should be allocated and where they might best be used.

 

Risk assessment is a useful tool, but to be effective the process needs to be repeated whenever circumstances change. For example, if contractors are due to start work on an extension, or gates have been taken away for repair, then the risk will change, particularly if perimeter protection is weakened, making access much easier.

 

Records of the assessments should be kept, as in the event of an incident it will be possible to demonstrate to the insurers or the courts that appropriate steps had been taken to protect the property.