Hazard Knowledge

Gaining, securing and maintaining access to industrial sites may be affected by security measures.

Generic security measures include:

• Security doors and glazing
• Barriers
• Roller shutters
• Reinforced walls
• Security glass
• One-way access doors
• Control lobbies or holding areas under electronic door control
• Remote control locking devices
• Time delay locks
• Air locks
• Security guards
• Guard dogs

Commercial and business

• Security smoke
• Safety vault doors

Medical facilities

• Doors secured, often with electronic locks and combination keypads, for:

• Secure patient areas
• Laboratories
• Pharmacies

Animal facilities

• Electrified fences
• Raised thresholds, to prevent rodents entering or leaving an area

Construction sites

• Fences and hoarding
• Boarding up

Lawful detention facilities

• Complex and multiple doors
• Self-locking doors
• Razor wire on roofs, walls and other structures

Sensitive sites, for example, military and defence establishments, nuclear sites and munitions manufacturing or storage

• Armed guards

Security features may cause a delay in response if access to the site is restricted and may affect emergency arrangements after access has been gained.

Security features may restrict fire hose, reducing flow or preventing personnel from advancing.

Self-locking doors and one-way access doors may prevent egress and cause personnel to become isolated; this may affect emergency arrangements. Security features may be activated part way through the incident, which could close off alternative egress routes.

Features such as security smoke or alarms may affect the senses of personnel and reduce their situational awareness.

Electrocution or physical hazards may be present as a result of the design of the security feature or be created by gaining access or entry by force.

Personnel gaining access or entry to sites by force, or carrying hose, may prevent security features from functioning properly. Functions such as air locks or self-locking doors may be present to prevent the release of animals, detainees or other hazards. If security features are compromised, it may affect ventilation or other systems that are designed to mitigate the hazards present.