Keeping your Building Tenants Safe

Managing commercial property can be a challenge. Building tenants may have different needs, including working hours, climate control, parking and visitor management. A well managed building is a tenant’s dream and helps to keep the building full and the occupants happy. The safety and security of those working onsite every day should be a top priority for all owners, landlords and property managers.

Physical Safety and SOUNDness

Building tenants trust that their employees and customers can feel safe in their environment every day. This includes the basic premise of a structurally sound physical location. Elevators should be up and running consistently, the fire alarm should be tested regularly and in working order at all times, and walls and floors should be free from damage that could be dangerous.

Recently, a building in the Energy Corridor in Houston, Texas had to act quickly when a hole opened up on the second floor of the parking garage and debris and concrete started falling down to the second floor. Luckily, this was caught before real damage was done to tenants’ vehicles, but the confidence level of those paying for those parking spots was low.

Other buildings’ tenants may struggle with potholes in the parking lot, broken tiles in the restroom or doors that creak and moan.

Physical Security

A great selling point when trying to attract tenants to the building is a security desk that all visitors must pass. A security officer patrolling the building and parking areas gives some peace of mind as well. Building tenants will feel like they can perform their work duties without being overly anxious if they know the building is secure.

Access control to the parking garage and building is the first line of defense for managing who can get in the building unaccompanied. But it isn’t always realistic to lock down the buidling during regular business hours. First floor building tenants recently reported to their building management a disheveled man who stumbled into their suite asking for help since he had run out of gas and was feeling sick. They sent him on his way, but he wandered around the building trying to find someone to help him. No way to know if he was really a distressed stranger or a con artist, but the building manager dispatched assistance to either help him or remove him from the building. Just one of the many security challenges of an unlocked facility.

Tips for Business Tenants

The responsibility for the safety and security of the building overall belongs with the owners and management team. But building tenants can take their own precautions to ensure the safety of their staff and visitors as well.

• Advocate with building management for your employees who come in early or work late to keep them safe after dark. 
  • There should be ample outdoor lighting on all paths out of the building and in the parking areas
  • If doors are unlocked during the day, be sure they lock at a certain time when occupancy is low
• If the building doesn’t have cameras and access control, add them to your suite. Even a Ring doorbell will help you monitor who is coming to your office.
• Have your intrusion alarm set up to manage arming and disarming. If the system is not armed or disarmed by a certain time, get notified by the monitoring company.

We Can Help

Cultris Security Systems is a leading provider of commercial security in Houston, Texas. Call us at 281-506-8466 or reach us online for  a free consultation on security solutions for your building or suite.

Image by MagicDesk from Pixabay