1. The Security Consultant’s Perspective…With Workplace Violence becoming an emerging concern,
employee dimension becomes a critical factor in conducting Vulnerability Threat Assessments against capabilities and weaknesses, similar to way we conduct a business SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats). I wonder how much thought a disgruntled employee, angry customer, an armed robber or a specific act of terrorism, has given to real business threat of a violent act. Within each business or type of employment, there exists an intriguing combination of potential threats to safety and security of workplace. If you recall in recent incidents over past month on topic of workplace violence, that while critical structures are key targets, no type of business was immune.
The ideologues and imbedded terrorists have now become objects of concern for those of us engaged in conducting threat assessments; evaluating risks and recommending risk abatement measures. Key to these concerns is free access of these employees, their familiarity with operations and their knowledge of company secrets. To combat this threat and to reduce risk, it would behoove decision makers to become creative in their approach to these potential threats. Just implementing technological resources may be insufficient. Taking proactive measures during hiring and screening process might identity a potential threat, implementing security guidelines might serve to deter or minimize threat and educating employees will increase security awareness. Key to this creative approach however, is collaboration of resources in a synchronized team fashion. The Threat Assessment Team is my recommended creative strategy to minimize threat while managing possibilities.
2. Workplace Security Concerns: People, Premises and Property…
In preventing Workplace Violence in today’s volatile workplace nothing can be taken for granted. While it is employer’s responsibility to protect workforce, a predisposed individual is a company’s worst nightmare. The acts of a disgruntled employee can be predictive, while threat of a robber’s motives cannot anymore than motivations of professional ideologue with external grievances that might target a business to emphasize an opposing position. Verifiably evident is catastrophic capability of politically motivated threat whose methodical planning may take years. With access and familiarity critical factors in measuring risks, decision makes are encouraged to reconcile security impact to business disruption and business recovery in aftermath in terms of proactive and preventive measures during Threat Assessment Phase. Every business is a target of opportunity and value regardless of type:
Production Plants Power & Light Utilities Dam & Water Purifications Sewer Treatment Telephone and Heating Food & Beverages Sports Facilities Entertainment Centers Suburban Strip & Shopping Malls Hospitals and Treatment Centers High Rise Building Complexes Unprotected Establishments
