PHY001
Why physical security matters
Physical security is a key component of your health and safety regime.
Physical security combines physical and procedural measures. These measures are designed to prevent or reduce threats to your people, information, and assets.
Physical security measures complement your security measures in other areas, such as personnel, information handling, communications, and ICT.
Robust physical security benefits everyone
Having robust physical security can help you:
- keep your people, customers, and the public safe
- prevent unauthorised people accessing your premises, information, or assets
- maintain the trust and confidence of the people and organisations you serve or work with
- deliver services without disruption in the event of a heightened threat level or disaster
- meet your obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.
Physical security threats are multi-faceted
Physical security threats can come from your own people or from outside your organisation (for example, visitors, contractors, the public, external groups).
Threats can apply to people working in your office or normal place of business. Different threats can be present when your people are working away from the office, particularly when they are working alone.
Threats include:
- crime, including personal and property crime
- workplace violence, such as assaults, harassment, and revenge attacks, from both insiders and external parties
- civil disturbances, such as protests and riots
- natural disasters, such as floods, earthquakes, and pandemics
- industrial disasters, such as explosions, building fires, and structural collapses
- terrorist acts, such as bombings, extortion, ‘white powder’ incidents, and kidnappings
- other risks, such as disturbed people and traffic accidents.
Within your organisation, physical security breaches can be accidental. For example, if your people aren’t alert to the risk of tailgating, they might allow unauthorised people access to your secure areas.