Manufacturing plants are full of heavy machinery and thousands of moving parts, increasing the

chances of serious or fatal accidents. Because of this fact, employee safety a top priority in the

industry. Manufacturing plants should have an integrated security system to enhance employee

safety measures. When plans are established, productivity can stay at a maximum level even in

times of distress. Manufacturing plant security procedures and systems help to guarantee

productivity. Here is a short summary of all the basic measures and procedures to consider:  

Prioritize
One of the first steps in configuring the ideal manufacturing plant security plan is to assess the facility

or work zone. Everything from the machines to equipment to the people and other assets should be

mapped out. Knowing what needs to be protected and/or monitored is an easy starting point. Next,

prioritize the most critical access. If something requires twice as much security as something else,

that needs to be noted. Finally, think about who has access to company assets or security devices,

and how that access can be limited. 

Security Measures
Access Control

Access Control allows companies to control who can enter certain parts of the manufacturing plant or

facility. It can also track who is coming and going and when. Access control  is  necessary component

of maximizing a physical security system and could be considered the first line of defense in general

safety and organization of an industrial workplace. Locks, key cards, and device authentication and

authorization are all good options to secure a manufacturing facility. There are plenty of  access

control brands  available, all of which have their own special features and advantages that should be

compared before choosing one final solution. 

Video Surveillance

Video cameras allow a company to better monitor the entirety of a facility and any suspicious activity.

The most common threats to industrial plants include violence, theft, vandalism, and trespassing.

Most industrial plants have multiple entrances, so an investment in security cameras is a good way to

boost manufacturing plant security. Besides being used to monitor perimeters and suspicious activity,

cameras can also be placed inside machines to identify and troubleshoot issues.  
Layers

No network will is secure with just one product, technology, or methodology. A holistic approach

should be applied when protecting manufacturing assets. Multiple layers of defense should be used

(physical, procedural, digital) in order to address any type of threat. When layering, it’s important to

keep in mind the idea of an integrated approach to security to help administrators adapt quickly to

potential emergencies. 

Device Profiling

Some workers may  have their own tablets, phones, and mobile devices on them when they come to

the workplace. Device and identity profile services can help control and keep tabs on all of these

devices with minimal interruption. A business can monitor, authenticate, and control all users or

applications that connect to the network.  

The U.S. Department of Justice determined the three vital functions of an effective security system to

be: detect, delay, respond. With a comprehensive security solution, threats are reduced and overall

asset protection increases. Staff should be reminded of a company’s security strategy on a yearly

basis. Everyone should be trained on all policies and procedures immediately upon hiring and

regularly throughout their tenure. 

Contingency Plan

The first step in securing a facility is to assess threats. Contingency planning is when people plan for

all of the possible unknowns that could negatively affect the business. With a contingency plan in

place, the company has a greater chance of reacting smoothly to  a disruptive situation. To make this

plan, risks should be assessed in relation to the specific company the plan is for. Both the potential

impact and the likeability of a potential  event should be considered. 

Mapping out a strict response time to potential risks will ensure that no step is forgotten or looked

over too passively. Delegating jobs in advance to employees will make response processes more

seamless. When brainstorming an emergency plan, keep simplicity in mind. People will understand

simple processes best in high-pressure or tense situations. 

Preparation

Employees should always be aware of plans in terms of securing the building. This will minimize

chaos, make reactions quicker, and help in avoiding loss. It’s also important to have security policies

and procedures written down somewhere. These policies should contain who is allowed to access

what, define acceptable asset use, and detail an incident response plan that includes procedures to

restore any critical production that may be affected by a security issue. Additionally, assigning

designated personnel to troubleshoot security systems will help in emergency situations.   

New security threats appear on a daily basis. Deciding how to respond to potential threats in advance

allows for quick decision making when they actually happen. Training employees also allows

everyone to feel more relaxed in a security breach or failure. Having gone through what should be

done, employees with training have a better chance of staying calm and collected if Plan A ever

fails. 
Integrated approach

A manufacturing plant likely has intrusion systems, perimeter security, access control, and fire alarm

systems. In order to make these manufacturing plant security procedures maximize the quality of the

plant’s security network, there must be an integrated approach. One of the easiest ways to achieve

this is through an integrated security application platform. All of the sensors from the individual

security measures would connect to this larger security platform in a control room. Doing so allows

for quicker correlation among alerts which should lead to faster response times, more efficient

monitoring, less false alarms, and increased awareness. 

By building a multi-layered defense, the hope is that Facility-wide damage will be prevented even if

one area is already damaged. Additionally, combining security measures  allows for early detection of

flaws that may negatively impact a system.