The Importance of Making Safety Central to Any Business

Right now, the world is full of many threats to one’s physical health and wellbeing. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed just how vulnerable so many aspects of modern society are. One big event can completely reorient people’s perspectives on safety.

That certainly extends to the workplace.

In today’s climate, any business that wants to thrive has to make safety a central tenet of its mission. In a new piece for Security Magazine, Kelly Johnstone writes about the importance of emphasizing “duty of care” in the workplace.

The term refers to “the moral and legal obligations of employers to their employees, contractors, volunteers, and related family members in maintaining their well-being, security, and safety when in the workplace,” Johnstone writes. She points to the fact that 75% of organizations surveyed in the International SOS 2024 Risk Outlook Report said that the corporate world can “expect an increase in duty of care expectations from their employees this year.”

Essentially, employees want to know they are in a safe environment.

Companies can institute a duty of care-friendly environment through a multi-pronged approach:

• Leadership has to commit — Given that a company’s leadership establishes a baseline tone for a business’s identity, Johnstone emphasizes that managers have to lead by example. This involves setting aside resources to improve safety protocols and holding people within a given company accountable if they violate the firm’s established code of conduct.

• Perform risk assessments and audits— All companies and firms have to perform risk assessments to establish the biggest potential vulnerabilities and threats their employees face. Once the major physical security risks are defined, protocols have to be established. Johnstone adds that regular reviews and audits should become the norm to ensure that standards are upheld.

• Train the team — A company can perform all of the needed risk assessments and put in place thoughtful leadership but nothing could ever be secure without proper staff and employee training. All businesses should offer employees education in hazard recognition and emergency response procedures. “It’s also important to encourage ongoing learning and skill development or enable effective handling of diverse situations and ensure duty of care is a priority of all employees, not just leaders within the organization,” Johnstone adds.

• Open up lines of communication — Staff at all levels of leadership and employment have to have clear lines of communication throughout a company. This entails creating lines of communication like anonymous reporting systems and individual team member reviews. If employees are calling out specific physical security threats that they are either experiencing or are wary of, management must be receptive and listen to feedback.

• Institute support programming at your company — A good leader in today’s modern office must institute support programs that can foster positive mental and physical health. This could mean putting in place wellness programs, team building activities, and having counseling and mental health services readily available on campus. This can prevent burnout and boost morale.

For Johnstone’s complete recommendations, head to the link here.

New Report Spotlights Perils of Hacked Video Doorbells

Video doorbells — Internet-connected devices that use LED sensors that give homeowners a sense of security so that they know who is approaching their front doors and ringing their bells — are a popular modern physical security tool. They are fairly affordable and available by way of major retailers like Walmart, Lowe’s, and Amazon.

Now, a new investigative report sheds light on some of the security risks that come with some of these devices. It gives consumers a conception of what they should be on the lookout for in choosing products — and when to be wary.

A disturbing trend — video doorbells sold with inherent flaws

In late February, Consumer Reports (CR) revealed that common video doorbells found at retailers like Sears and Walmart were sold with embedded security flaws making them prone to hacks.

These devices also lacked a visible ID issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that’s required by the agency’s regulations, making them illegal to distribute in the U.S.,” according to CR reporters Stacey Higginbotham and Daniel Wroclawski.

"Big e-commerce platforms like Amazon need to take more responsibility for the harm generated by the products they sell,” Justin Brookman, director of technology policy for CR, said in the article. “There is more they could be doing to vet sellers and respond to complaints. Instead, it seems like they’re coasting on their reputation and saddling unknowing consumers with broken products.”

The flaws were revealed due to CR staffers performing routine product ratings.

Some brands to look out for

These problematic products hailed from two brands— Eken and Tuck.

These devices are almost identical in design and packaging. CR found that online searches yield 10 additional “seemingly identical video doorbells” that were “sold under a range of brand names.”

All these devices are controlled by way of one mobile app: Aiwit, owned by Eken.

CR outlines the serious threats these devices pose. For instance, an estranged abusive partner could stalk their intended target by way of hacking the connected doorbell. They could view them through the doorbell camera feed on their smartphone or other connected device.

The hacker in question could watch as an intended victim enters and exits their home. In essence, this undermines the very purpose of having one of these doorbells in the first place — to feel safer in one's own home.

How to stay safe

"Products like these, by failing to prioritize trust and safety, put domestic violence victims at risk. Without question, the one place a victim needs to be safe is in their home,” Adam Dodge, CEO of EndTAB, told CR. “Devices designed to make someone feel safe at home, while actually doing the opposite, shouldn’t be allowed on the market.”

CR reports that these video doorbells expose a person’s home IP address and WiFi network name without any encryption. Beyond being spied on, this could expose the consumer to even more threats if the company’s servers were ever hacked.

What can a consumer do? CR recommends that if a person has purchased a doorbell from one of these brands, disconnect it from WiFi right away and remove it from the door.

The consumer publication recommends that one should opt for vetted brands like SimpliSafe, Logitech, and Ring, instead.

For more of the publication’s probing look at these security risks, read the full report here.

Personal Safety: Tips to Keep You Secure

In our fast-paced world, personal safety is paramount. Whether you’re walking down a dimly lit street, commuting on public transportation, or working late at the office, being prepared and vigilant can significantly reduce risks. Here are some practical tips to enhance your safety:

1. Street Precautions

• Stay Alert: Always be aware of your surroundings, especially when alone or in the dark. Make eye contact with people around you.

• Travel with a Friend: Whenever possible, walk with a companion. There’s safety in numbers.

• Well-Lighted Areas: Stick to well-lit paths and avoid alleys, doorways, and dark parking lots.

• Secure Your Purse: If you carry a purse, hold it securely between your arm and body. Prioritize personal safety over material possessions.

• Avoid Distractions: Don’t use devices like iPods that hinder your vision or hearing.

2. Car Safety

• Lock Your Doors: Always lock your car doors after entering or leaving your vehicle.

• Choose Well-Lit Parking Spots: Park in well-lit areas to deter potential criminals.

• Be Vigilant: Check your car’s interior for intruders before getting in.

• If Followed: If you suspect you’re being followed, drive to a public place or a police station.

• Car Breakdowns: If your car breaks down, open the hood and attach a white cloth to the antenna. Stay in your locked car and ask for help.

3. Bus Safety

• Stay Aware: Be alert at bus stops and avoid isolated ones.

• Prep Before Boarding: Have your bus pass or money ready before boarding.

• Onboard Safety: Ride near the bus operator during off-hours. Change seats if someone makes you uncomfortable.

• Secure Your Belongings: Keep your wallet inside your coat or front pocket.

4. Office Security

• Keep Valuables Hidden: Don’t leave your purse or wallet in plain view. Avoid leaving cash or valuables at the office.

• Late Hours: If you work late, find a coworker or security guard to walk out with you.

• Elevator Safety: Be aware of the distress alarm in elevators. Watch out for pickpockets.

• Report Suspicious Activity: Notify office management or law enforcement of any unusual behavior.

5. Stay Informed

• Know Your Area: Understand crime rates in your vicinity. Sign up for safety alerts.

• Emergency Numbers: Program local or campus police contact information into your phone.

• Safe Rides: Keep a cab or safe ride number handy.

Remember, personal safety is everyone’s responsibility. By following these tips, you can better protect yourself and discourage criminal activity. Stay safe out there!

Sources:

1. UCLA Police Department

2. Sutter Health

3. Lawley Insurance

4. Best Life Online

OSHA Calls Out Electric Vehicle Battery Maker for Exposing Workers to Safety Risks

As electric cars become increasingly prevalent, it’s important to scrutinize and highlight any potential security risks they may pose. This includes any risks faced by those on the manufacturing side.

Recently, the United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) called out one specific electric vehicle battery manufacturer for exposing employees to dangerous levels of nickel and other mixed metals at a Georgia facility.

In January, the OSHA announced that SK Battery America Inc. would receive citations for six violations — this totals up to $70,000 in potential fines, according to a press release. The facility in Commerce, Georgia, exposed workers to “potentially disabling safety and health hazards,” the department announced.

Among the violations, the OSHA said the company exposed workers at the plant to “continuous noise levels” that went over "the 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 A-weighted decibels.” This error resulted from the company failing to craft a noise-monitoring protocol and falling short of “establishing an audiometric testing program.”

Additionally, the employees at the facility who worked directly with nickel, cobalt, and manganese were exposed to “respiratory hazards” because the company did not go through with proper workplace hazard assessments. The department asserts that the company did not make sure that sanitary and disinfected respirators were provided to employees. Also, respirators on hand were not stored properly in a way that would shield the workers from “material contamination.”

The OSHA announcement also cited that the company didn’t make eyewash stations and emergency showers accessible to people who worked with these corrosive materials. Finally, they asserted that SK Battery America Inc. “left workers handling bags of nickel powder vulnerable to respiratory hazards by not providing feasible administrative or engineering controls to reduce exposure levels.”

In the OSHA release, it’s important to note that they acknowledge that SK Battery America Inc. “contested the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission."

In the release, Joshua Turner, OSHA Area Office Director in the Atlanta-East area, put the announcement in context.

"The lithium battery industry has experienced unprecedented growth, and with that growth comes a heightened responsibility to ensure the safety of those at the forefront of innovation. SK Battery America Inc. is well aware that materials used to produce lithium batteries can cause debilitating and permanent health issues,” he said. “OSHA's continued efforts to identify and remain vigilant to these emerging hazards is key in helping the industry understand how to eliminate employee exposures in the workplace. No employer should overlook the reality that is not just about advancing technology; it is about prioritizing the safety of your employees.”

Strategies for Creating Secure Public Spaces

It’s a challenging time for security professionals, both nationally and globally. A rise in horrific incidents like mass shootings and politically motivated attacks have made facilities that once felt safe — think schools, government buildings, and places of worship — sites of violence.

Spaces like hospitals and sports and entertainment venues are also frequently on high alert. Many public centers such as outdoor shopping malls and parks can make security challenging because they possess ill-defined borders, lacking an easily fortified perimeter.

Taelor Daugherty tackles the physical security challenges that these locations pose in a new piece for Security Magazine.

Securing a wide range of spaces that lack perimeters

Government buildings stand as one of the main categories. Daugherty points to the example of the 2021 insurrection at the United States Capitol, showing just how quickly a physical attack can spiral out of control.

She speaks with Mike Lahiff, CEO and Co-Founder of ZeroEyes, about how government buildings can best be protected. Lahiff describes the reality that while all security personnel stationed at these buildings are “tactically trained,” it is difficult to truly prepare someone for an “active shooter situation” until it happens in real time.

Another location where preparing for the unknown is key is the retail store. In the same way that federal and local government buildings see countless visitors in any given day, retail stores experience a constant wave of people making entrances and exits.

Theft and vandalism run rampant.

 “A retailer’s top priority is to keep its employees and customers safe. A multi-layered approach that includes security technology and private-public collaboration can help,” Scott Thomas, National Director of Signature Brands at Genetec, Inc., says in the article.

Open-air spaces like parks or sporting arenas pose even more complex challenges. These locations feature few walls, which can make it hard for personnel to cordon off a particularly vulnerable area.

“Securing open-air events or other large-scale outdoor public occasions requires a delicate dance between mobility, safety and security. Festivals want to ensure guests have a good time while remaining safe. This requires communication between multiple stakeholders. The event team, local businesses, government agencies and first responders can work together to create an environment of situational awareness, cohesive assessment, and response,” Phil Malencsik, Strategic Account Executive of the Public Sector at Genetec, Inc, tells Daugherty.

Collaboration is key

Daugherty stresses that park or venue staff regularly collaborate with local law enforcement officers. Police who routinely monitor an open-air space will be well versed in the logistics of how to secure the surrounding area and can be indispensable resources in preparing for the unknown.

That may be the key in all these scenarios — collaboration.

Whether a government building, a shopping center, or an open-air space, it is important that physical security teams work in tandem with law enforcement and other important stakeholders to ensure that those who visit, enjoy, and work within these spaces remain safe.

TSA Emphasizes Self-Defense for Crews in Push for Improved Physical Security

Much has been made in recent years of increased physical security risks that flight crews face in the skies. From belligerent passengers attacking flight attendants to technical malfunctions on planes to confusion over items some people include in their luggage, risks abound on today’s flights.

Last year, there was a very vocal push among flight crews to receive more self-defense training from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

That and other physical security improvements have been instituted at airports and on flights, Security Magazine reports. These improvements underscore just how crucial robust physical security protocols are for passengers and crews alike on today’s flights.

The TSA trained more than 5,000 air carrier crew members in proper self-defense measures. For crews hoping to take advantage of this program, the TSA has made sign-ups accessible through an online portal.

Underscoring how important this training is, Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants union, told NBC News in 2021 just how threatening passengers have been on flights in this post-pandemic era.

“They’re treating us like punching bags, whether that’s verbally or physically, Nelson told NBC. “We have never seen this level of aggression or conflict on our planes and we really need some help.”

Outside of self-defense, the TSA has been making other physical security improvements.

In the Security article, the magazine points out that the TSA prevented 6,737 firearms from entering secure areas at airports and onboard aircrafts. One disturbing statistic — a high 93% of those firearms were loaded.

Additionally, the agency used 2,000 high-tech Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) machines to screen mobile drivers’ licenses and harness facial recognition tech. These machines are necessary for screening passengers’ credentials while also keeping privacy front and center.

Collaboration is also key. The magazine reports that the TSA has beefed up continued partnership with local, federal, and state law enforcement entities to respond in real time to threats. The report also reveals that the TSA performed 51 “various aviation-related security assessments throughout the nation” in 2023.

These statistics emphasize just how necessary fortified physical security protocols are for airports, aircrafts, and the workers and passengers who pass through and use them on a daily basis.

Just as physical security threats are becoming increasingly complex on the ground, the skies deserve just as much vigilance from security stakeholders in order to keep everyone safe.

Physical Security Goals for Faith-Based Communities are Issued by DHS

In this currently charged climate where physical security threats abound, people who are part of faith-based communities are particularly at risk. Nationwide, antisemitic and Islamophobic physical attacks are on the rise and have been directed at both individuals and larger community groups alike.

In December, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued resources to help faith-based organizations and community centers — including houses of worship — improve their physical security capabilities.

Joe Bebon reports on the new recommendations for Facilities Management Advisor. He writes that these DHS Performance Goals are similar to their 2022 Cybersecurity Performance Goals that were a call to action in the face of an escalation of cyber-attacks in recent years. Bebon explains that the new DHS resources are part of a collaboration between the federal department, its Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and faith-based organizations around the country.

“In this continued heightened threat environment, the Department of Homeland Security is committed to protecting every American’s right to live, express, and worship their faith freely and in safety,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas, said in a release.

The goals involve establishing clear security response plans, training staff and personnel who work at and serve in leadership roles in these faith-based communities and houses of worship, and devising strategies for how to keep everyone safe and secure after an attack takes place.

“This Physical Security Performance Goals for Faith-Based Communities is a clear, concise, and convenient tool that is outstanding for any religious organization seeking to establish performance goals and protocols for response,” said Ako Cromwell, Director of Global Security, African Methodist Episcopal Church. “While it is particularly useful for those of us in the faith-based community, the fundamentals delineated in this product are applicable across the spectrum for security professionals.”

Sim J. Singh Attariwala, Senior Policy and Advocacy Manger of the Sikh Coalition, added that threats targeting houses of worship in the United States are becoming “increasingly complex and widespread.” These include domestic “hate ideologies” that can spread through communities and online forums as well as threats that emerge from “transnational repression and geopolitical events,” he said in the release.

Much in the same way that schools and universities have become frequent targets for physical security attacks — including mass shootings — houses of worship are beloved centers for all kinds of communities that are experiencing all too frequent external, violent threats.

Schools, hospitals, and banks have to keep a strong physical security protocol in place. Now, houses of worship must also embrace security technology like cloud-based, Internet-connected systems overseen by vetted, trained staff. The safety of their community members depends on this.

Check out the full DHS list of recommendations here.

Healthcare Needs to Focus on a Centralized, Unified Approach to Physical Security

Healthcare centers are some of the most important facilities in the world.

They house patients who are being treated for serious illness and are receiving life-saving surgery. Their buildings also contain expensive, state-of-the-art technology and protect sensitive and important personal data.

It’s no surprise that these facilities are often major targets for serious physical breaches.

PBS NewsHour reports that "health care workers are five times as likely to experience workplace violence as other workers.” They cite statistics from the National Nurses United 2022 survey that found 40 percent of nurses said they’ve witnessed an increase in violent incidents.

In a new piece for HealthTech, Jonathan Karl, director of healthcare sales at CDW, and Josh Peacock, healthcare strategist for CDW, explain that health systems need to update their physical security protocols to address rising, ever more complicated threats.

They write that healthcare companies need to take a “more holistic approach.” This means making way for instituting centralized command centers.

Crafting a more centralized approach to security

“As care delivery becomes more encompassing of a patient’s well-being, an organization’s security approach should also become more integrated and provide visibility into all the parts that make it whole,” they write.

They point to HonorHealth — located in Scottsdale, Arizona — as one example. They said the organization supports “a network operations center,” which gives the security team the opportunity to stay on top of a wide range of surveillance cameras that proliferate through the system’s various buildings.

Once an issue comes up, the team can respond swiftly in real time.

While this is important, Peacock and Karl write that the next step is to “incorporate more predictive analytics into the video surveillance system to better support security staff.”

A common theme in any discussion around devising modern physical security strategies involves the pressing reality that cloud-connected, state-of-the-art devices must be implemented. From there, all staff must be properly trained and vetted.

Giving security staff more control

“A healthcare organization with multiple facilities or a sprawling campus may have disparate security teams and localized data feeds for cameras. A unified system would offer a better overview and improve coordination and response to incidents. This is especially an issue for ambulatory locations that may not have 24/7 coverage,” Karl and Peacock add.

They write that a centralized command center will give a healthcare company improved visibility and control — especially in the case of sprawling campuses that involve multiple buildings.

Having a central nucleus around which the rest of the security apparatus orbits means the team can efficiently connect with emergency services and police if the need arises.

The AI future

Finally, the two experts point to how artificial intelligence (AI) will only continue to complicate and improve healthcare security.

“The growth of artificial intelligence-powered tools in healthcare works as both a threat to security and an opportunity to improve defenses and cover skill gaps,” they write. “A central team can leverage AI to monitor data for tracking users and access that falls outside of an organization’s governance or baseline expectations.”