This State’s Workplace Safety Legislation Offers Guideposts for Others

While 2020’s global pandemic largely upended how most people interact with physical work spaces, today, most people spend some time in an office.

Gone are the days of solely work-from-home configurations.

Recent statistics show that employees spend an average of about two days in the office, with many more moving back to the traditional in-office approach to the workplace. Recently, online retail giant Amazon announced that it will mandate its employees to return to the office five days each week once 2024 rolls around, as reported by Axios.

With this big cultural shift back to the office nationally and around the world, concerns over office safety are once again taking center stage. Recently, New York Governor Kathy Hochul put pen to paper and signed new legislation for improved workplace protections in her state. This complements recent legislation passed in California this summer, which set in place a mandate that all employers establish clearly written workplace violence protections statewide.

Moves like these reveal just how crucial physical safety is across the nation’s offices. Security Magazine’s Managing Editor Jordyn Alger recently covered the New York legislation.

Among some of the legislation’s key points:

• New York’s plan involves the Retail Worker Safety Act, which provides training and education to prevent violence at the workplace.

• The legislation reveals that judgments over whether or not an employee can do a job as a result of a disability have to be given to the employee and their workplace representative.

• State agencies have to craft policies that notify employees of freedom of information requests for all public disciplinary records.

• For the full list, head here.

“With similarities to the Workplace Violence Prevention Act that was passed by the state of California last year, NY state is requiring some employers to establish a proactive position of preparation and prevention when it comes to matters of workplace safety. The Retail Worker Safety Act requires corporate retail employers to adopt violence prevention plans, train workers in de-escalation techniques, and provide active shooter training, Cynthia Marble, Senior Director, Threat Assessment and Management at Ontic, told Alger.

This kind of legislation is critical because it provides frameworks and guideposts by which employers and employees alike can follow to create safer work environments. All of this is needed due to the uptick in violent workplace incidents since the pandemic as well as the looming threats of ever more sophisticated threats from external bad actors. Hopefully, these kinds of state laws can help ensure the physical safety and wellbeing of anyone who passes through the doors of any workplace around the country. 

In Bolstering Physical Security, Respecting Personal Data is Key

Massive quantities of data are collected and assessed every day by security systems around the world. Just imagine the amounts of information gathered by the likes of video surveillance and access control systems. From license plate numbers collected by real-time traffic cameras to biometric data scanned when one enters a high-security facility, all kinds of personal and revealing information is stored and assessed by standard security systems.

While sophisticated, modern technology has made this information and data collection a seamless process for businesses, government bodies, and law enforcement alike, personal security concerns abound. In a recent piece for Security Magazine, Florian Matusek, Video Analytics group lead at Genetec, Inc., delves into the push and pull between the need to obtain this important data while balancing very real and pressing concerns from people who have valid questions over how this often sensitive personal data is being used.

Matusek cites the 2022 Consumer Privacy Survey from Cisco, in which 75% of participants said “they wouldn’t buy from a company they don’t trust with their data.” The survey also showed that more than 80% of those respondents reported that just how a company handles this data is a clear sign of how that “organization views and respects its customers.”

In this era when more data is being collected than ever, can personal privacy be respected? Matusek writes that the answer is a decided “yes.”

In the article, Matusek cites the well-respected “Privacy by Design” framework, which was devised by Dr. Ann Cavoukian, Ontario’s Privacy and Information Commissioner. This set of principles prompts security officials to collect and hold onto “only the information needed,” while also limiting widespread access to the most sensitive data.

“For example, modern ALPR systems typically store only the ‘read value’ of a license plate. They don’t store the image of the plate itself and may offer the option to store information only if a plate matches with a hotlist,” Matusek explains. “Having encryption built in is also an example of privacy by design. Captured data is automatically encrypted. Only operators with the correct credentials can view it. Some companies have a ‘four eyes’ principle, requiring two people to provide credentials to access the information.”

Essentially, this framework is really an important state of mind and guiding philosophy that should be adhered to by any business or organization that relies on personal data to keep a company, its employees, and its assets secure.

For the full article, head here.

Physical Security Plans That Mix the Human with the Hi-Tech Are Most Effective

While much has been made about the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), the world currently isn’t in an era where human expertise is being replaced by machines. It’s quite the opposite. Instead, the current reality is one in which machine learning and modern technology is a tool that augments human input.

In a new article for Security Magazine, Tomy Han writes about how the best physical security approaches involve human know-how combined with modern technology. This ranges from traditional, common sense approaches like effective tech training and security cameras to partnering human security experts with AI tech and advanced tools like drones.

Here’s an outline of some of the key contemporary technologies that today’s physical security experts and staff have at their disposal:

• Guards with body cams: Citing a tool used by modern law enforcement, Han describes high-definition body cameras worn by security guards as an important tool that should be implemented on any business’s campus, at a retail store, or a school. Beyond leveraging data and footage captured by advanced video and audio recordings, there are other benefits. For example, the presence of a body camera visibly worn by a guard might deter potential bad actors. These cameras can also hold said guards accountable, since they that data can be reviewed if there are any accusations of potential transgressions on the job.

• AI surveillance systems: Surveillance systems that are powered by AI that can leverage and assess vast quantities of security data in real time is the name of the game. If there is a big sporting or political event, a security team will want to have this kind of security tech. “These systems apply image recognition and computer vision to video feeds from stationary cameras…With these capabilities, lean teams can focus on the highest risks and threats while leaving routine monitoring to technology,” Han writes.

• Rise of the drones: It might have sounded like science fiction 20 years ago, but now technology like drones and robots are common security features that can be harnessed by human staff. Drones can give security staff remote views of hard-to-see points of entry and access. Thermal imaging cameras that are embedded in many drones can allow a security team to remotely assess any potential threats.

• Remote access control: Cloud-connected systems have made way for remote monitoring and access control of physical infrastructure systems that can be used by security staff who are stationed anywhere. This offers more convenience and improved vigilance, especially during off hours when a building or campus might be largely empty and left vulnerable.

These are just a few of the modern tech tools at a security staff’s disposal. All of them require human input and expertise. Human capabilities aren’t being replaced — instead, they’re being enhanced.

For more examples, check out Han’s full article.

A Template for Education: Pennsylvania Invests in Robust School Security Measures

A season marked by family vacations and trips to the beach has given way to backpacks and a return to the classroom. Now, enduring concerns over the safety and well-being of students and school staff alike are at the forefront of American physical security concerns.

U.S.-based nonprofit Sandy Hook Promise reports that, each day, 12 children will die from gun violence in the country, with another 32 shot and injured. They add that since the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, a horrifically high number of students — over 338,000 —nationwide have experienced some form of gun violence while in school.

These bleak statistics put security front and center in the minds of administrators and school security personnel across the country. The National Institute of Justice reveals that almost 100% of all schools that serve students 12 to 18 years old “use at least one safety and security measure” on campus. They report that more than 90% of schools have safety protocols like visitor sign-in procedures and nearly 80% possess security cameras and locked doors as essential safety requirements.

One issue that plagues some school systems — especially those that have been historically underfunded — is the reality that not every building is outfitted with the proper physical security systems to best address every contemporary threat.

Pennsylvania might be offering a template for a path forward. Facilities Management Advisor reports on how the Keystone State has made it possible for schools to apply for a total of $120 million in grant support to better bolster both physical security and “behavioral health support. This was made possible by way of the state’s School Safety and Security Committee, a part of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD).

The grant funding falls under the auspices of the state’s 2024-2025 budget.

“Our kids can’t focus on learning if we aren’t meeting the basic need for safety within the walls of their schools and making sure students are in a positive mental and emotional space,” said Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis, chair of PCCD and the School Safety and Security Committee, in a quote reported by Facilities Management Advisor.

This kind of commitment to physical security across the state’s schools stands as something of a beacon for others across the country to better prioritize upgrades, improvements, and training throughout campuses nationwide. This is absolutely crucial in order to better address threats students, teachers, and staff face daily. If more states follow suit, the nation’s schools can better stand as beacons of safety and security.

Home Invasions and Attacks Reveal That Crypto Security is Physical — Not Just Cyber

Crypto is more than just a buzzword. Cryptocurrency ownership saw a 10 percent growth last year in the United States, according to Security.org. With that increased adoption of digital currency like Bitcoin comes understandable cybersecurity concerns. Outside of pressing cyber threats, experts are pointing to a concerning, growing wave of physical security attacks and threats targeting crypto owners.

In a recent piece for CryptoSlate, reporter and editor Liam 'Akiba' Wright sheds light on kidnapping and home invasions that have targeted those who possess crypto wealth. The events have underscored just how crucial it is that those who own and invest in crypto need to also keep their physical safety and security front and center. Even when discussing a very digital, modern asset like cryptocurrency, physical security has to be prioritized.

In the article, Wright highlights the February arrest of five Russian men in Phuket, Thailand who abducted a couple from Belarus. The kidnappers forced the couple to transfer what equates to a little over $901,000 in cryptocurrency as the terms of their release. Additionally, Wright discusses another incident — this one in Hong Kong — that saw two women arrested for allegedly kidnapping a little boy in exchange for HK$5 million in cryptocurrency.

Another example closer to home saw a United States-based gang convicted of carrying out a string of home invasions that directly targeted people who were crypto owners.

“Crypto holders are advised to enhance their security practices, including using multi-signature wallets, maintaining operational security, and limiting the disclosure of their digital asset holdings. The recent spate of violent incidents serves as a stark reminder of the physical risks associated with digital wealth, prompting a reevaluation of security protocols in the digital age,” Wright reports.

He added that those who have substantial crypto holdings should be absolutely vigilant about what they share online about their wealth and investments and physical location.

A tried and true security recommendation when it comes to social media in general: do not share real-time updates about one’s location or describe personal financial information on publicly accessible social media accounts.

“Further, many hardware wallets allow users to use separate pins to unlock different wallets. Setting up a honeytrap wallet containing negligible digital assets could enable victims to comply with attackers without relinquishing the majority of their holdings,” Wright adds.

Cryptocurrency will only continue to grow in popularity. As more people accrue significant crypto holdings, they have to be cognizant of the fact that this digital-based wealth can bring with it physical security risks and threats. Be mindful of the fact that these risks are not that different from those faced by people who have more traditional financial assets.

In an AI-Dominated World, Human Input is Still Essential for Physical Security

Right now, almost no industry can avoid the ever-present dominance of artificial intelligence (AI). This couldn’t be more true than physical security, a field where advanced cloud-connected, access control systems are increasingly embracing the future and looking to AI.

While, yes, this technology-forward approach is necessary, experts say the true beating heart of the physical security world is that of human input and expertise. One needs people who are trained in how best to implement physical security strategies and leverage new technologies in order to keep companies, their associated brands and data, and their staff and visitors safe and secure.  

In a recent piece for Security Magazine, Scott Solomon, the CEO of Operational Security Solutions, describes how both the physical security and the cash-in-transit — or the physical transportation of cash from one place to another — are sectors that rely on new technological innovations but that also wouldn’t function without human control. As Solomon writes, with proper security protocols in these two fields, “human judgment isn’t just a component, it’s the anchor.”

For just one example, armed personnel and highly trained security staff who can respond to real-time threats and disturbances represent a level of keen observation and intuition that “AI cannot yet replicate.”

“Unlike AI, which operates virtually on predefined algorithms and data, or binary ‘black & white’ terms, humans can interpret subtle environmental cues and navigate complex social dynamics to de-escalate potentially harmful situations,” he explains. “The ultimate responsibility in the security industry is carried by human real-time decision making.”

One of the elements that differentiates human response from that of machines the most is adaptability. Solomon writes that AI can clearly process large quantities of data at a scale that would be impossible for human beings to attempt. That being said, tech “lacks the intuitive grasp of human unpredictability … [security professionals] undergo rigorous continuous training to remain adept at facing new challenges in their environment.”

This further underscores one of the most constant maxims in security — training is key. A business will never be adequately protected without robust training of security staff.

None of this means it’s time to de-emphasize how important AI is. It’s unavoidable. Any firm that fails to implement AI will fall behind. The security of the company as a whole will be compromised if current technologies are discarded. Instead, the way of the future is physical security that reflects AI complementing human beings.

“As technology advances, the challenge will be to integrate AI in ways that complement and amplify human strengths, rather than diminish them,” Solomon asserts in the conclusion to his piece.

For the full article, head to the link here.

Company Reveals Guidance for How to Use AI Responsibly in Physical Security

While much has been made about how AI can bolster physical security, concerns remain over privacy and data safety. As the AI boom churns on, the world will most likely face a new era of tech regulations and policies enacted to safeguard the public from AI tech that could be misused by bad actors. 

It’s also the time for private companies to reckon with how they can best make use of this ever-evolving technology. Security Sales & Integration recently reported on new guidelines for how companies can best use AI from professional security solutions provider i-PRO CO., Ltd. 

“Recognizing the profound impact of AI on society, i-PRO has always placed paramount importance on fostering an environment of responsible and ethical AI usage,” reports Security Sales & Integration of the i-PRO announcement. 

The tech company released its Ethical Tech Principles for AI as a guiding light for itself but also something of a blueprint for industry peers as AI continues to be integrated seamlessly in day-to-day practices. 

Here’s a look at i-PRO’s recommendations: 

• Making society safer and more secure: While it’s important that new and ever more advanced AI tools are developed, they have to be created with their impact on society — and safety — in mind. After a new AI product is released, i-Pro writes that “we continue to evaluate their impact on our customers’ lifestyle, society, and the environment, and continue to reflect the results of such evaluations in our products and services.” 

• Enshrine human dignity: Throughout history, the tech innovations that flourished never lost sight of the humanity of those who used it. Think of car safety protocols for automobiles. For i-PRO, “AI is based on the premise that people are central, and that AI should be used, developed, and deployed, to expand human capabilities and promote the pursuit of happiness.” 

• Be transparent: Transparency is always central when it comes to rolling out new tech. The company writes that any new AI product has to “strive to eliminate discrimination and unfair influences.” This means aspects of one’s identity like gender, religion, or race should always be considered, respected, and protected. The company said they will “consider social justice” when using and developing AI tools, providing “appropriate information to our customers” about how this information will be used. 

• Privacy is key: AI tech being used for physical security must focus on privacy. This means having top-of-line security measures in place that are in line with legal regulations, company policies, and make sure an individual's personal data is secure. 

• Train the team: Everyone on a team must be trained. This involves provider, operator, and customer. This can apply to a number of fields but is especially important for individuals in the physical security sector. If the entire team — not just managers — isn’t well versed in how to operate AI-driven tech and how it integrates with existing tools, there is no way that a company’s security will be ensured. 

• Cooperation and collaboration: There are so many stakeholders involved when it comes to security and any time a new AI tool is implemented, it means that conversations must be had where those invested in a company’s success have a say about how tech is used. If there is feedback or concerns about a new AI program or device, listen to the stakeholders and consider their advice. 

“As the physical security industry continues to embrace the promise of AI, we look forward to working together with our industry colleagues, partners, and customers to foster a culture of responsible AI development and usage,” Masato Nakao, CEO at i-PRO, said in the company announcement, as reported by Security Sales & Integration.

It’s a brave new world of AI technology, and for physical security professionals, safeguards must be put in place to use it ethically and safely.