ASPECTS OF SECURITY PROTECTION FOR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY.

This article discusses the aspects of security protection for business and industry. For the best interests of an industry or business not only should the manager protect his investment against fire, lighting, windstorm, etc., but should also take active measures in his daily operations to secure the business against internal losses from theft, accidents, compromise of trade secrets or governmental classified material, etc. Wartime controls usually mean that manpower and materials are in short supply. Consequently, both must be used to the greatest advantage. The federal government must necessarily control the amount of manpower used to protect the various plants engaged in defense production. There are several factors which will determine the extent to which a plant should be protected against thefts, accidents, trespassers, fire other disaster, and compromise trade secrets, namely, size and location of plant, number and general character of personnel, character of products and cost of security protection. Large plants employing thousands of people must often use not only physical means in controlling access to plant premises by employees, but plant guards must be employed to screen all personnel entering the gates to determine their right to be on the premises. Estimates of annual losses directly attributable to theft from businesses in the U.S. range from 500 million dollars on up. The most effective means to control thefts is to eliminate or reduce the number of opportunities for theft. Second, employees must be properly indocrinated in their moral responsibilities to the company and to the community. Certain basic fire prevention measures should be established in order to eliminate as far as possible the danger of fire. A plant brigade composed of a few selected, properly trained employees should be available at all times during plant operations to act immediately without panic in the event of a fire.