The Essential Business Closure Checklist for Security during COVID-19
If your business is closing temporarily for COVID-19, the coronavirus pandemic, there are 10 key security measures you or your operations manager and/or IT director must do before you lock up to help ensure the business is secure. As time is of the essence, we'll keep this short, sweet, and straight to the point! If you have already closed the business and did not tackle these items, or you are still open but don't have time to get to these items, call GenX Security, a designated critical infrastructure business, ASAP to schedule an appointment to take care of it for you at 866-598-4369 or use our online contact form at www.genxsecurity.com.
1. Check your security cameras and update the firmware
Here is your checklist:
[ ] Remove any obstructions in the line of sight of your security cameras.
[ ] Check the lenses of outdoor cameras for spider webs, excessive water drop stains, dirt, and other debris and gently wipe clean using a soft, clean glass/lens cleaning towel.
[ ] Adjust any camera angles as needed for the clearest view of the area you wish to monitor.
[ ] Validate with your video management software (VMS) or your network video recorder (NVR) that all cameras are showing online and properly connected, troubleshoot any that are not.
[ ] Check for any recent security camera firmware updates and update all cameras.
Need help with this section? Call us at 866-598-4369
2. Test your security system
Testing your system during extended odd closing is very important if you have a system that uses verified responses through audio or video. Here is your checklist:
[ ] Call your monitoring company and tell them you are running a test of your system. If you are with GenX Security then your monitoring company is Security Central.
[ ] Run an intrusion test and see if the video/audio verification is properly functioning.
[ ] If your business security system is linked with an app on your phone, make sure the app is properly alerting you to the date, time, location of the alarm, and video or audio verification is on. An example app is Alarm.com.
[ ] Check that your security cameras are picking up on the test.
Need help with this section? Call us at 866-598-4369
3. Go over your alerts and notifications settings
Make a list of the alerts and notifications you are already set for with normal business operations, then make another list of the alerts and notification you would like to be set up for during your COVID-19 closure. Here is your checklist:
[ ] Remove any alerts that will not serve you during your COVID-19 closure. These could be things like notifications about customer traffic at the cash register, for instance.
[ ] Remove any alerts and notifications you've been getting that have been annoying you but you keep for getting to shut it off. Now's a good time! This is the first step to avoiding "alert fatigue."
[ ] Add any alerts and notifications you aren't already getting but will be helpful during this time. For instance, alerts about the thermostat if it is connected, or alerts about water leaks if you have a water sensor.
[ ] Create custom alerts for specific doors and sensitive areas. Here's how: add the sensitive areas and doors to a group within the access control system with a higher priority level assigned to them and a color code. Notify anyone with remote access to security that these most sensitive zones are of a particular color so they can prioritize alerts.
Need help with this section? Call us at 866-598-4369
4. Audit your access privileges and collect spare and master keys
If your employees have keyless access control and nobody should be at the office, temporarily revoke all non-critical employee access control privileges and take a "Zero Trust" approach now. Here is your checklist:
[ ] Let all employees know of the access control updates relative to their access control privileges.
[ ] Schedule access control times on a schedule for critical employees and other visitors, such as security guards or deliveries.
[ ] Ensure your access control notifications are set properly so you can be alerted of both scheduled activity and unauthorized activity.
[ ] Collect all non-critical spare and master keys in writing to provide an audit trail for your key records management, and share with Human Resources.
Need help with this section? Call us at 866-598-4369
5. Check the preferred recording settings in your VMS or NVR
The storage capabilities of your VMS and VNR is important during this time and a system can become quickly full during longer than usual recording periods. Here is your checklist:
[ ] Look for adjustments you can make to the analytics settings of your system or recorder to free up more storage.
[ ] Double check and adjust the remote capabilities for storage maximization over extended periods.
[ ] Familiarize yourself with any parts of the remote features of your system that you haven't used yet, since your monitoring will be 100% remote at this time.
Need help with this section? Call us at 866-598-4369
6. Make sure to sync all your connected devices
Most advanced security systems are smart systems and connected to a myriad of other devices that can all be managed and adjusted from a single point of contact or single system. Now is the time to make sure any smart connected device that can be connected, is connected. Here is your checklist:
[ ] Adjust your smart thermostat settings, triggers, times, and notifications for a reasonable maintenance temperature for each zone as appropriate.
[ ] Adjust your smart light settings, triggers, times, and notifications for extended absence needs.
[ ] Check your system to see that all smart locks connected to your access control and security system are also working properly with your notification app.
[ ] Test your smart locks with your security system app or software to make sure you can remotely lock and unlock all doors easily. Troubleshoot as necessary.
[ ] Check all sensors to ensure they are clean, unobstructed, and operational. This includes lighting sensors, thermostat sensors, camera sensors, motion sensors, door and smart lock sensors, and water leak sensors.
Need help with this section or need smart locks, a smart thermostat, and z-wave lighting integrated into your system? Call us at 866-598-4369.
7. Test your door contacts on all exterior doors
Many businesses with access control systems have request-to-exit sensor as well as access control card and keyfob readers, but don't have door contacts! These devices can be fairly inexpensive and are very well worth the integration into your system. Here's your checklist:
[ ] If you have door contacts on your exterior doors, make sure they are functioning and test them to ensure they are notifying your system of doors left open.
[ ] Troubleshoot and fix any door contacts that are not notifying you of an open door.
[ ] If you have door contacts on only one or two doors, call GenX Security to have them installed on all exterior doors. You'll definitely want to know if these doors are opened when the office is closed for this extended period!
[ ] If your current access control system does not have door contacts integrated, we highly recommend getting a quote on having them installed so you can get these important notifications.
Need help with this section or need a quote on integrating door contacts into your access control? Call us at 866-598-4369.
8. Check all door hardware and mechanics
If your doors have damaged or faulty door hardware, you'll need to know about it and fix it now! Here's your checklist:
[ ] With maintenance, starting with the exterior doors, check all the doors, door hardware, door handles, and frames for code-compliance and any structural damage. Make a list of each door checked as you go along.
[ ] To see damage easier, clean all surfaces of all hardware with an appropriate solvent for the material, one that won't cause damage or corrosion. Remove any debris that has built up in deadbolt locks, around handles, and around doors.
[ ] Lock and unlock all doors manually, pull and push on each door when locked, and test all keypads.
[ ] Disable all exterior door keypad codes. Enable a new code that is for critical entry only by designated personnel.
Need help with this section? Call us at 866-598-4369
9. Install exit-only hardware on all non-entrance exterior doors
This may seem extreme to some, but we really don't know how long COVID-19 will cause non-essential, non-critical infrastructure businesses to remain closed and on work-from-home mandate. Take a moment to wonder why your business has so many entrances. Are they really necessary? The front door, main entrance, is necessary. But, what about all the side and back entrances? Here's your checklist:
[ ] Limit your entrances to those that are only essential during the COVID-19 closures, such as front main entrance, an emergency entrance, and main delivery entrance if you expect to receive shipments during this time.
[ ] Secure all exterior doors that are not essential by installing exit-only door hardware. This could be as simple as removing the existing door handle and replacing temporarily with a cover plate as a cost-effective solution.
[ ] Label and secure any door hardware you have removed so that you can have it reinstalled after you open the business back up.
Need help with this section? Call us at 866-598-4369
10. Get rid of unnecessary objects around all doors and entrances
Now that you've done 1 - 9, it's time to make a final walk-through inspection of the perimeter of the property and get rid of anything that could be used as a door prop, a window-breaker, or a security camera obstruction. Here's your checklist:
[ ] Remove all rocks, door jams, pieces of wood, and cigarette cans from all doorway areas.
[ ] Bring in all furniture that is not secured to the ground.
[ ] Look for and remove any other objects, such as traffic cones, that people have used or could use to prop a door.
[ ] Trim any tree limbs and shrubs that create obstruction for security cameras, sensors, lights, and being seen at doors.
[ ] Check lightbulbs around doorways and other entrances. Check for any lightbulbs that could also interfere with your security cameras clarity vision at night.
Need help with this section? Call us at 866-598-4369
Wrapping it up!
That just about covers the essentials! There are likely a million other things that you can do right now to further enhance your business security while the doors are closed for COVID-19, and this list is not exhaustive, but going through this checklist completely is going to help your security significantly at this time.
GenX Security Solutions is part of an industry that is designated by the Department of Homeland Security to be "critical infrastructure" and our technicians are "critical infrastructure workers" during COVID-19. We can enhance the security and fire protection of any business, open or closed, at this time and we have taken extra precautions for our safety and yours. To read our COVID-19 statement, please visit www.genxsecurity.com/coronavirus-greenville. Please contact us if you were unable to adequately take the preceding security measures prior to closing your business for COVID-19 so we can assist, or if you are in the process of closing your business and need help.
Our email address is info@genxsecurity.com, our phone number is 866-598-4369, and our website is www.genxsecurity.com.
Be safe, and stay well!
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