Counter-terrorism
Staying safe at work
Be alert and observant, and report any unusual or suspicious activity to the appropriate people or departments in your work place.
Advice for employees
- have a good look around your work place and establish an awareness of what should and should not be there - this will be very important if your premises need to be searched at any time (for example, if there were a bomb threat)
- trust your instincts - if you feel something is wrong, tell those in charge
- be aware of anyone who passes through your workplace in the delivery of goods or services
- take good care of your personal financial facilities and records
Advice for employers
- have proper audit trails and do not adopt trading practices that effectively launder money
- ensure your accounting practice pick up anomalies
- know your customers so that you can ensure they are who they say they are
- ensure your computer systems, and access to them, are secure
Know your staff
- make sure that you are certain they are who they say they are
- check employees references and employment records
- be aware of any behaviour or changes in behaviour that might give cause for concern
- ensure any managers are aware of how they should handle such instances
- ensure similar standards are applied to any agency or contract staff working for you
Know and develop appropriate contingency plans
- ensure your business have suitable contingency plans if your office is not accessible
- make sure that your staff can contact the office to check the current situation
- work with the police and the fire brigade to ensure your standard emergency plans, such as fire evacuation drills, are up-to-date and regularly exercised
- make sure your staff know emergency procedures
Invest in security measures
Existing security measures
Your existing measures may be adequate but they may not be well maintained or staff may not be aware of them.
Before you invest in additional measures, review what is already in place - simply reinstating good basic security practices and regularly addressing them brings benefits at negligible cost. Make sure that:
- existing measures form a cohesive security package that provides overall assurance
- someone in your organisation has specific responsibility for security
Protect against electronic attack or hacking
The National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre (new window) (NISCC) offers the following advice to companies and organisations to protect against electronic attack:
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consider if changes in your business circumstances or relationships might increase the threat of electronic attack to your organisation
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check that protective security measures are properly implemented and up-to-date
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anti-virus software should be updated regularly
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patches should be applied to eliminate known vulnerabilities
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internal security policies should provide appropriate protection from inside attack
More information about how to protect against electronic attack, and details on the latest vulnerabilities and patches, can be found on the NISCC website (new window).
Further advice on protecting your work place from harm
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Protective security advice for businesses, organisations and anyone with responsibility for the safety of others, can be found on the Security Service (MI5) website (new window).
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Contact your local police station (new window) and arrange a visit from your local Crime Prevention Officer or your local Police Counter-Terrorism Security Adviser. Both will help you assess any problems and offer advice.
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Manuals such as 'Business as Usual' and 'Bombs - Protecting People and Property' are available on the UK Resilience website (new window).
