SAFETY TIPS

Commercial Safety Tips

Protect your business whether you are at work or away. From Control Panels to Video Systems and everything in between, Mesa Alarm Systems protects your business with the most sophisticated systems and monitoring services available.

BE OBSERVANT

• Employees and employers should remain alert and observant.
• Several things to watch for:
  • Suspicious persons or vehicles around the business, especially at opening and closing time.
  • People wearing inappropriate clothing for the weather.
• Have regular safety meetings to develop and discuss your “plan”. Some of the elements of a good plan include:
  • Employee demeanor during a robbery (do not resist)
  • How to notify the police
  • An escape route
  • How to obtain a suspect description
  • How to obtain a vehicle description
  • Have prearranged signals between employees
  • How to activate alarms
  • When not to activate an alarm

OPENING AND CLOSING PROCEDURES

Two employees should open and close the business.

Before opening the business, one employee should check outside areas for possible break-ins. Also look to see that there are no suspicious persons hanging around. Garbage dumpsters are prime places where robbers hide, awaiting your arrival. Also note suspicious vehicles.

When closing, check all areas inside for possible persons hiding in the business. Keep a spare key in a prearranged room, in case an employee is locked inside after a robbery.
Keep a phone hidden for such an emergency.

Do not admit customers after store hours.

Keep the telephone number of your police department near the phone.

Be aware that sometimes merchants are followed back to their businesses or to their homes by robbers. Certain safety precautions should be followed regarding vehicles and home safety. Do not always travel the same routes to and from work. Be observant and check often to see if you are followed.

Know where police stations and fire stations are in your area. These locations are places of safety should you suspect that you are being followed.

Write down the license plate number of any suspicious vehicles. It is better to throw it away because you don’t need it, than to wish you had it.

PHYSICAL DETERRENTS

Keep the inside of your business well lighted, especially the entrances and exits.

The cash register should be visible from outside the store. A clear view to the register from the street or parking lot assists police officers to see inside as they patrol the area. If the windows are blocked they can not see in.

Mark the edge of the main doorway with measuring tape. This will help in obtaining a more accurate height of the robber.

Keep cash at a minimum, and post notices in the doorway of this fact.

Consider the installation of video cameras or alarm systems.

BANK DEPOSIT PROCEDURES

Do not advertise that you are carrying the bank deposit.

Avoid wearing name tags or clothing advertising your business when you are carrying the deposit.

Make deposits during the daylight hours.

Go directly to the bank. Do not make other stops along the way. Do not take the same route to the bank each time you go and do not go at the same time each day.

• Two employees should make the deposit
• Never leave a deposit unattended in the vehicle
• Keep doors of the vehicle locked when carrying deposits
• Be alert to any vehicle that may be following you to the bank
• Conceal the cash when transferring it from the vehicle to the bank. Don’t carry a money bag in view of anyone