Industrial facilities deal with challenges on multiple fronts. They face a labor shortage as they must do more with fewer employees. The U.S. Census Bureau data shows manufacturing is already dealing with staffing issues. They project that there will be 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030. Part of that is due to the lack of skilled workers. That puts industrial security and safety at risk.
This leads to the implementation of automation solutions to help them get more work done with fewer resources. A Harvard Business Review story indicates “lights-out factory” is the future of manufacturing. This means the factory will be able to operate without lights by depending on automation and minimal human involvement. The authors’ research shows robots are becoming more affordable and capable, especially with the explosion of generative artificial intelligence.
Industrial companies must hop on board with automation and technology or else they will fall behind. Automation won’t replace workers. Rather, workers will spend more time on high-value tasks and less on repetitive tasks that can result in injuries. Humans would install and maintain robots and other automation technologies.
Current Industrial Challenges
Balancing automation with a limited workforce is one problem. Another is deterring crime. Manufacturing facilities must rely on their own security. They cannot count on government policies or the police to help prevent vandalism and internal theft. Government policies only help so much. They may increase the severity of punishment, for example. That won’t stop crooks who have insidious plans.
Lawmakers were concerned about innocent bystanders who could get hurt during a high pursuit. Thus, some states have passed laws that prevent the police from doing high pursuits.
Like manufacturing, law enforcement has a shortage. Because of this, many police departments have changed their police response policies on what they consider to be an emergency. Some law enforcement departments define emergencies as those affecting a person’s life. They may not respond to vandalism or break-ins at industrial facilities after hours. If no one is getting hurt, then it’s not a critical emergency.
Another challenge is cybersecurity. Hackers target cyber-attacks in many industries including manufacturing. Cybercrimes are expensive and more than justify the need to incorporate cybersecurity in industrial security. IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report states the highest average cost of a breach was $4.24 million in 2021.
A cyber-attack affects the industrial facility’s reputation and the company’s reputation. The expense multiplies as the facility would need legal support, an incident response team, and resources to survive an attack.
And finally, many manufacturing facilities rely on outdated industrial security technologies and solutions. These tend to take a reactive approach to security. This means the solutions cannot stop a crime about to happen or even when it’s in progress.
These industrial security solutions don’t integrate security. The lack of integration can cost more and accomplish less than an integrated security solution. That’s why it’s not surprising the integrated security services market was worth almost $16 billion in 2024 according to Allied Market Research.
The research expects the market to exceed $55 billion by 2031. Researchers would not make such a prediction without data to support it. In other words, companies are already investing heavily in integrated security systems for identity and asset management, compliance management, and theft management.
The Need for Integrated and Multi-Layered Industrial Security
Industrial security cannot rely on one security measure. It doesn’t take much for suspects to break through silo defenses. Therefore, effective industrial security contains multiple barriers to create more work for intruders. When they see the many layers of industrial security, then they may be more likely to leave and go elsewhere.
The first layer of security is the perimeter. Perimeter security means protecting the boundaries or the edges around the facility. Examples of perimeter security include fencing, lighting, landscaping, video cameras, and signs announcing the area is under surveillance. The sight of video cameras with warning signs is a powerful psychological deterrent. However, this only scratches the surface of an effective security system.
Relying on humans for security is also risky. Security guards cannot view the entire property at any given time. They’re not a substitute for police officers. In fact, some aren’t allowed to carry guns. They can also provide a psychological deterrent, but they cannot stop a pending crime.
First of all, crooks monitor the location of the security guards and ensure they stay out of the guards’ views. Secondly, some security guards are not allowed to intervene in a crime or make an arrest. It depends on the local and state government policies.
Thirdly, security guards don’t always respond correctly as this video shows a security guard running away. Fourth, organized crime gangs and brazen thieves aren’t easily put off. They commit crimes in broad daylight in front of people.
The other challenge with industrial security is not prioritizing both physical security and cybersecurity. Many computers run machines that can be hacked.
An Effective Integrated Industrial Security Solution
The U.S. Department of Justice indicates effective industrial security systems must contain the three vital functions of detection, response, and delay. The Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) is responsible for the standards of the effectiveness of security solutions. This is how these three functions work according to the LPCB’s RedBookLive.
“It is therefore always important to ensure suitable physical security measures are in place and that those measures provide sufficient delay to enable the intruder to be detected and a suitable response mounted in order to apprehend the intruder.”
How does this work? Layered security with the ability to detect, respond, and delay increase robustness. An integrated multilayered industry security system can achieve this. It starts at the perimeter with lighting, landscaping, fencing, and cameras.
Security cameras can either be reactive or proactive. Cameras that work alone or with an alarm are still a reactive measure that don’t detect, respond, and delay. The key to the cameras is the complete solution. The most effective security camera solutions do more than keep an eye on the perimeter and sound an alarm. It’s essential to integrate monitoring services.
Monitoring done by trained human monitoring operators and artificial intelligence can detect, respond, and delay. While humans can monitor many cameras, it’s easy to miss something because it’s the tedious part of the job. This is where artificial intelligence enters the picture to help with the repetitive process of scanning the cameras simultaneously. This boosts the chances of the system detecting potential problems.
As soon as the monitoring operators detect suspicious activity, they can respond. Artificial intelligence alerts the monitoring operator. The human can respond by issuing a verbal warning on a speaker from a location away from the industrial facility. This may or may not stop the brazen trespasser. If it doesn’t, then the monitor can respond again by calling law enforcement.
While police officers may not respond to as many emergency situations, they’re more likely to respond in this situation because they have video verification from a trusted source. Monitoring companies like ECAM have partnerships with law enforcement all over North America.
As for the delay part of the equation, this refers to the time between the suspect’s arrival and departure. Traditional security cameras can’t perform that task even though they record someone approaching the facility.
Video surveillance with monitoring services can intervene as soon as anyone approaches the perimeter. The time between the approach and committing a crime is enough that often the police will arrive before the suspects depart.
Another technology that contributes to a powerful security layer is an access control system. The value of an access control system integrated with video surveillance is that adds a time stamp to the process. It can identify when someone had access to a room in the facility or what time an event occurred.
The Advantage of Integrated Industrial Security
Implementing industrial security can increase safety as well as deliver other benefits. Video surveillance, monitoring, and an access control system cost a fraction of what it would cost to use security guards and traditional security technologies. Unlike security guards and traditional security, video surveillance with monitoring offers full coverage across the entire property including the facility, loading zone, and parking area.
Video cameras can watch areas where it’s not safe for people to venture. This could be areas of the building with high voltage and the roof. While the area may not be safe, it doesn’t stop criminals from venturing into them. Security cameras can monitor these areas.
Thanks to advancements in manufacturing security technology, remote video surveillance and access control are cost-effective solutions that could yield an ROI within months.
Furthermore, safety is a priority for industrial facilities. Video cameras with monitoring can help spot potential hazards and problems before anyone gets hurt. The monitoring operator can contact the onsite manager to report the problem, so they can remove the hazard. This is how the integrated solution helps reduce liability.
Additionally, remote video surveillance can save all videos in recordings. The facility can have the footage available for resolving any safety and security issues that arise. Stealth clients have used the recordings for training.
ECAM’s security experts can support industrial facilities by doing an analysis of the facility and perimeter to create a right-sized integrated security solution. To learn about video surveillance, remote monitoring, access control systems, and other security solutions, contact us.
Texas Private Security License Number: B14187
California Alarm Operator License Number: ACO7876
Florida Alarm System Contractor I License Number: EF20001598
Tennessee Alarm Contracting Company License Number: 2294
Virginia Private Security Services Business License Number: 11-19499
Alabama Electronic Security License # 002116
Canada TSBC License: LEL0200704
