31Oct
“Winter Focus on Security Lighting”
Info4Security (U.K.) (10/21/08) ; Hildebrand, Anthony
As winter approaches and the days grow shorter, it is a good time for businesses to consider installing security lighting. Lighting can not only serve as a deterrent to potential intruders but is also necessary for video surveillance equipment to function properly. Marl has developed new high brightness floodlights that use just 30 watts of power. The four efficient LED lights can last for over ten years, providing companies with a long-term, low-maintenance security solution. Marl’s 742 series is designed to provide a wide area of light below the lamps, minimizing light pollution while allowing for maximum flexibility. Axis Communications markets a low-energy consumption lighting system designed to support the company’s network cameras. The company’s white LED lights use just 25 watts, helping businesses reduce consumption at a time when energy prices are rising. Experts recommend that businesses allow a professional to inspect their lighting system, which could result in significant savings and increased security.
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25Oct
“Sign of the Times? UK Retailers Security Tag Meat”
Reuters (UK) (10/20/08) ; Joseph, John
In Britain, some stores are placing security tags on meat, as shoplifting is expected to rise in the wake of the global financial crisis. “Retailers are preparing for a rapid rise in offenses and are adapting crime prevention methods, for example placing electronic security tags on expensive cuts of meat,” said the director general of the British Retail Consortium. In 2007, shoplifting crimes in Britain dropped by more than 25 percent; however, the BRC worries that the worldwide financial crisis will stop that trend. According to a BRC spokesman, tagging meat products shows that retailers are falling victim to theft and that they are worried about customers being strapped for cash.
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20Oct
“High-Tech ID Cards Rolling Out at Ports”
Boston Globe (10/06/08) ; Ballou, Brian R.
On Oct. 15, New England’s ports will become the first in the country to implement a new high-tech identification card for port workers. Beginning on that day, workers who do not have a Transportation Worker Identification Credential card will either be barred entry or taken to their destination by an escort. In order to obtain a high-tech identification card, a worker must submit to an extensive background check performed by the Transportation and Security Administration. The cards contain a photograph of the worker, as well as a chip that contains a copy of the cardholder’s fingerprints. Before entering a secure area, workers will undergo a fingerprint scan to confirm their identity. Although the cards will be mandatory in New England in mid-October, the fingerprint scanners are not expected to be operational for several months. Also, as of a week before the compliance date, around 3,000 of New England’s 8,000 port workers had not yet applied for cards. The International Longshoreman’s Association, a union which represents around 45,000 port workers across the country, worked with the Department of Homeland Security to create a fair appeal process for workers who were denied cards and limit the number of years considered during a background check.
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10Oct
“Richardson: Workplace Policies on Domestic Violence Required”
New Mexico Business Weekly (10/01/08)
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson recently signed an executive order mandating state agencies to introduce workplace policies pertaining to domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking so that victims can feel secure at work. The new state policies must be implemented by July 1 of next year. “Domestic violence affects all New Mexicans, and its damage is inflicted not only upon victims, but their children, families, communities and employers,” said Richardson. According to Richardson’s order, agencies can look at the New Mexico Domestic Violence Leadership Commission’s model policy when crafting their own workplace policies. “There is a huge financial cost to employers when victims are distracted and harassed at work, or simply absent,” said Sharon Pino, the state’s domestic violence czar. “By creating supportive and safe work environments, victims are able to maintain employment and are more likely to gain the financial independence necessary to escape a violent relationship.”
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03Oct
“Employee Fraud Checked With Smarter Devices”
The Australian (Australia) (09/26/08) ; Flandez, Raymund
A number of security vendors have developed new technologies to aid small businesses in protecting against employee theft. One system allows businesses owners to access surveillance video remotely through a Web portal. The security system also sends them a text message or e-mail if there is a problem with the lighting or climate control system. One popular form of employee theft is “skimming,” when cashiers or restaurant servers steal customers’ credit card information and steal their identity. A new wireless device allows customers to swipe their own credit cards and print out their own receipt, even preventing restaurant employees from inflating the tip. Grocery stores are another type of business that is victimized by employee theft. One of the largest problems is cashiers not scanning some items for their friends and family. However, a new system developed by StopLift automatically spots unusual movements by cashiers, such as placing their hand over the bar code so it does not scan. The technology combines surveillance video with advanced software to determine if items were properly scanned and flag any incidents. One store manager who recently began using the technology said that it was also helpful in spotting cashiers making unintentional mistakes.
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