Released recently by NACTSO: protective advice guidance for your business outside of the UK.
NACTSO (the National Counter Terrorism Security Office) says that the guide provides protective security advice to those who own, operate, manage or work within various businesses outside of the UK including hotels, restaurants, bars, shopping centres, tourism and transport. It is aimed at those premises where there may be a risk of a terrorist attack; either because of the nature of the business, its location, or the number of people who work there.
The document begins: “Terrorist attacks world wide are a real and serious danger. The attacks indicate that terrorists continue to target crowded places as they are usually locations with limited protective security measures, and therefore afford the potential for mass fatalities and casualties. Furthermore, these incidents identify that terrorists are prepared to use vehicles as a method of attack, to ensure delivery of a large improvised explosive device (IED) as close to their target as possible.
Covered are physical security and access control; good housekeeping; handling mail and deliveries, doing searches; and how to deter and deal with attacks, whether vehicle bombs, suicide bombers, chemical weapons, or with firearms or other weapons. Also offered are checklists for access control, good housekeeping and CCTV, and good practice in, among other things, evacuations, bomb threats, and personnel and information security.
The document authors stresses that the guide is not intended to create a ‘fortress mentality’. “There is however a balance to be achieved where those responsible for security are informed that there are robust protective security measures available to mitigate against the threat of terrorism, eg protection from flying glass and vehicle access controls into crowded areas, goods and service yards and underground car parks … Some attacks are easier to carry out if the terrorist is assisted by an insider’ or by someone with specialist knowledge or access. Terrorism also includes threats or hoaxes designed to frighten and intimidate your staff.”
The document stresses the need for risk assessments; training and auditing; business continuity planning (whether for acts of terror or floods and fire and the like); and knowing who your neighbours are and the nature of their business. “Could an incident at their premises affect your operation? There is limited value in safeguarding your own premises in isolation.”
The guide offers seven points, ‘applicable to most incidents’:
1. Do not touch suspicious items.
2. Move everyone away to a safe distance.
3. Prevent others from approaching.
4. Communicate safely to staff, business visitors and the public.
5. Use hand-held radios or mobile phones away from the immediate vicinity of a
suspect item, remaining out of line of sight and behind hard cover.
6. Notify the police.
7. Ensure that whoever found the item or witnessed the incident remains on hand
to brief the police.
NACTSO has brought out various booklets designed to meet the security and resilience needs of business. To download visit –
