Why is Factory Security Important? How can it be Improved?
In factories undergoing digital transformation, the risk of cyberattacks that disrupt manufacturing processes or cause data breaches is also rising. Therefore, cybersecurity measures are now considered an essential part of overall safety strategies.
This article explains the fundamental concepts of factory security, common risks in factory environments, and how OPTEX security solutions can enhance factory safety — along with the benefits they bring.
Why Factory Security Matters for Businesses
● Protecting Lives and Employee Safety
- Factories involve numerous hazards such as heavy machinery operation, chemical substances, and work at heights.
- Safety measures are essential to prevent accidents and disasters and to protect employees’ lives.
- A safe workplace enhances productivity, motivation, and retention, while supporting the company’s credibility.
● Ensuring Stable Production (Minimizing Downtime)
- Equipment failures or accidents can lead to operational shutdowns and delivery delays, resulting in financial losses.
- For manufactureres, even short periods of downtime can affect output and quality, making safety management a critical factor for cost reduction and profitability.
- Regular inspections and anomaly detection systems help prevent unplanned stoppages.
● Compliance and Corporate Trust
- Accidents can lead to legal liabilities and compensation claims, impacting business continuity.
- Robust safety management is essential to maintain trust with customers and society, protect brand value, and sustain competitiveness.
Common Risks and Challenges in Factories
- Accidents involving machinery and equipment: Forklifts and other machines create environments where entrapment, entanglement, and collisions can easily occur. Follow safety procedures and conduct regular inspections to prevent such incidents.
- Slips, trips, and falls: Leaving materials unattended or working on uneven surfaces can lead to tripping and falling hazards. Proper organization and clear pathways are essential.
- Falls from heights: Working on ladders, scaffolds, or cranes poses serious risks of falling. Using safety harnesses and strictly following safety rules is critical.
- Fire and explosions: Overheated electrical wiring or improper handling of hazardous materials can cause fires or explosions. Ensure fire prevention equipment is in place and manage flammable substances carefully.
- Theft risks in storage areas and warehouses: These areas are vulnerable to external intrusions and internal crime. Theft can disrupt business operations and erode customer trust.
The Broader Meaning of Factory Security
— A Comprehensive Approach to Safety, Disaster Prevention, and Crime Prevention
● Occupational Safety (Accident Prevention)
● Disaster Prevention (Fire, Power Outages, Natural Disasters)
● Crime Prevention (Intrusion, Theft, Internal Fraud)
Make sure to continue security education and training for handling suspicious individuals.
Factory Security for Enhanced Crime Prevention
Protecting high-risk areas such as material storage spaces, warehouses, and the outer perimeter—the first point of intrusion—plays a critical role in determining the overall security level of a factory.
Below are the basic components of a security system designed to strengthen crime prevention:
For details on each, please refer to What types of security systems are there?
● On-Site Security Personnel
● Surveillance Cameras (CCTV)
● Burglar Alarm System
● Access Control (Role-Based, Biometric/IC)
What Can OPTEX Offer for Factory Security? Key Benefits
OPTEX enhances the reliability of factory-wide security systems and improves operational efficiency through advanced sensor technology integrated with surveillance systems.
1. Perimeter Protection
Detecting unauthorized entry at the perimeter helps prevent building intrusion and reduces overall factory risk.
These sensors are designed to minimize false alarms even in outdoor environments.
▶ View details of Perimeter Intrusion Detection System (PIDS)
▶ See Infrared Beam Sensor Lineup (Protect the perimeter with a defined protection line)
▶ See Fiber Sensor Lineup (Long-distance fence-mounted or buried installation)
▶ See LiDAR Sensor Lineup (High-density area protection)
2. Integration of Cameras and Sensors: Proactive Video Monitoring Solution
OPTEX’s Proactive Video Monitoring Solution seamlessly integrates sensors with surveillance cameras.
When a sensor detects an intruder, the linked camera feed is automatically displayed on the monitoring room’s screen.
This enables a rapid workflow of “Detection → Notification → Visual Confirmation → Action”, minimizing potential damage.
The solution is highly flexible, enabling to build the optimal system configuration—including NVR/VMS—based on your facility’s size, budget, and layout.
3. Security for Warehouses, Storage Areas, and Restricted Zones
To protect valuable materials and products from theft, an effective approach is a workflow that combines intrusion detection by sensors with instant alarm notifications to security personnel.
Examples of sensor applications include:
- Detecting human presence inside a warehouse using passive infrared sensors
- Creating an invisible barrier around shelves with LiDAR sensors to detect any hand reaching for stored materials
4. Visualizing Alarm Locations: GENIO Map Monitoring Software
GENIO Map is an alarm monitoring software that instantly displays the location of detected intrusions or unauthorized activities on a map image on the security room’s PC screen.
This allows security personnel to immediately identify where the incident occurred and respond quickly, minimizing potential damage.
Summary
Factory Security is a comprehensive approach to protecting lives, assets, and operational continuity.
By addressing occupational safety, disaster prevention, and crime prevention as an integrated strategy, you can minimize the risks of accidents, theft, and production downtime.
OPTEX’s indoor and outdoor sensors combined with video surveillance enable rapid response from intrusion detection to action, significantly enhancing overall factory security.
A secure factory protects corporate trust.
Investing in Factory Security is an investment in the future.
Contact OPTEX
Please feel free to contact us for further information.
We are always eager to support you and propose a solution that suits your needs.
