By Layne Hesse and Rod Sweet from Sinclair Knight Merz
Recent incidents such as the attack on a nurse in Blacktown hospital have drawn renewed attention to the issue of hospital security.
While hospital emergency departments have historically been the focal point for security, the emergence of drug and mental health issues combined with other social impacts in the last 10 to 15 years have contributed to elevated threat levels that impact all areas of health care facilities.
These trends have prompted a shift to a new paradigm and approach to security planning and implementation in health care, where the focus on a more patient or person centric model is applied and is balanced with a health service delivery model where the safety, security and protection of
people and other tangible assets becomes the responsibility of all including senior management, practitioners and asset managers.
This shift in thinking and the distribution of responsibilities extends past the traditional perception that security staff maintain sole responsibility for security issues and security response, where now a more integrated approach applies incorporating more contemporary functions of planning, management and people focused services.
Planning and design
Typically, how a building is constructed and/or planned, will dictate how effective the security overlays will be and as such is important for any new build, for good security planning to be dovetailed with the architectural requirements.
Typically, how a building is constructed and/or planned, will dictate how effective the security overlays will be and as such is important for any new build, for good security planning to be dovetailed with the architectural requirements.
Implementing appropriate and safe access paths both vertically and horizontally throughout the building for both pedestrian and vehicles is critical as it recognises the various user groups within the building, how these groups are segregated and how these groups interact.
This also details the movement paths associated with all user groups to ensure that there are no conflicts or compromises.
Planning and design also considers exterior environment features such as building setbacks (how far back from risks such as roads/vehicles), landscaping, footpaths, parking, common areas and lighting with an aim to maximise “natural surveillance” (or to provide maximum visibility over a maximum distance), which minimises the potential for assault and the like by removing dark and secluded areas.
Technology
Technology refers to the systems and devices that are provided to assist the security management team in obtaining and maintaining the required levels of security at all times, to meet the identified risks such as CCTV, access control, intrusion detection, asset tracking and mobile duress systems.
Technology refers to the systems and devices that are provided to assist the security management team in obtaining and maintaining the required levels of security at all times, to meet the identified risks such as CCTV, access control, intrusion detection, asset tracking and mobile duress systems.
An important note however is that technology should not be applied simply because it exists, and that by installing cameras will not be the panacea to your security concerns. It should be provided as part of the overall design philosophy and supporting the other elements, such as management and planning.
Management
Management refers to the ongoing process and organisation of the security objectives and hierarchy, which includes all assigned responsibilities, duties and other activities relative to provide the level of supervision of all movement, events, responses and liaisons with other authorities.
Management refers to the ongoing process and organisation of the security objectives and hierarchy, which includes all assigned responsibilities, duties and other activities relative to provide the level of supervision of all movement, events, responses and liaisons with other authorities.
Security education, awareness and training
Education, awareness and training supports the ongoing process of actively supervising and influencing your own environment and security outcomes.
Education, awareness and training supports the ongoing process of actively supervising and influencing your own environment and security outcomes.
This includes the general level of security through passive surveillance by general staff providing complementary functions to report incidences such as vandalism, antisocial, suspicious behaviour and loitering.
The management and control of public access is possibly the biggest issue facing hospitals and healthcare facilities because of the inherent risks or security threats and the dilemma that it represents as public health facilities must be accessible.
Duress alarms have also been used in facilities that deal with drug and alcohol or mental health patients, while the evolution of large EDs has provoked the need for security guards to assist clinical staff manage aggressive patients.
Hospitals and health care facilities must also comply with occupational health and safety requirements to provide a safe and secure environment for the protection of staff, patients, contractors, customers, visitors and other assets.
Physical security
Physical security measures can include barriers and containers, surveillance and access control through security officers, electronic security systems and electronic access control.
Physical security measures can include barriers and containers, surveillance and access control through security officers, electronic security systems and electronic access control.
In addition to applying physical security measures, other security in design considerations can take the form of physical separation and circulation of facility user groups.
For example the separation of staff and or public entry and circulation flow may be applied to achieve both safety, security and infection control.
Similarly the separation of in-patient and facilities or hotel services lifts and circulation paths for privacy, health requirements and security objectives may also be appropriate.
Other security in design may include segregation of functional areas for what may be regarded as high risk or vulnerable wards.
This includes instance children’s and neonatal wards, where a secure airlock and or reception point prevents open access without appropriate authorisation.
Layne Hesse and Rod Sweet are senior security consultants at Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) and are speakers at the Security 2011 Exhibition.
Their presentation, titled Achieving a Safer Hospital Environment Through Security Risk Management, Planning and Design, will be held on Thursday, August 25, 2pm.
Security 2011 Exhibition is a trade show for security professionals in Asia Pacific, and be held 24 – 26 August, at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre.
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