Your Guide to Warehouse Security

Whether you own a small warehouse to store extra inventory or provide order fulfillment for other companies, protecting your merchandise is always top-of-mind. But in an environment where things are constantly moving, it can be difficult to keep track of everything on your own.

With a few key warehouse security measures, you can focus on day-to-day operations knowing that your inventory is protected.

Why Is Warehouse Security Important?

From extra furniture you can’t fit on a showroom floor to construction materials waiting for the right project, your warehouse stores thousands (or even millions) of dollars worth of merchandise. And between employees picking orders, delivery drivers picking up shipments, mechanics repairing equipment, and prospective vendors scoping out your space, it’s nearly impossible to keep track of everyone — and everything — that comes and goes. That’s where warehouse security comes in, and Ring can help.

With the right tools, you can automatically track activity around your warehouse, receive real-time alerts during potential security events, and capture critical information.

How to Improve Security in Your Warehouse

The following steps can help secure your warehouse inside and out.

Use Cameras to Monitor Blind Spots

Many areas of your warehouse are difficult to monitor, like back entrances, loading docks, and merchandise racks. Security cameras allow you to see what’s happening in real time using your phone, and you can look back at past footage to see if things went smoothly.¹ If an order is sent out incorrectly or a high-value item is misplaced, the footage can help you learn when the mistakes occurred and take necessary steps to help prevent future issues.

With Ring’s Stick Up Cam, you can easily track what happens inside or outside by mounting them for an overhead view or by placing them on shelves. Your cameras automatically begin recording when motion is detected and send a notification to your phone, so you can check in anytime. With night vision, you can get a clear picture around the clock — and Two-Way Talk enables you to chat from nearly anywhere. Plus, with a Ring Protect subscription, sold separately, you can see footage from the past 180 days, so you can make sure that late-night notification was caused by an employee and not an unauthorized visitor.

Floodlight and Spotlight Cams are perfect for dark outdoor areas since they automatically shine a bright light when motion is detected. From back entrances to loading zones, you can monitor all the hard-to-see spaces around your building and signal to unwanted visitors that they’re on camera.

Install a Warehouse Security System

Whether your warehouse is closed for the night or only a few employees are inside, a security system like Ring Alarm can help ensure no one gets in unnoticed. The system comes with two essential sensors that help detect activity. Contact Sensors use magnets to detect when someone opens one of your warehouse’s many doors or windows. Motion Detectors sense when someone walks into an area you want to monitor, like front and back entrances, loading zones, or back offices.²

If one of your sensors gets triggered, the Base Station sounds a loud siren inside your warehouse, which can help deter intruders and alert anyone inside. And with a Ring Protect subscription, sold separately, you’ll receive a notification to your phone, so you can assess the situation and call the authorities if necessary.

Enroll in Virtual Security Guard

As a warehouse owner, you may not have the budget to hire onsite security, but you can’t personally monitor the property 24/7. With 24/7 Alarm Professional Monitoring and Virtual Security Guard from Ring³, a team of trained Rapid Response professionals will monitor your compatible and enrolled camera notifications around the clock. And if they notice suspicious activity, your virtual agent can use Two-Way Talk in an attempt to deter uninvited visitors, sound your camera’s siren, and request emergency assistance on your behalf.

Unlike onsite security guards, Virtual Guards can see every angle of your warehouse at once — and if something happens, they can immediately help attempt to deter the activity using a feature on one of your cameras. The extra visibility and fast response time can make a significant difference when it matters most.

Implement Access Controls

Keycards, coded locks, and other access control methods on exterior doors allow you to track which employees come and go at different times of the day. If an incident occurs, you’ll know who was inside at the time, so you can see if they have any information. Access controls are also helpful in restricting access to areas inside your warehouse. If only trained employees are allowed in loading zones, you can add an entry system that only accepts keycards or codes from authorized staff members.

Add Extra Lighting

Keeping the exterior of your warehouse well-lit can help deter intruders from attempting entry, and it provides a safe path for employees headed to the parking lot at night. But you don’t need to keep every light on around the clock. Motion-activated Floodlights and Spotlights turn on when someone walks by, providing illumination only when it’s needed.

The interior of your warehouse should also be brightly lit when employees are inside to help prevent accidents and ensure suspicious activity is noticed.

Use Heavy-Duty Doors and Locks

Solid doors and locks provide an excellent barrier to unauthorized entry because they can be extremely difficult to breach. And if a potential intruder sees that you also have good lighting and security cameras, they might decide not to attempt entry at all.

Look for solid steel doors and consider double-cylinder locks, which require unlocking from both sides.

Lock High-Value Merchandise in Security Cages

From luxury goods to electronics, security cages can protect your valuable merchandise from theft. While it’s unlikely an unauthorized visitor will get past your cameras, Ring Alarm, access control system, and locks, these secure wire cages act as a final layer of defense to prevent them from getting to your most important items.

Get Affordable, Around-the-Clock Protection With Ring

As a warehouse owner, loss prevention is critical — but there’s no need to spend big on security to save on shrinkage. Ring offers a range of warehouse security measures for every budget, from Floodlight Cams that help monitor and illuminate entrances and exits to Ring Alarm Pro, which can help protect your building and network. And with a Ring Protect Pro subscription, and Virtual Security Guard, both sold separately, you can ensure that nothing gets missed, whether a Contact Sensor gets triggered before opening or a camera detects motion at midnight.

Need help deciding how to overhaul your warehouse security? Speak to a specialist now to find the best setup for your business.

¹ Your Ring videos in the cloud are stored temporarily, up to 180 days. Changing your video storage time will only affect videos that are recorded after you adjust your storage time setting. Check Ring Protect Subscription Plans for more information.

²  Requires the Ring Alarm Security Kit.

³  Virtual Security Guard is an add-on service that requires the following (each sold separately): subscription fee per enrolled location plus a compatible Ring Protect plan, Ring Alarm system, enrollment in Ring Alarm professional monitoring, and an eligible device. Rapid Response is the seller and provides the service and agents monitoring person detected motion events. Learn more.

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