Author: – PET –
To minimize risks of service disruption of EPES operations, Physical Security an Access Controls play a key role in security as a whole at EPES operators.
This post provides an overview of these two key enablers of security.
EPES operators are aware of the importance of the safety of people and property. Security is an important factor in achieving economic and other goals. A large part of EPES operator’s activities is devoted to preventive action and staff training, thus safe environment can be achieved only by the individuals themselves.
Because activities for carrying out a specific and locationally very dispersed activity, where many security risks are encountered, the use and implementation of other preventive actions is a necessary measure. The measure of implementing physical security and access control certainly belongs to the latter.
To implement security processes, EPES companies use the practice of establishing a headquarters service for corporate security and business control, which is hierarchically directly subordinate to the Management Board. The fundamental goal of the service is to implement measures and practices that will result in the establishment of a safe work environment.
PHYSICAL SECURITY
When and where the assessment of the level of security risks exceeds the threshold values and a security incident could significantly affect the company’s smooth operations, a decision to implement physical security measures needs to be taken.
When we talk about physical security, we mean the implementation of preventive actions in the form of a security guard in a protected area. Due to the nature of the work, activities at certain locations present wider risks, specifically at critical energy infrastructure, and are as such, subject to legal regulations. The state has defined facilities of this type as critical infrastructure facilities, all with the aim of ensuring continuous operation. Security plays a key role in this.
The physical security service for the client’s needs is performed by an external contractor who holds a license and meets other business standards. The scope and content of security is precisely defined in the physical security plan, of which the protocols also form an integral part.
ACCESS CONTROL
Limiting the access of unauthorized persons to security-sensitive environments is also an important factor in ensuring the security of property. This is achieved by implementing access control systems.
Due to the complexity of the business and existence of many dislocated units, systems that allow remote management and updating of access profiles immediately and according to needs are needed.
The persons authorized to assign the level of access authorizations need to be defined in EPES operator’s internal acts. Because these systems operate on the internet, one needs to take account the importance of cyber security, which is only products that meet the appropriate security standards during implementation can be chosen for the use in EPES operator’s environment.
