Book Review: Blueprint for Business Safety and Security
By William F. Blake, CPP. Charles C. Thomas Publishers; ccthomas.com; 202 pages; $29.95.
Intended for the "average small-to-medium-sized business owner" but applicable to a wider audience, Blueprint for Business Safety and Security: A Guide to Protecting Your Business serves as a primer on mitigating exposure to negligent or inadequate security claims and reputation harm for all who might be held liable.
Readers are introduced to the legal elements of a negligence claim and provided a thorough examination of foreseeability (probability), reasonable care, and adequate warning. The author concisely highlights and summarizes the basics of laws, regulations, guidance, guidelines, and best practices. The book also discusses agencies having jurisdiction, which may directly or substantially impact readers.
Author William F. Blake, CPP, underscores the limitations of technology, policies, and procedures when human intervention is counter to supporting objectives, whether through inadequate training and testing, understaffing and underbudgeting, or a lack of commitment by those having responsible charge. Readers will benefit from a comprehensive study of case law and precedent that should guide all aspects of their security risk management program.
While most of the book is informative and descriptive, some content (active shooter survival instructions, controlling internal theft, etc.) contribute less and may be better suited for other subject matter books. This, however, does not diminish its value to readers across all sectors and industries. Blueprint for Business Safety and Security is a must-have desk reference for everyone from novice security practitioners to experts, who will benefit from both newly learned information and reminders of what was learned but forgotten over their careers.
Reviewer: Ross D. Bulla, CPP, PSP, has advised public- and private-sector policy makers and stakeholders on prevention, intervention, and response to global terror and security threats. He is president of The Treadstone Group, Inc., in North Carolina.
