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The Advantages of Parking Lot Lighting

The Advantages of Parking Lot Lighting

By Charlotte Bonita – Commercial Lighting Blogger 

There are a number of advantages to parking lot lighting than you might have initially thought. These can come in the form of design, professionalism, and security. Just as installing lighting will have advantages in the safety of pedestrians, it can also include advances in design, professional status, and attraction of a business. Have a look at the following pros of parking lot lighting, and why it is something you should consider.

Protecting Your Business

Installing parking lot lighting protects your business in terms of the security and safety of your business’s assets. If your business has an unlit parking lot, then it’s more likely to attract unwanted attention from thieves and burglars who are looking to stay out of sight before potentially performing a break-in.

If a building becomes attractive to the wrong kind of audience, expensive computers and other equipment are at stake, and there is no guarantee, despite security systems, that robbery will not be attempted during the late hours of the night.

While it is advisable to install security systems or cameras alongside parking lot lighting to ensure the highest level of security and prevention of risks, parking lot lighting is a factor that will help towards lowering the risk of criminal activities.

Protecting Pedestrians

Installing lighting into a parking lot also improves the safety of on goers and pedestrians. While a dark parking lot can be a perfect lurking spot for criminals and thieves, a well-lit-up area creates a safer environment for passers-by and local pedestrians.

Parking lot lighting also creates a safer environment for employees who might be working late or leaving their car in the parking lot. It gets dark early in winter and fall, which means staff who might be walking to their car on their way home are far more likely to get robbed than if the area was completely illuminated.

It is also a safety precaution in terms of driving in the pitch-black darkness, as pulling out of a parking space is a lot harder in this case. To prevent any unnecessary accidents, installing parking lot lighting can help.

Design

The installments of lights in a parking lot can not only improve the safety and security of the area and your business’s assets but can also create a better sense of environment and design. Lighting will illuminate the parking lot as well as the building where the business is present, making it stand out and look more presentable.

Professionalism

Installing parking lot lighting gives the building and business a higher professional status, making it appear well kitted out and ready for any clients who might come to visit.

Businesses that don’t have parking lot lighting installed will appear less practical than those who do, and clients visiting for meetings will be safer if the area is lit.

Overall, parking lot lighting might seem like an extra mile to go, but in fact, the extra mile you go will heighten the level of safety, security, design, and professionalism a business already possesses.

If you are interested in upgrading any lighting design for your business you need to first contact the professionals at ESP! We will help you from there!

WHY IS ACCESS CONTROL IMPORTANT?

Access controls limit access to information and information processing systems. When implemented effectively, they mitigate the risk of information being accessed without the appropriate authorization, unlawfully, and the risk of a data breach. They apply anywhere access is required to perform a business activity and should be adhered to when accessing information in any format, on any device.

In practice it is not uncommon for access to information to be overly restrictive, resulting in information silos. Whilst a focus on security and privacy is obviously needed to protect business information and meet data protection legislation obligations, there must also be a balance with accessibility. Opening up information assets supports collaboration and innovation, and in our experience supports successful eDRMS (electronic document and records management system) projects.

To implement an effective access control environment, we recommend the following six areas are given careful consideration:

1. ACCESS CONTROL PRINCIPLES

Guiding principles that provide rules for all implementations of access to networks, systems, information, and data. This can include principles relating to:

  • Access approval by a registered owner (e.g. an information, business, or system owner)
  • The sharing of personal data
  • Role and group-based access

2. WHO DETERMINES ACCESS?

What roles understand and approve access requests? Do you have Information on Asset Owners? In practice will they delegate responsibility for determining access to a Line Manager?

3. WHO ENSURES APPROPRIATE ACCESS IS IMPLEMENTED?

Is this your helpdesk? Do you have Information Champions who can ensure access is implemented correctly and that it is appropriate?

4. HOW ACCESS WILL BE DOCUMENTED

Access controls must be documented to provide evidence of the controls implemented. This can be in an Information Asset Register, helpdesk system, or even Active Directory

5. HOW THE ACCESS CONTROLS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED

Do you have a Business Classification Scheme or an eDRMS that will support the implementation of access controls? Do your new starter, transfers and leaver processes ensure access is set up, amended, or revoked where and when necessary?

6. PERIODIC AUDIT PROCEDURE

Access controls should be audited on a periodic basis to ensure controls align to what is needed and is documented. Would this be done by your helpdesk?

Access controls are an essential part of an information security framework. Reviewing these six areas will give your organization a solid foundation for controlling user access to information and systems, that meets your legislative, statutory, regulatory, and contractual requirements.

If you would like to know how to go about articulating access controls in a model or policy, get in touch with Electrical Service Professionals!