Business Alarm Monitoring : Essential Security for Cannabis Growers
by Jason Tobias, August 10, 2021
Alarm monitoring is essential for compliance with the cannabis regulations.
Health Canada requires monitoring of the site intrusion detection system at all times, 365/24/7, plus measures for alarm response and record keeping.
While the system can be monitored entirely by on-premise personnel, it is common to also use a third-party monitoring company for redundancy and continuous coverage.
Along with video surveillance, access control, intrusion detection and record keeping, alarm monitoring is one of the five essential elements of any cannabis site’s physical security measures.
Otm Systems specializes in alarm monitoring to meet the Canadian cannabis regulations.
Consultations are always free and confidential.
Protects Your Assets from Theft or Damage
Cannabis facilities aren’t only full of cannabis. They also contain expensive equipment and valuable intellectual property.
Monitoring for illicit activity and intrusion attempts offers an opportunity to head-off theft and property damage.
A security system won’t stop someone from crashing a vehicle through your fence or keep an employee from stealing tools.
It does however provide some amount of deterrence and a way to keep track of what is going on.
Alarm monitoring is a layer in the concentric rings of security protecting your facility.
It gives you a chance to respond to threats in real time and potentially intercept them as they are happening.
Keeps Employees Safe
Employee safety can be compromised by illicit activities or intrusion attempts.
Just as physical security measures act as a deterrent to thieves, they also offer employees additional situational awareness, especially when working alone or at night.
Helps Prevent Crime (Diversion)
One of the key goals of the cannabis regulations is to prevent diversion to and from the illicit market.
Maintaining compliant physical security measures is one method by which LPs ensure a continuous and traceable record of all product in their possession.
Alarm monitoring improves the chance of intercepting any illegal activity and mounting an appropriate response.
Provides Evidence For Law Enforcement Officials
When designed for the regulations, video monitoring systems are only required to be able to detect the presence of an individual and identify illicit activity.
Identifying specific individuals is not required, but in some cases may be possible when combined with records from the site access control system.
For monitoring of the perimeter and entry points into storage or cultivation areas it may be desirable to add additional video cameras to allow for the identification of individuals or vehicle licence plates.
Having one year of video records and two years of intrusion alarm records is necessary for compliance and can also provide important evidence for law enforcement in the event of a theft or robbery.
Peace Of Mind
Most modern security systems can be monitored remotely from a smart-phone.
This is great for alarm management and knowing what is happening in your facility at any time.
The ability to view video and alarm status remotely isn’t just for checking why the front door opened at midnight on a Saturday.
It provides peace of mind that the facility is safe and the compliance measures are functioning as intended.
Reduces Insurance Costs
Getting insurance as a cannabis business can be challenging at the best of times.
Alarm monitoring may help reduce insurance costs for traditional businesses.
For plant touching companies, comprehensive physical security with monitoring is table stakes.
In some cases, insurance companies may dictate extra physical security measures to bind coverage.
Key Features Associated with Business Alarm Monitoring for Cannabis
Confused by the regulations or not sure where to start?
Book a call with Jason for a free consultation about your cannabis project.
We specialize in security systems for Health Canada compliance.
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