ASIS International offers standards and guidelines for the security industry

Published 22 September 2009

ASIS standards and guidelines address issues concerning the protection and management of assets — both physical and human — which are common to all sectors of society

ASIS International opened its 55th annual convention  at the Anaheim, California convention center yesterday. Many think of ASIS as a membership organization addressing the educational and informational needs of its members. It is that, but it is much more. As Security Management notes, ASIS International has become a leading voice in the setting of globally recognized resilience and security standards. ASIS standards and guidelines address issues concerning the protection and management of assets — both physical and human — which are common to all sectors of society. The standards aim to improve prevention, protection, preparedness, response, and recovery — while at the same time enhance the quality and professionalism of the industry.

The ASIS Web site offers an up-to-date list of published standards and guidelines, and also  list of those still in development. Here is a sample:

  • American National Standard: Organizational Resilience: Security, Preparedness, and Continuity Management Systems-Requirements with Guidance for Use. The standard aims to help companies prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from disruptions by emphasizing the synergies between the functions of risk, security, preparedness, continuity, and emergency management.
  • Facilities Physical Security Measures Guideline. This guideline assists in the identification of physical measures that can safeguard an organization’s assets-people, property, and information. It outlines eight categories of physical security measures: physical barriers, physical entry and access control, security lighting, intrusion detection systems, video surveillance, security personnel, security policies and procedures, and crime prevention through environmental design.
  • American National Standard for Workplace Violence Prevention and Intervention. Developed jointly with the Society for Human Resource Management, this draft standard will provide an over­view of general security policies,