1. 5 February 2009
Skyscraper Security and Life Safety
Insert picture in this frame Insert picture in this frame
ASIS Asia-Pacific Conference
Hong Kong, China

2. Discussion
• Security and life safety
threats
• What is unique about
high-rise buildings?
• Best practices for high-
rise security and life
safety
• What changes may
occur in the future?
Geoff Craighead, CPP | High-Rise Security and Life Safety | December 15 2008 2

3. Four Major Types of Commercial High-Rises
• Office Buildings
• Hotels and Motels
• Residential and Apartment
Buildings
• Mixed-Use Facilities
Geoff Craighead, CPP | High-Rise Security and Life Safety | December 15 2008 3

4. Security Threats
• Assault • Robbery
• Burglary • Sabotage
• Espionage • Sex Offenses
• Larceny • Stalking
• Manslaughter • Trespass
• Murder • Vandalism
Geoff Craighead, CPP | High-Rise Security and Life Safety | December 15 2008 4

5. Life Safety Threats
• Aircraft collisions • Hazardous materials,
chemical & biological
• Arson
weapons, nuclear attack
• Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
• Labor disputes, civil
• Bombs and bomb threats disorder &
• Contagious diseases demonstrations
• Elevator malfunctions and • Medical emergencies
entrapments • Natural disasters
• Fires and fire alarms • Traffic accidents
• Hostage and barricade • Trip, slip and falls
situations • Power failures
• Workplace violence
Geoff Craighead, CPP | High-Rise Security and Life Safety | December 15 2008 5

6. Attacks Since 1993
Geoff Craighead, CPP | High-Rise Security and Life Safety | December 15 2008 6

7. What is Unique About High-Rises?
• High concentration of people and property make them a
potential target for criminal activity, including terrorism
• The probability of an uncontrolled fire, and the products
of combustion, moving upward
• Response to emergencies may be delayed due to travel
time for emergency responders to reach upper floors
Geoff Craighead, CPP | High-Rise Security and Life Safety | December 15 2008 7

8. What is Unique About High-Rises?
• In building emergencies, evacuation is restricted
because large numbers of people cannot all leave at
once via stairwells and elevators
• In some emergencies, such as fire, emergency exit
stairwells are the only safe means of escape
Geoff Craighead, CPP | High-Rise Security and Life Safety | December 15 2008 8

9. Best Practices for High-Rise Buildings
Blast Mitigation
- Barriers
- Column Reinforcement
Parking garages, loading
docks & lobbies
- Window Film
Courtesy of Delta Scientific Corporation
Geoff Craighead, CPP | High-Rise Security and Life Safety | December 15 2008 9

10. Best Practices for High-Rise Buildings
Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning
Systems (HVAC) Protection
The positioning and protection of outdoor air
intakes and the installation of detection systems
have become of increased importance due to the
threat of chemical and biological attack
Geoff Craighead, CPP | High-Rise Security and Life Safety | December 15 2008 10

11. Best Practices for High-Rise Buildings
Contraband Detection Systems
To control the entry of dangerous items some
high-profile buildings are utilizing metal
detectors, x-ray machines and explosives-
detection systems in lobbies and loading
docks
Courtesy of Garrett Metal Detectors
Geoff Craighead, CPP | High-Rise Security and Life Safety | December 15 2008 11

12. Best Practices for High-Rise Buildings
Optical Turnstiles
Buildings of significance due:
• size
• economic, political or symbolic
presence
• tenant profile
Geoff Craighead, CPP | High-Rise Security and Life Safety | December 15 2008 12

13. Best Practices for High-Rise Buildings
• Vehicles searched before entering
under-building parking garages
• Loading dock gates closed between
deliveries; heightened screening of
deliveries at loading docks; pre-
approval of deliveries
• Visitors screened for entry, sign-in
and escort, visitor management
software
• Building lockdown requiring card
access during normal business hours
• Increased security awareness by
building users; use of biometrics
Geoff Craighead, CPP | High-Rise Security and Life Safety | December 15 2008 13

14. Best Practices for High-Rise Buildings
• Video analytics
• Video surveillance in downtown public areas
Geoff Craighead, CPP | High-Rise Security and Life Safety | December 15 2008 14

15. Best Practices for High-Rise Buildings
• Focus on emergency evacuation drills, including
complete building evacuations
• On-line life safety training for building tenants
Geoff Craighead, CPP | High-Rise Security and Life Safety | December 15 2008 15

16. What Changes May Occur in Future?
National Institute
for Standards and
Technology (NIST)
Findings on the
World Trade
Center Fire and
Collapse
Geoff Craighead, CPP | High-Rise Security and Life Safety | December 15 2008 16

17. WTC Towers Population
“It is estimated that 17,400 occupants (+ or – 1,200) were present in the
WTC Towers on the morning of September 11, 2001.
Interviews were conducted of 1,034 WTC surviving occupants and 116 first
responders.
NIST’s Findings on the World Trade Center Fire and Collapse
S. Shyam Sunder and William L. Grosshandler; NFPA World Safety Conference & Exposition, June 8, 2005
(Bolding to quotation added for emphasis.)
Geoff Craighead, CPP | High-Rise Security and Life Safety | December 15 2008 17

18. Emergency Response
“Approximately 87 percent of the WTC tower occupants, including
more than 99 percent of those below the floors of impact, were
able to evacuate successfully.”
“The egress capacity (number and width of exits and stairways)
was adequate to accommodate survivors.”
NIST’s Findings on the World Trade Center Fire and Collapse
S. Shyam Sunder and William L. Grosshandler; NFPA World Safety Conference & Exposition, June 8, 2005
(Bolding to quotation added for emphasis.)
Geoff Craighead, CPP | High-Rise Security and Life Safety | December 15 2008 18

19. Occupant Evacuation for the physical challenge of full building evacuation.
“Occupants were often unprepared
“Occupants were often unprepared to encounter transfer hallways.
“Mobility challenged occupants were not universally identified or
prepared for full building evacuation.
NIST’s Findings on the World Trade Center Fire and Collapse
S. Shyam Sunder and William L. Grosshandler; NFPA World Safety Conference & Exposition, June 8, 2005
(Bolding to quotation added for emphasis.)
Geoff Craighead, CPP | High-Rise Security and Life Safety | December 15 2008 19

20. Occupant Preparedness the physical challenge of full building evacuation.
“Occupants were often unprepared for
“Two-thirds of surviving occupants reported having
participated in a fire drill in the 12 months prior to September
11, 2001, while 17 percent reported that they had received no
training during that same period.
“Of those participating in fire drills, 93 percent were instructed
about the location of the nearest stairwell.”
NIST’s Findings on the World Trade Center Fire and Collapse
S. Shyam Sunder and William L. Grosshandler; NFPA World Safety Conference & Exposition, June 8, 2005
(Bolding to quotation added for emphasis.)
Geoff Craighead, CPP | High-Rise Security and Life Safety | December 15 2008 20

21. 30 Recommendations in Eight Categories
• Increased Structural Integrity
• Enhanced Fire Resistance of Structures
• New Methods for Fire Resistance Design of Structures
• Improved Active Fire Protection
• Improved Building Evacuation
• Improved Emergency Response
• Improved Procedures and Practices
• Continued Education and Training
Final Report of the National Construction Safety Team on the Collapses of the World Trade Center Towers
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), http://wtc.nist.gov
Geoff Craighead, CPP | High-Rise Security and Life Safety | December 15 2008 21

22. Questions and answers
Insert picture in this frame Insert picture in this frame

23. Integrity | Vigilance | Helpfulness
www.securitasinc.com
Geoff Craighead, CPP | High-Rise Security and Life Safety | December 15 2008 23