No matter the size or type of your organisation, the physical security of your people, property, and operations must be a priority. While many businesses invest in access control systems, CCTV, or alarm services, few stop to ask—are those controls actually effective, necessary, or even working?
A security review helps you answer that question.
At its core, a security review is a structured evaluation of how well your current systems and procedures are protecting your environment. It identifies gaps, uncovers vulnerabilities, and provides practical recommendations to reduce risk, improve efficiency, and align with legal and regulatory requirements.
At Smartsec Security Solutions, we provide independent security reviews for businesses, local councils, schools, and other organisations across Perth and regional WA. We don’t sell equipment, so our advice is honest, practical, and focused entirely on your needs.
What Is a Security Review?
A security review (often called a security risk review) is a formal process that evaluates the physical, technological, and procedural controls you have in place. It looks at whether they’re:
- Adequate for your current risk profile
- Aligned with best practice and Australian Standards
- Being used correctly and consistently
- Supporting safety, operations, and compliance
A good security review doesn’t just highlight what’s missing—it also identifies what’s working, what can be improved, and where you might be spending too much without enough return.
Why a Security Review Matters
Security threats don’t always look like criminal intrusions or major incidents. Often, the biggest risks come from within: staff not following procedures, expired access credentials still in circulation, broken lighting, or blind spots in surveillance coverage.
Without a structured review, these issues often go unnoticed—until it’s too late.
Conducting a security review allows you to:
- Understand your current exposure to risk
- Make informed decisions on upgrades or changes
- Improve response times and coordination during incidents
- Build confidence among staff, customers, or stakeholders
- Support insurance, audit, and legal compliance
- Prioritise your security investments where they’re needed most
For councils, schools, and high-traffic commercial sites, it also supports community confidence and public safety outcomes.
Our Security Review Process
At Smartsec Security Solutions, we take a methodical, standards-aligned approach to every security review. Each engagement is tailored to the site, sector, and risk profile—but follows a consistent, proven process.
Initial Consultation and Scope
We begin by understanding your needs, concerns, and any known issues. This may involve discussions with your operations team, safety manager, or site representative. We clarify what you’re hoping to achieve, and define the scope—whether that’s a single facility, an open space, or a multi-site review.
Site Walkthrough and Physical Inspection
We then conduct a physical inspection of your premises. This includes:
- Reviewing all access points, entry/exit zones, and restricted areas
- Observing staff routines, contractor access, and visitor management
- Checking existing security infrastructure such as cameras, alarms, lighting, fencing, and gates
- Looking at environmental factors that contribute to safety or concealment (e.g. vegetation, sightlines, lighting coverage)
- Assessing areas of previous concern (e.g. loitering zones, vandalism hotspots, blind corners)
This on-site assessment helps us document what’s actually happening—not just what’s written in your procedures.
Document and Policy Review
We also review your existing security documents, including:
- SOPs (standard operating procedures)
- Emergency response plans
- Staff induction and access protocols
- Incident reports and logs
- CCTV monitoring practices
- Maintenance records
Understanding how your systems are managed, not just installed, is critical to identifying procedural weaknesses.
Risk Identification and Gap Analysis
We then assess where your current controls may be lacking. Using the ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management Framework, we map out key risks based on:
- Likelihood
- Impact
- Existing controls
- Residual risk
This phase identifies your most pressing vulnerabilities and what’s required to address them.
Tailored Recommendations
Based on all findings, we prepare a report that outlines:
- Areas of concern and observations
- What needs improvement and why
- Practical, achievable recommendations broken into:
- Quick wins (low-cost, high-impact actions)
- Medium-term upgrades
- Long-term planning considerations
Recommendations may include updates to access control, camera positioning, lighting improvements, changes to staff procedures, or clearer documentation.
Optional Add-Ons
We can also include (if relevant):
- CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) observations
- Lighting level commentary and infrastructure suggestions
- Control room or monitoring practices
- Mapping and photographic documentation of key areas
The final report is written in plain language, structured for easy reference, and suitable for sharing with leadership, facilities teams, or stakeholders.
What We Commonly Find During Reviews
While every site is different, some of the most common issues we identify include:
- Cameras placed in low-priority zones while blind spots remain
- Legacy access cards or codes still working after staff departures
- Inadequate lighting in staff carparks or rear entries
- Unclear emergency response procedures or training gaps
- No defined escalation process for after-hours incidents
- Disconnected systems (e.g. CCTV, alarms, and access control not integrated)
- Over-reliance on guards or patrols without supporting tech or protocols
Fixing these doesn’t always mean spending more—it just means spending smarter.
Who Should Get a Security Review?
Our reviews are ideal for:
- Local governments and councils managing public assets
- Schools and universities concerned about student and staff safety
- Shopping centres and retail precincts with multiple access points
- Aged care and healthcare facilities needing secure yet accessible environments
- Commercial buildings with complex layouts or mixed-use tenancies
- Organisations preparing for audits, insurance renewals, or capital upgrades
Whether you’re responding to a past incident, planning a system refresh, or seeking external assurance—our security review gives you clarity and structure.
Why Work With Smartsec Security Solutions?
We’re one of WA’s only fully independent security consultancies. That means:
- We don’t sell hardware or services
- We don’t install systems
- We have no ties to brands, vendors, or products
What you get is clear, unbiased advice—based on over 17 years of experience across councils, commercial sites, education facilities, and public infrastructure. Our reports are aligned with ISO 31000, AS 3745, AS/NZS 1158, AS 2201.2 and CPTED best practices.
We understand the reality of working with tight budgets, multiple stakeholders, and legacy systems—and we tailor our recommendations accordingly.
Let’s Review Your Security—The Right Way
Security isn’t just about what’s in place—it’s about how it all works together. A professional security review ensures you’re not overlooking key vulnerabilities, wasting money, or falling short of your duty of care.
To book a security review or speak with our consulting team, visit our Security Consulting Services page.
We’ll help you reduce risk, improve visibility, and make better decisions for your people, property, and operations.
