Protecting Your Building Against a Biological Even

Although the threat of a harmful biological agent being released in or around most buildings is small, recent terrorist activity in the United States and abroad have forced us to at least acknowledge this as a viable terrorist alternative. Furthermore, for some high profile government and corporate complexes (i.e. senate offices, mailrooms) this is more than just a threat, it is a reality.

No building can be completely protected from a determined intruder; however, certain precautions can be taken to make your building a less-attractive terrorist target by increasing the difficulty of introducing a biological agent into the building. All security upgrades, as identified by a qualified professional’s assessment, should be implemented according to the specific threats and vulnerabilities of your building.

Physical Security Measures

As with most security upgrades, whether physical or electronic, budget is a determining factor in the number of upgrade options available to you. Fortunately, there are many relatively low-cost, physical security upgrades that can significantly improve the security of your building, regardless of your building size, type, etc. These upgrades include limiting public access to critical building systems and upgrading the outdoor air intakes of the heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

Preventing public access to critical building systems is one of the most critical aspects of securing your building. HVAC equipment would most certainly be a prime target of a terrorist biological agent release due to its centralized location and presence throughout the building. In most buildings, this equipment is located in mechanical rooms and/or on the roof, and in many instances is completely unprotected. Protecting this equipment is not difficult and doesn't require very much money. In fact, simply ensuring that mechanical rooms and roof hatches are kept locked (keyed or coded locks) and strictly adhering to key control practices can significantly reduce the likelihood of your building being seen as an "easy" target. Contractors, maintenance workers, etc. should be supervised while working on these systems and any outstanding blueprints from past design work, retrofits, etc. should be rounded up and stored in a secure location. Lastly, for roof mounted HVAC equipment, the addition of some type of transparent perimeter barrier (i.e. fencing, metal mesh, etc.) might be justified if access from other building roofs is a concern.

Securing outdoor air intakes, especially intakes located at or below ground level, are paramount. Protecting these intakes can be accomplished in a number of ways depending on the location and accessibility of the intakes on your building. The best possible scenario is to relocate the existing intakes to the roof or as high up on the building as possible. If your situation doesn't allow for such relocation, intake extensions made of sheet metal or similar material should be fabricated and installed. These extensions should be as tall as possible, without adversely affecting the performance of the HVAC system. Furthermore, the opening of the intake should be sloped and covered with a metal mesh to protect from an intruder throwing a biological agent into the opening. If your situation doesn't allow for relocation or extension of the intakes, your best bet is probably to install a perimeter barrier around the intake. This could be accomplished by using a transparent fencing or metal mesh that would prevent a biological agent from being thrown near the intake, but not allow an intruder to crouch behind the fence undetected.

Another simple method to increase the security stature of your building against a biological agent release is by replacing your buildings low efficiency filters with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters. Various manufacturers offer replacement filters that can be modularly assembled in existing ductwork to provide protection from not only biological agents, but also chemical and radioactive particles. These filters are 99.97 percent effective (particle count down to .3 micron). Be aware, however, that HEPA filters cause a significantly higher-pressure drop than low efficiency filters that can lead to inadequate heating, cooling and ventilation if your HVAC system is not robust enough. Furthermore, replacement cost of HEPA filters is considerably more than typical filters although the life cycle is typically two to five years.

Electronic Security Measures

Like the physical security upgrades discussed previously, the available options on the electronic security front depend heavily on available budget. Closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras appropriately placed to monitor outside air intakes and HVAC equipment can be relatively low cost and can provide a significant deterrent to terrorist activity. Cameras are available that automatically switch from color during the day to black and white at night for a crisp picture 24 hours a day. In lieu of keyed or coded locks on mechanical rooms and roof hatches, access control cards could be implemented to provide detailed information on who is accessing these critical areas, how long they are there, etc. As far as the HVAC system is concerned, a complete HVAC filtration system designed for non-military applications may be appropriate if budget allows. Hunter Manufacturing offers the FFA1000-200 Filtration system, a portable, all-weather, positive pressure filtration system capable of providing clean breathable air to mobile and permanent structures. The modular design allows for two or more units to be stacked to meet the airflow requirements of your building as well as conserve ground space. The Hunter system is designed to remove toxic chemical and biological agents in gaseous and aerosol forms from the air stream before it enters through your buildings outside air intakes. Other manufactures offer a wide variety of biological detection systems, although currently none of them both detect and filter biological agents. Smiths Detection offers the Bio-Seeq, a hand-held, biological agent detector that uses polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This small detector weighs only six and a half pounds and is capable of detecting up to six divergent samples at a time. The unit contains a membrane keyboard with extra large keys, making it easy to use with heavy gloves. Smiths Detection also offers the NBCerberus, a mobile nuclear, biological and chemical agent detector meant to monitor the atmosphere constantly at a single location. The NBCerberus is a stand-alone system that can relay the results of its various instruments back to a monitoring console via radio, microwave, hard wire, or fiber optic communications. MesoSystems has also developed a hand-held, biological agent detection system. The BioCapture BT-550 weighs about ten pounds and is capable of detecting particles in the .5 to 10 micron range. Results of testing are available within about 30 minutes; however, the accuracy of this product is somewhat questionable for small releases. This unit is currently used by fire departments in Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York City. Finally, the Camber Corporation offers the SpinCon PAS 450 bio-pathogen detector. This system is virtually a cross between the stand-alone and hand-held systems in that it weighs approximately 46 pounds and is contained in a durable composite case with wheels. The SpinCon PAS 450 collects a full range of endemic bio-pathogens from sub micron particles to those over ten microns. It supports several different analysis tools, including PCR, immunoassay strips and flow cytometry and is accurate in environments with very low concentrations of pathogens. This system is currently being used to monitor over 25 different government mailrooms for anthrax spores.

As you have read, there are a number of options available to you to increase the security stature of your building. The system(s) you choose should be dictated by the individual circumstance surrounding your building, including the specific threats and vulnerabilities associated with your situation. Furthermore, before implementing any wide scale security upgrades, it is recommended that an in-depth, risk assessment be performed by a qualified professional team well versed in all aspects of security system design.

Justin Mullinax