Creating a safe workplace is not just about having a plan on paper. True safety depends on preparation, awareness, and attention to details that are often missed or ignored. In many active threat situations, small gaps in planning or oversight allow an attacker to move faster, get closer, and cause more harm than they should.
At A.L.I.V.E. Active Shooter Survival Training, we believe the best way to save lives is to prevent attackers from ever achieving their goals. That starts with strong workplace safety protocols — and understanding the critical steps businesses often overlook.
Assessing Risk Before an Emergency Happens
The first pillar of effective safety is understanding your environment. Many workplaces assume they are safe simply because an incident has not happened yet.
Commonly missed elements include:
- Not reviewing building layout from a threat perspective
- Blind spots in hallways, parking lots, or reception areas
- Poorly lit entrances and exits
- Unsecured side or back doors
- No regular review of emergency protocols
A thorough risk assessment helps identify weak points long before someone tries to exploit them.
Strengthening Access Control
One of the most common mistakes workplaces make is failing to control who enters the building.
Problems that increase risk:
- Doors that are left propped open
- Staff holding doors for unknown individuals
- Deliveries being allowed inside without verification
- No visitor sign-in process
- Lack of ID badges or inconsistent badge enforcement
Even the strongest safety plan fails when an attacker gains easy entry.
Creating Clear, Visible Escape Routes
In many workplaces, emergency exits are blocked, cluttered, or unmarked. In a crisis, these obstacles cost precious seconds.
Key issues to correct:
- Storing boxes or furniture in hallways
- Locking emergency exits
- Faded or missing exit signage
- Confusing floor layouts
A clear path to safety is one of the most powerful tools against an active threat.
Training Employees To Notice and Report Suspicious Behavior
Most attackers show warning signs long before an incident occurs, but many workplaces do not teach employees what to look for.
Common missed behaviors include:
- Sudden changes in mood or temperament
- Verbal threats or aggressive language
- Increased isolation or fixation on violence
- Carrying unusual bags, coats, or bulky items
- Attempting to access restricted areas
Without training, employees may dismiss red flags that could have prevented a future threat.
Avoiding Overreliance on Technology
Security cameras and access systems are useful tools, but they cannot replace human awareness.
High-risk oversights include:
- Cameras that are not actively monitored
- Alarms that go unchecked
- Badge systems that are not regularly audited
- Belief that technology alone prevents danger
Technology supports safety — but it cannot think, notice suspicious behavior, or make real-time decisions like a trained human can.
Practicing the A.L.I.V.E. Method
The A.L.I.V.E. Method gives employees a clear, actionable framework to respond to an active threat.
A — Assess
L — Leave
I — Impede
V — Violence
E — Expose
This method empowers people to act instead of freeze. It helps workers stay alert, respond quickly, and make decisions that save lives. Training employees in the A.L.I.V.E. system fills the gaps that most safety protocols leave behind.
Conducting Regular Safety Drills and Scenario Practice
Many workplaces create safety plans but never practice them. When a real emergency hits, employees freeze because the steps are not familiar.
Drills should include:
- Evacuation practice
- Barricade practice
- Communication system tests
- Role-playing threat scenarios
- Clear instructions on leadership responsibilities
Muscle memory saves lives. Written protocols alone do not.
Creating a Culture of Responsibility and Awareness
Safety is not the job of one security officer or manager. It requires participation from everyone in the building.
A strong safety culture includes:
- Encouraging staff to speak up
- Rewarding awareness
- Open communication about concerns
- Eliminating the fear of being wrong when reporting suspicious behavior
When employees feel responsible for their environment, threats have far fewer opportunities to succeed.
Protect Your Workplace Before a Threat Happens
Most active threats succeed not because the attacker is skilled, but because the workplace was unprepared. Small oversights create openings that could have been closed with training, attention, and strong protocols.
At A.L.I.V.E. Active Shooter Survival Training, we teach employees how to recognize danger early, respond quickly, and prevent attackers from carrying out their plans.
Contact Us Today to schedule workplace safety and active threat training for your organization.
Preparedness is not paranoia. It is responsibility. Be ready. Be aware. Be A.L.I.V.E.
About the Author
Michael D. Julian is President of MPS Security & Protection and a 30-plus-year veteran of the security and investigations industry. He served as President of the California Association of Licensed Investigators (CALI) from 2005 to 2015 and has led executive protection, residential security, and corporate investigations engagements for Fortune 500 principals, high-net-worth families, and public figures across the United States. Connect with Michael on LinkedIn.