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Given the recent bombings in Bali, people are no longer safe even when they're on holiday. How should property owners respond? What do we guard against? Bomb attacks (which these days will probably stem from a vehicle)? Shootings? And what about attacks from non-violent activists who only seek publicity for their actions and their cause?

Protecting your property is one thing, but what about your people? How do you protect them? Do you build a fortress with substantially high walls, and large blast-proof doors? Or opt for something more aesthetically pleasing, but still protective of both staff and company assets?

Today's tactics veer towards the latter solution. ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ design and construction has come a long way, with scientists and engineers developing new methods of using existing materials in innovative ways. In general, today's buildings are able to withstand much greater stresses and strains.

Take military bases, the security for which represents a good examplar of the issues faced by many of today's professionals. Here, the role of security is to protect assets. Senior officers could be classed as major assets, but who's to decide who is the most important out of a senior officer and a young private? Both are vital to the military machine, so the same degree of protection must be accorded to both parties at all times.

In the wider world, buildings occupied by differing numbers of people are often accorded differing levels of protection – in most cases no matter who the occupant. Is it not the case that all employees should be afforded the same level of safeguard from whatever form of attack?

When the security strategy of a military base is being developed, it's rare for the Security Department to work in conjunction with Health and Safety professionals in carrying out a review of a base or single building. That's a mistake.

The most important point of all is that finance should never be an issue. Any company's Board of Directors – the employers – has a Duty of Care to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all employees. The law does not differentiate between those same directors and, for example, their in-house security officers.