In a few days, the heads of state, crush of journalists and G-20 protesters will all be gone along with the boarded-up windows, road blocks, detours and checkpoints associated with heightened security.

But when the hoopla ends, that doesn't mean Pittsburgh companies should drop their guard.

Protecting employees, customers and company assets should be a year-round concern, security experts say.

"Unfortunately, for most companies, security is a budget item that gets pushed way to the bottom because they believe nothing is ever going to happen," said Joe Trainor, a retired Secret Service official who works as a security and major events consultant for Specialized Security Response Inc. in Castle Shannon.

"Companies will end up spending far more trying to correct things that have gone wrong."

Besides keeping people safe, companies that pay attention to security may get a break on insurance and minimize lawsuits, said Bob Arnoni, president of SSR.

One of the first steps to a good security blueprint is to have a crisis plan that is practiced by all employees, Mr. Trainor said. That could be something as simple a fire drill or a communication tree that gets the word out when people need to evacuate, he said.

A company might also consider installing panic alarms that allow employees to instantly notify coworkers and the police in an emergency.

Companies that require employees to use I.D. cards to access a building may want to consider upgrading to a biotechnology system that uses fingerprints or scans of people's eyes or ears to identify them. (Ear-prints are as individual as fingerprints, Mr. Trainor said.)

That type of system stops outsiders or anyone else from gaining access by using someone else's card. The higher installation costs are more than made up over the long term by not having to replace lost or stolen cards, Mr. Trainor said.

Visitors should be required to have an appointment and an identification badge, and should be escorted inside the building, Mr. Arnoni said.

Companies also should be certain that the security guard behind the desk is doing more than smiling at people.

"I've watched people walk right past the security desk and go up the elevator" at major Downtown buildings, he said.

During off hours when a building may be shut down, companies may want to consider "roving" security guards as an extra precaution.

Companies also should have ways to monitor who is accessing their computers to protect their customer data base, company documents and trade secrets, he said.

While security measures are most often associated with big office buildings, the corner store should have concerns, too, Mr. Trainor said.

Is the back door leading to the ally secure? Who's watching the register when an employee steps away to make the pizza? Is the business in a high crime area that requires an escort to the bank?

While many companies are serious about security, others are too casual about it, Mr. Arnoni said.

"All it takes is one major hiccup and they have a big problem on their hands."