The purpose of physical security is to protect against physical threats. The following physical threats are among the most common:

• fire and smoke, water (rising/ falling),
• earth movement (earthquakes, landslides, volcanoes),
• storms (wind, lightning, rain, snow, sleet, ice),
• sabotage/ vandalism,
• explosion/destruction,
• building collapse,
• toxic materials,
• utility loss (power, heating, cooling, air, water),
• equipment failure,
• theft,
• and personnel loss (strikes, illness, access, transport).