As an industry, construction contributes seven percent of the UK’s national income and currently accounts for 2.6 million jobs. With lots of valuable equipment and material on site, it’s imperative that as a site owner you look after your employees and protect your assets.
Construction sites are a popular target for criminals. Unfortunately, thefts and robberies are a regular occurrence on construction sites across England, Wales and Scotland.
If you want to learn how to protect your construction site from the most common security threats, follow our advice for how to improve your construction security:
Reliable Fences
No matter where your construction site is located, it’s likely there will be criminals in the area who would steal from you if they had the chance. Your construction site will better protected from trespassers if you install reliable fencing – such as concrete/timber hoarding, anti-climb, steel-hoarding, barbed wire or razor wire – around your perimeter.
Alarm System
Installing an alarm system to warn you of break-ins and any other unauthorised access will safeguard your equipment and site from loss or damage. Make sure the alarm system is supplied and installed by an accredited supplier, and that it is regularly serviced to ensure the utmost protection.
Security Officers
Security officers act as an effective visual deterrent. Security officers can operate as manned or static personnel. Security officers will conduct regular inspections at any time of the day or night, check ID passes of construction workers entering and exiting the site, monitor CCTV and check the bags and jackets of employees who are acting suspiciously.
Emergency Planning Procedure
In the event of an emergency – such as a fire or flood – you need to ensure that emergency exit routes are clutter-free, doorways are properly lit, instructions for what to do in the event of an emergency situation are clearly displayed and that meeting points are properly marked.
CCTV Installation
An effective method for protecting construction sites is CCTV security. Cameras can be installed beside entrances and exits and in blind spots. CCTV footage can be used in court as proof that a crime took place.
Warning Signs
Consider displaying warning signs near entrances, exits and elsewhere around the construction site. These should indicate your policies against trespassing and vandalism, as well as indicating where hazards are located. Place these high enough so that people can’t easily remove them and use lighting to draw people’s attention to them.
Strong PINs/Passwords
Use strong passwords for doors, computers, machinery and other electrical devices. These should be unique for each employee. This will help stop trespassers from being able to guess them easily and from collecting valuable data from your construction business which could sabotage your business.
Health and Safety
As one of the most dangerous industries to work in, construction sites present many hazards and health and safety risks. The latest UK government statistics revealed that, over the past five years, there were on average 39 fatalities per construction site.
Training staff in proper safety measures – such as wearing the correct protective clothing, understanding site health and safety rules, knowing how to operate machinery safely, and so on – is essential. However, you also need to conducting regular risk assessments of your site to identify any areas which may need enhanced safety measures.
Sensor Lights
Installing motion-activated security lighting can help you spot unwanted intruders. It also acts as an effective deterrent, which makes it great for stopping trespassers as they approach your site. Lighting should be placed up high so it isn’t easily reachable, and cables and controls should be hidden behind obstacles or underground.
Visitor Passes and Monitoring
Any visitors to your construction site should be issued with temporary ID passes so they can be accounted for during evacuation procedures. Logbooks should be signed by all visitors coming in and out and key fobs should be used to record individuals’ movements on your site. Always ensure there is someone attending to visitors so that they don’t pose a threat to either themselves or others.
Secure On Site Security provides comprehensive construction security solutions for companies all over London. We can assist your business with the utmost protection services that you need for your specific requirements.
