Enhancing Construction Site Security

Construction sites have long been vulnerable to targeted attacks, with millions of pounds lost every year in damage, vandalism and stolen goods. Despite many sites having increased security presence and robust permitter fencing and security systems, as well as a host of other protective measures, the construction crime wave is still underway.

Construction site crime: the data

Statistics released by insurer Allianz Cornhill suggest that construction theft is costing the industry around £800m a year. Metal theft is a rising problem, with over 7,000 metal-related thefts logged each month, whilst construction plant theft to the value of £70m was recorded last year. Despite increased identifying markets and registration schemes for heavy plants, the recovery rate is just 9%.

Chartered Institute of Building data reports a similar worrying trend, with 92% of respondents in their recent survey confirming they have been directly affected by crime and a further 21% stating that their construction sites suffered theft on a weekly basis.

The statistics are worrying, and impact more than just physical goods. Loss of equipment or vandalism can significantly impact construction progress, sometimes even halting work completely. This has a knock-on effect on project timelines and consequently budgets and can change the very sequence of sub-contractors connected to the project’s success. There are further health and safety impacts, especially if extensive damage has been caused to the working environment.

Strengthening Site Security with Quality Fencing

There are many recommendations and security standards that the construction industry can use to guide site safety, from those shared by industry bodies to insurers and manufacturers. Perimeter fencing is a primary concern for construction sites and is a focal area in much of the site-security guidance.

Secured by Design is an initiative launched in 1989 to protect local communities. It is an official police security initiative that works to improve the security of buildings and their immediate surroundings to provide safe places to live, work, shop and visit. Through the scheme, construction project teams can access a database of member companies whose products have been awarded ‘Police Preferred Specification’ which includes a category for ‘physical permitter security’.

The Loss Prevention Security Board (LCPB) is a globally recognised independent security body that works with industry and insurers to set the standards needed to ensure fire and security products and services work effectively. It also offers certification to demonstrate that products adequately meet these standards. For the fencing industry, this means a quality mark that guarantees set levels of performance, particularly relevant for those in high-risk or high-security environments.

The National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) is the UK Government’s National Technical Authority for Physical and Personnel Protective Security and works across industries to reduce the vulnerability of national infrastructure. In relation to perimeter systems, their focus is on increasing standards to ensure the threat of entry to a secure area is minimised through the quality of fencing.

Increasing the standards of fencing affects every aspect of the product, ensuring that the base material, coating, thickness, inherent strength and other qualities combined to deter both tooling and human threats for specified periods of time.

For the construction industry, these standards allow contractors to select a perimeter fencing structure that meets the required security standards based on anticipated threats, deterring unauthorised access and safeguarding the site.

Temporary fencing solutions

Fencing as a perimeter solution is a flexible, cost-effective way to contain a construction site without compromising on security. Easy to install and re-use on future sites, construction permitter fencing is readily available in chain-link, welded wire mesh and anti-climb, and can easily have construction fence cloths or noise control barriers added to prevent people from seeing into the site.

Often used in construction, events or sports, many temporary fencing structures adhere to the required British and LPS standards.

Protecting Valuable Assets with Industrial Mesh

When more focused security is needed for the storage of goods or equipment, mesh cages are a great option. Made from industrial mesh in a range of standard and bespoke sizes, these cages can be used to store items such as gas canisters, power tools or even plant equipment.

The highly flexible nature of welded mesh means it can be easily customised to create mesh cages for a wide range of applications, many of which can be dismantled and moved around the site or extended to increase available storage space. When combined with a lock mechanism, these are a highly effective option for onsite security.

Benefits of industrial mesh fencing systems

Securing the perimeter of a construction site is one of the most effective methods of protecting a site from theft and vandalism. A welded mesh solution is constructed from steel wire and is designed to comply with a variety of industry standards and certifications. Whilst often hot dip galvanised, it can be supplied in a range of coatings to offer resistance against corrosion and the elements, making it ideal for outdoor use.

Conclusion

Theft and vandalism are a reality that many construction sites have to deal with and according to recent statistics, the problem is getting worse. Creating a more secure site is one of the key requirements to create a deterrent, making it as difficult as possible for an intruder to enter the site or see what could potentially be stolen.

Welded mesh fencing solutions offer an excellent level of protection. Already offering British Standards compliance, many systems can be enhanced further with the addition of anti-climb and by increasing the LPS certification standard to ensure site safety and protect valuable equipment.

Siddall & Hilton offer a wide range of industrial wire mesh fencing products and solutions that are ideal for use in construction environments. Talk to our experts today to understand how we can help you keep your site equipment and people safe and deter unwanted intruders. You can contact us at +44 (0) 1484 401610.