7 Security Tips for Construction Sites

If you’re responsible for a construction site, you don’t need us to point out the security risks. Your site is a prominent, treasure-laden magnet for criminals, from organised gangs to opportunistic trespassers.

Given that around £800 million is lost in the construction industry through theft — and the same amount again through vandalism and fire — how do you protect your assets?

In this article, we’ve outlined 7 security tips for construction sites which help mitigate the risk.

1. Access control

Construction sites generally have more than one entrance, with a variety of individuals coming and going throughout the project — site workers, managers, authorised visitors, building control.

What’s more, these access points and their security authorisations may change as work progresses. How do you implement access control without getting in the way of people who are authorised to be there?

Here are the first steps:

• Evaluate the layout: Identify entry and exit points, vulnerable areas and zones which need stricter access control.
• Assign access levels: Define which areas personnel and visitors can enter based on their roles and responsibilities.
• Erect physical barriers: External fences, turnstiles, automated gates, barriers and concrete bollards are your first line of defence.

It’s now a question of choosing your access control method. Fobs and access cards can work, but there’s always the risk that they can be lost or stolen.

Modern, centralised access control systems link to your entry and exit points, and are considerably more efficient than traditional methods. Using biometrics, they check every worker and visitor against pre-set credentials, logging precisely when they are onsite.

These highly accurate access logs can be a crucial benefit when it comes to audits and compliance checks. They track entries, exits and movements of personnel and visitors to give you a detailed record of site activity.

2. Protect assets within the site

Assets like equipment, wiring, tools and fuel are a common target for organised crime gangs. They are also a temptation for opportunists.

Firstly, it’s important to keep an accurate inventory of all tools and equipment, and where each item is located. To protect assets while they are onsite:

• Place additional, lockable fencing around cranes and other large structures.
• Fit deadlocks around machinery overnight.
• Wherever possible, store equipment where it can’t be seen from outside the construction site.
• Tools, metals, materials and fuels should be security locked away in robust, tamper-resistant containers.
• Lock away scaffolding ladders when not in use.

Make sure to remove any items which are no longer needed, including office equipment. The fewer valuables there are onsite, the better.

3. Install redeployable CCTV

Installing CCTV at construction sites is a no-brainer for several reasons.

• Security cameras act as a powerful deterrent to criminals.
• If trespassers gain access, they’ll be recorded on camera.
• It ensures construction site staff are working safely.
• The footage can be used to remotely update project managers on progress.

The construction site landscape is constantly changing, and your CCTV system needs to adapt along with it. Redeployable, mobile CCTV towers are ideal for construction sites because they can easily be moved as the site evolves.

These 6-metre high giants work 24/7 without the need for an internet connection. Their flexible, high-definition 360° cameras cover large areas and they’re able to tilt, pan and zoom in on criminal activity. They light up the perpetrator with LED spotlights, sound a loud siren and catch them in the act on camera.

4. 24/7 monitoring

While criminals often scope out construction sites during the day, their favourite time to strike is at night. Live 24/7 monitoring is the best way to keep the site safe.

Trained security responders at an alarm receiving centre keep watch over the site at all hours. If they spot something suspicious, or an alarm is triggered, a nominated individual will be alerted immediately. Whenever necessary, the responders will contract the emergency services directly to deal with the crime in progress.

5. Employ security officers

When used in conjunction with CCTV, SIA-accredited security officers deliver multi-layered protection for your construction site.

Trespassers, thieves and vandals are considerably less likely to enter the site when there’s a clear, visible security presence in place. Security personnel can also act as a front-of-house service, checking the credentials of visitors and accompanying them while onsite.

If you’re thinking about employing a security officer, it’s worth considering K9 security. The combination of a highly-trained security dog and qualified handler is particularly effective on construction sites.

With their keen sense of hearing and smell, dogs detect intruders earlier than humans. They also run three times faster than an average adult male, leaping effortlessly over obstacles to reach an intruder and safely apprehend them until its handler arrives.

6. Install adequate lighting

Lighting can have significant benefits when it comes to construction site security. Criminals operate in darkness, and bright lighting gives them nowhere to hide. It can even dissuade them from targeting your site altogether.

Motion-sensor lighting is a good option. When bright lights are triggered by any movement close to your site, it deters potential intruders from attempting entry. They’ll look elsewhere — somewhere they won’t be seen.

7. Prominent warning signs

Signage probably isn’t the first thing that springs to mind when considering construction site security. However, it plays an important role.

Firstly, signage is a legal requirement if you have CCTV in operation. Secondly, given that many trespassers are opportunists, signage is a visual reminder that their actions have severe legal consequences. It can proactively discourage potential intruders from going any further.

Conclusion

Robust, adaptable security is crucial for protecting assets, ensuring the safety of workers and the overall efficiency of the construction project.

Theft and vandalism will have an adverse effect on your professional reputation, and severe financial consequences. Worse, you may find yourself liable if a trespasser is injured while onsite.

No two construction sites are the same, and each will have its own security requirements. For a tailored risk assessment, and guidance on the most cost-effective security options for your construction site, get in touch with the Classic Services Group team.