The nature and composition of construction sites makes them more susceptible to various forms of crime like unauthorised trespassing, theft, vandalism, arson and sabotage especially out of normal working hours.
And any time taken to develop an effective site security and safety strategy to mitigate or completely eliminate risk will go a long way in contributing to the development and success of any construction project.
We are therefore going to look at some tried and tested security and safety principles that can be implemented to help protect and sustain any robust project plan from its conception right through to the end of the its cycle.
A practical design of the environment in and around which a site is located can be designed in a way that can help deter, detect, delay, mitigate or respond to any potential threats before they can cause any substantial damage.
A dedicated management team responsible for the overall planning, implementation and maintenance of construction site security and safety is usually appointed ahead of time to determine the best possible solution for the project.
Basic government based compliance guidelines and procedures are also usually taken into consideration and implemented by site managers to ensure a minimum security standard or safety requirement.
A practical design of the environment in and around which a site is located can be designed in a way that can help deter, detect, delay, mitigate or respond to any potential threats before they can cause any substantial damage.
Clear lines of territorial demarcation preferably with some form of perimeter fencing or hoarding around the site can be very effective in deterring and delaying any unauthorised advances to valuable assets.
A firmly grounded and well maintained fence of approximately 3 meters high with clear unoccupied space on either side of its boundary to help deter, delay, detect or mitigate any attempts to breach it is usually recommended.
Well distributed security lighting can also be deployed to illuminate possible hiding spots in and around the site especially where valuable assets like machinery, tools and building materials are stored.
Controlled entry and exit points with clear well-lit path demarcations and signs leading to them are usually placed at specific points along the outer boundary to safely guide traffic in, within and out of the site.
Manually operated gates or doors with traditional locks and keys have also previously been deployed to manage site access usually with the help of a security guard, door supervisor or gateman to enforce compliance.
Advances in technology have now paved the way for more efficient forms of authorisation with mechanically or electronically operated gates, doors or locks to automatically grant or deny site access.
Various forms of natural landscaping are also usually implemented with the help of movable barriers or fences to create clear path demarcations to dedicated staff landing or visitor reception areas.
The inner boundary of a site is also usually kept clear and free of any items, equipment or structures that can obscure clear lines of vision or even provide suitable hiding spots for intruders along the inner perimeter.
Various forms of natural landscaping are also usually implemented with the help of movable barriers or fences to create clear path demarcations to dedicated staff landing or visitor reception areas.
Construction site managers responsible for overall site security and safety usually have their offices situated in or around these areas with an eagle eye view of all traffic in and out of the site.
Remotely monitored cctv cameras and audio challenge speakers strategically deployed along the site perimeter to deter, detect, delay and mitigate intrusions at night can now also be used by the same managers to monitor these areas in the day from a desktop, tablet or mobile app.
Tighter entry and exit restrictions using fences and gates are usually placed around the more high risk areas of a site where construction and movement of machinery may be taking place to limit access to authorised personnel only.
Traffic marshals or banksmen are usually deployed to enforce some of these inner restrictions and in some cases with the help of automated access control systems on behalf of the site manager where possible.
Site offices, welfare buildings and tool stations usually converted from steel containers that are hard to break into are also secured with various forms of lock and key combinations that only authorised personnel can access.
Expensive office and site equipment like laptops and power tools can also further be secured in lockable safes or enclosures built with coded entry access mechanisms that can be periodically changed for that added peace of mind.
Plant machinery like forklifts, graders, cranes, generators and diggers are also kept as far away from the site perimeter as possible usually in a fenced enclosure with some form of remotely monitored video based tracking device to monitor and track any persistent intrusions.
Expensive building materials like timber frames and copper wiring are also usually stored in open areas on a construction site and in most cases may need a local security presence on site to keep a watchful eye on these items.
Automatic number plate recognition features built into modern video surveillance systems can now be used to track and log any vehicle entry and exit activity especially in the case of staff or subcontractor attendance and site deliveries or pick-ups.
Construction site managers usually also tend to deploy static guards or mobile patrol units alongside video surveillance systems during the longer holiday seasons or shutdown periods in order to deter any potential intruders.
Automatic number plate recognition features built into modern video surveillance systems can now be used to track and log any vehicle entry and exit activity especially in the case of staff or subcontractor attendance and site deliveries or pick-ups.
Dynamic battery operated wireless fire and medical alert points with instant mobile based notification systems are also increasingly being used especially on large construction to quickly respond to any unforeseen fire or medical emergencies.