Securing a Construction Site Meeting Kit

Construction is a vast and valuable industry which involves both the storage and on-going use of high value vehicles, materials, tools and machinery. 

THE THREATS AND HAZARDS 

• To property and materials – including buildings and outbuildings, structures under construction or demolition, as well as construction materials, tools, equipment, plant, fuel and petty theft of workers’ possessions and assets.
• Operational cost – few plant vehicles or generators can function without fuel. The delays caused by both the lack and the need to refuel affects schedules, which can affect overall progress towards deadlines.
• Property cost – expensive plant may be damaged in the process of the theft.
• Life – fuel spilled during theft is common and presents a fire hazard which could be both life-changing and life-ending.

BEST PRACTICES TO SECURE CONSTRUCTION SITE

General Work Area– Ensure adequate fencing is up around the entire work site. Depending on the area, crime rate, and potential property loss evaluate the possibility of investing in a site wide security system or outside agency to provide site security. Keep valuable items out of plain sight from the viewpoint of the public. Pay attention to where scrap metal piles may be onsite. Scrap metal often brings thieves into a work site.

Buildings– Always lock buildings. Keep valuables out of sight within the buildings. If someone looks through a window and does not see anything worth taking it may deter them from entering. Use alarms, flood lights, and cameras when possible. While the upfront cost can be expensive, a good security system can prevent expensive break-ins.

Heavy Equipment– There has been many instances where people break into a construction site and run equipment for the thrill of it or to cause problems for the company. This can do a lot of damage to the site as well as be a dangerous situation for the people who broke in. It is important to take steps to protect against situations where heavy equipment is stolen. Some steps to take:

• Do not leave equipment out in the open when possible. Lock equipment in a shop or at least in a fenced in area.
• Remove key from the equipment and lock the doors. Do not rely on the fence around the site to keep people out.
• Most pieces of equipment have a master switch. At the end of your shift shut the master switch off. If someone is not familiar with that piece of equipment they will not be able to get it to turn on.

Excavations– All excavations should be 100% barricaded or fenced in at the end of the day. This protects the public or any employees who enter the area from driving or falling into the excavation. Do not rely on a perimeter fence to protect individuals from harm due to an exposed hole within the site’s boundaries.

SECURE THE CONSTRUCTION SITE 

One of the most basic yet crucial aspects of construction site security is the contracting of security guards. These physical security needs, as well as the technological solutions available nowadays, ideally get the lion’s share of your budget for security.

Enough budget for security

Set aside an estimate of money for everything you will need to secure your site, including proper lighting, alarm systems, fences, surveillance cameras, insurance coverage, and security staff. 

Assigning roles to your employees

Delegating security responsibilities is crucial in ensuring safety in a construction site. Don’t hesitate to assign roles to your project manager, project engineer, superintendent, and other employees and make sure everyone has a role in securing the workplace.

Close ties with your local police

There’s nothing wrong with establishing a good line of contact with local law enforcement when ensuring the safety of your construction site. Having contact with police authorities will work to your advantage, especially when you need them to patrol your construction site at night.

Contact with neighboring residents

Before construction activity commences in your site, introduce yourself to your neighbors and alert businesses and residents in the neighborhood about the work being done in your area. You can also give them your contact information so they can contact you in case they notice some suspicious activity on your site when you’re not around.

Proper lighting

Since a construction site is vast, make sure that proper lighting is installed in every corner of the vicinity to provide optimal visibility. 

A guard booth

Having just one entry point in your construction site will help control access to its premises. With a security guard booth installed at the entrance point, it will be easier to identify the people who make their way into your construction site. 

Security personnel

One of the basics of securing any workplace is having personnel on-site to keep a close watch on the site. You may consider buying or renting guard booths to make the most of your investment in hired security, which you will need most during long weekends and holidays.

Securing your construction site is more than just assigning guards in and around your premises. It is something that you shouldn’t take lightly, because the more criminals perceive that your site is unguarded, the more they will target it to make off with easy money.

FINAL WORD

There are many instances people make their way into a work site to run equipment. Some of the reasons such as theft, vandalism, curiosity, or even accidental are the cause for people, to enter a worksite after hours. No matter what the intention of the people entering, it is important, to have a workplace, especially after hours a safe place for all people.