Top Perimeter Security considerations: construction industry

Crime is rife among construction sites. It might shock you to know that hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of equipment is being stolen from building sites in the UK every single week. While some of that equipment may eventually be recovered, it can represent huge delays in projects, missed deadlines, increased overheads, and bad press.

To avoid these problems, site operators must integrate tough perimeter security solutions into their plans from the get-go. Here we will look at some tips on how to protect a construction site.

1 – Risk assessments

The first step in creating a comprehensive plan for battling construction theft is a thorough plan, and this should come from a professional risk assessment. Your provider should take into account the nature of the site, establish threats, and come up with concrete solutions to address them. No site is the same, and your measures need to be bespoke and robust.

2 – Create a tough exterior

Criminals will always look for soft targets. You can deter opportunistic crime by creating an exterior that signals to intruders that you take things seriously. A site that is protected with security gates and fencing is far less likely to fall, victim, as criminals will rightly estimate that their chances of a successful venture are slim.

3 – Operate with entry controls

Security should extend to all areas of your operations. In a busy site, it can be easy for intruders to go unnoticed. A simple high-vis jacket and a hard hat may be enough to blend in. This is why it is important that you operate with a booking-in system that keeps a track of who is coming and going on your site. Equally, keys or other forms of access should be restricted and only trusted to veteran members of staff.

4 – Control entry automatically

It might not be practical for you to have dedicated security personnel at your site to monitor who is coming and going and to patrol your site. In these instances, you may choose to opt for physical equipment that can do the job for you in the form of barriers and turnstiles.

5 – Consider access control equipment

Another way to establish your security levels is to take advantage of new technologies and advanced equipment. For instance, you could integrate biometric controls such as fingerprint readers, or pin/fob controls to grant access. You might also install an intercom to both manage access via a mobile device. Learn more about access equipment here.

6 – Use lighting to your advantage

A large percentage of crime will take place in the evening or the early hours of the morning when visibility is low and passers-by are rare. As we mentioned previously, criminals will strike at sites where they feel they are most likely to get away with their crimes, so by installing adequate movement-triggered lighting you can effectively scare them away.

Gateway Automation provides a range of perimeter security systems to help businesses and individuals to secure their sites and also provides nationwide servicing and repairs to gates, barriers, and other perimeter security equipment. To find out more, please contact us on 01522 68255 or take a look at our brochure which can be viewed here.