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Construction sites are often a target due to:

• High-value assets, equipment and tools.
• Open access points and easy vehicular entry.
• Vacant sites out of hours and during weekends.

Trespassing and intrusion can result in extensive costs and damage that have a long-lasting impact.

Many construction businesses have experienced tens of thousands of pounds worth of expenses to replace stolen assets and repair damage, and delays of months while repairs are carried out, due to a lack of security safeguards. Whilst cameras can provide evidence after a crime has occurred, by then, the damage is done, and the construction project has been delayed until the equipment can be replaced or the damage repaired.

The severe and sometimes business-critical impact of security limitations is far-reaching. Therefore, it is crucial to work with an experienced and proficient construction site security partner who can protect your site during every stage of the project.

Construction site security threats are not limited to the theft of tools. In fact, the consequences of a security threat can result in loss of human life, so it’s extremely important that all risks are considered to prevent that outcome. Some of the primary risk factors include:

• High-value equipment, machine, plant and tools left unguarded overnight.
• Vehicles left vulnerable to fuel theft when the site is empty.
• Vandalism and site damage caused by intruders where site access is exposed.
• Workforce risks where security provisions are not sufficient to provide staff safety.
• Risks within sites close to civil disturbances and unrest, such as protests, which disrupt and delay work progress or create issues with site access.
• Environmental risks, including weather damage, strong winds, flooding and fire.

A risk assessment is more than a checklist exercise or an insurance requirement – it is an essential tool to assist construction site managers in clearly identifying key risks and being able to make informed decisions about the best mitigation strategy.

During a risk appraisal, we’ll work through these phases:

1. Conduct a detailed site survey to identify the most pressing risks, and those that need to be addressed as a secondary priority.
2. Record how serious that risk is and what issues it potentially presents.
3. Decide which risks are crucial to site operations to establish a list of priorities.
4. Work with a security professional to identify the best security safeguards available to eliminate or mitigate that risk and compare alternative options.
5. Put in place security strategies, and review regularly and whenever site operations change.

One of the most common concerns for construction site managers is the costs of protecting their premises and how to balance a tight budget while avoiding critical risks. That means cost analyses are just as important during the risk assessment process, where we’ll provide advice on both the practical, security and financial considerations:

• Potential costs of not mitigating the risk factor.
• Security options and the respective costs of each.
• Anticipated effectiveness of the security solutions.
• The element of workforce risk where employee protection is a top priority.

Your risk assessment is also a powerful communication tool, and by sharing these with your workforce, you help all employees remain diligent, understand where risk factors are present, and work with site security to prevent any breaches from occurring.

Your building site security will depend on multiple factors such as hours of work, points of entry, the storage and location of valuable assets, and the flow of traffic around your site.

Generally, we advise the following, broken down into three categories: deterrents, detection and response.

Intruder Deterrents:

There should be a number of construction site security measures in place to make opportunistic thieves think twice about attempting a breach. These should include products such as unclimbable perimeter security fencing as well as electronic security features such as CCTV. Consider the following:

• Visible security presence and signage.
• Robust perimeter fencing and security access points.
• CCTV monitoring and maintenance.
• Manned guarding and construction site access control.
• Concrete barrier hire to prevent unauthorised vehicular access.
• Security lighting, alarms and sensors.

You may also want to consider:

• Restricting the number of vehicles on site and having a sign-in / sign-out authorisation process in place. This would help to identify non-scheduled deliveries or unmarked vehicles with malicious intent.
• Preventing vehicle access altogether – by implementing turnstiles and restricting access points, you can get a clear picture of who is on the site and when, whilst granting access to authorised personnel only.
• Full and wide-reaching lighting – having floodlights or timed lighting not only ensures that staff can work safely, but also prevents vandalism and break-ins.

Efficient Detection Systems:

Should your first line of construction site security not deter the offender, there should be a number of detection systems in place to identify a threat as quickly as possible and to provide evidence if needed, if a police investigation ensues.

Detection systems are often broken down into operational solutions (those that require human response) and physical detection systems (usually electronic, such as CCTV). Whilst operational activities such as manned guarding and patrols increase the level of deterrence, they can be expensive. Physical detection systems, such as the solutions outlined below, often come at a reduced ongoing cost and prevent any threat to human life. Physical detection systems include:

• CCTV solutions, infra-red monitoring and wireless sensors to immediately detect activity.
• Remote monitoring services – this activity is then fed directly to an alarm receiving centre. Those manning the system will immediately review the intrusion and alert those on site (or deploy a rapid response security team to investigate).
• Construction site access control to vet and approve each visitor.
• Advanced alarm systems to detect breaches, smoke, or fire.

Response systems

Whilst detecting a threat is the first step in dealing with a security breach on a building site, the response is critical to limiting the amount of damage incurred. By utilising a remote monitoring system, operators can very quickly respond to security breaches, alerting emergency services if needed. Your response solutions should include:

• Instant intruder alerts with appropriate personnel informed.
• Intruder detection warning systems.
• Automatic lock and unlock facilities.
• Keyholding services to respond to alarm activations and callouts.
• Live CCTV imaging, monitoring, and high-quality video retention.

Yes, we do. The Clearway Group monitors sites in both France and Germany. Read more here:

Germany: Baustellenüberwachung