Site security

Site security is important to stop unauthorised people from accessing your worksite and injuring themselves, stealing materials or damaging the project.

Preventing unauthorised access to construction sites is regulated under health and safety legislation.

Planning and risk assessment

Before starting work, conduct a risk assessment to determine what level of security is needed to prevent access to your worksite. You should consider the:

• Risks to health and safety within the site, such as falling from height
• Potential for unauthorised access to occur - how close is the worksite located to schools, new housing estates, shopping centres etc?
• Extent that access can’t be prevented, for example if your worksite is situated in a larger facility you may need to consider isolating any hazards.

Control measures

Security fencing

The most common way to secure a worksite is to use temporary security fencing, which can effectively discourage young children from entering the site.

Installed site fencing should be:

• Tall enough to deter entry – a minimum of 1.8 metres heigh
• Well-constructed – joins and gates should be secure with no weak points for entry
• Stable and able to withstand wind – if mesh or shadecloth is attached to the fence additional support may be needed to prevent it acting like a sail in strong winds
• Difficult for anyone to climb over or crawl under.

Site hoarding

Commercial developments may also need additional measures, such as hoardings, to prevent objects being ejected from site and increase security against unauthorised access.

Security personnel and cameras

You may also hire security personnel or install closed-circuit cameras for short durations, especially when it's not practical to use security fencing or your risk assessment identifies the need for other controls to be used in conjunction with perimeter fencing.