If you’ve spent any time around a construction site at all, you know they can be difficult to secure. There are many obvious reasons why:
- The layout and components change often
- Contractors, consultants, suppliers, and other workers come and go
- They are often in populated areas
- Sometimes they are adjacent to or attached to other buildings with high traffic
- Time constraints can make it harder to plan and monitor all components
With so many building activities happening at once, requiring so many people to come in and out, limiting the number of access points at your site should be one of your first construction site security concerns.
Fewer Access Points Improve Job Site Safety and Security
Construction sites are hazardous to begin with. Dangers encompass all sorts of injurious and potentially deadly situations. These run the gamut from everyday tasks like dropping heavy objects to more unexpected risks like construction site fire hazards:
- falling items
- moving equipment and vehicles
- unsecured heights
- powerful, dangerous tools
- electricity
- hazardous materials
- heated metals and fire risk
- workplace violence
With all these hazards, unlimited access isn’t a risk you can afford to take.
Unauthorized access can cause poor communication and inefficient workflow, in a case of “too many cooks in the kitchen.” But what’s worse, unguarded access can leave your site open to theft and vandalism, and common criminal activity includes:
- Stolen tools, equipment, and materials
- Theft of building components like scrap metal
- Theft of vandalism of large machinery, vehicles, and equipment
- Vandalism of property and materials including malicious damage and graffiti tagging
Restricted Access Improves Efficiency and Saves Money
Access control will improve your site’s safety and security for all the reasons discussed above. It will also serve you well in the long-term, saving you money and improving efficiency for your whole project.
Limiting access points will prevent theft, injury, vandalism, and other accidents. Preventing loss across the board will save you money in several areas. From reducing your insurance costs to saving on labor costs, the investment you make upfront to secure your site will be worth it.
And when you stop the problems that come with open site access, you save time, too. Knowing when and where your crew is good news for construction site management. Your processes and deliveries will fit better into your timetable. Preventing accidents will prevent delays. It just makes good sense.
How to Successfully Restrict Access at Your Construction Site
1. Control access to your construction site:
To manage entry to your construction site, you first need to know how many access points you need, where they should be, who should have entry, and when.
Build a secure perimeter with appropriate fencing
Good perimeter security of your site will limit access, keeping out unauthorized personnel and ensuring that a) only authorized workers are on-site and b) they are only on-site during appropriate scheduled hours.
As opposed to having an open site with no definite borders, start with fencing. Fencing will create, at least, markers showing where not to enter and exit. At best, good fencing will prevent entry and exit and direct personnel to the available access points.
Establish the minimum number of access points needed for entry and exit
How many entry and exit points your site has will depend on a couple of key factors.
- The size and scope of your project
- The number of personnel needed
- The types and numbers of vehicles that will be traveling in and out, and more.
You can contract professional security service providers to help you develop an initial site security plan. They will take all of these things into consideration, helping you determine how many access points your site will need.
Restrict access to authorized personnel and vehicles with site access control systems
Access control systems make sure that the appropriate entry points must be used by all authorized personnel. And what’s more, they help you restrict entry to certain areas within your site by allowing you to designate clearance levels.
Using a good access control system will also help keep your project on track, ensuring you know exactly who is where, and at what time. You can never fully control every aspect of your construction project, but access control is sure to help with overall speed and efficiency of your build.
2. Monitor every entry point:
Establishing the minimum practical number of access points is only the first step. With your access points decided, it remains a challenge to make sure the right people are using them at the right times.
Hire guards to monitor entry and exit of personnel and vehicles during work hours
You may have wondered if you need armed security for your construction site. If you need to monitor your access points (which you do!), the answer is yes.
One of the most reliable ways to control site entry is by hiring security guards. Law enforcement trained guards with experience in construction site security can guard the perimeter of your site, check personnel authorization, and watch for suspicious activity.
When you hire armed guards for your site, you can trust that a) access only happens at designated entry and exit points, and that b) those who don’t belong on-site won’t get in.
Use video surveillance to monitor access points after hours
Video surveillance is a must for most construction sites. The pros of hiring a video surveillance company for your construction site include the ability to monitor employees, reduced insurance costs, and loss prevention.
It’s not difficult or prohibitively expensive to find a security solution that will reinforce your access points.
With advanced technology designed specifically for construction use, contract-free surveillance services, and remote-monitoring available by trained professionals, finding great security for your site is simpler than ever.
To get help with a construction site security assessment, or if you have questions about security or video surveillance, give us a call at (866)684-7211.
