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Explore the Complete Guide to Construction Site Safety & Security, your source for safety and security tips. Build a safer site environment today.
If you’re a Construction Site Manager looking to enhance the security and safety of everyone on site, whether that be employees, visitors or the public who pass by, then you’re in the right place.
Construction sites attract a range of security and safety challenges, including the threat of trespass, vandalism, arson, accidents and theft of plant and materials.
Site crime remains a major challenge, with approximately 6000 break-ins per year, resulting in up to £800m of costs associated with equipment loss and project delays.
WCCTV has created a free guide to improving security at construction site, click below to download your free copy and read on to learn more.
Why is Construction Site Safety Important?
Health and safety procedures are paramount when it comes to construction sites. With hazards ranging from cuts and falls to incidents involving heavy machinery, it’s vital that safety on your site is a high priority, and everyone should understand the potential dangers of being onsite.
Companies that have a strong safety policy show that they are committed to both their employees and the public when it comes to their safety. It can improve a company’s reputation as well as avoiding compensation claims and legal fees in the event of an accident.
How to Improve Safety on Construction Sites
There are multiple ways you can improve safety on your Construction Site. We’ve pulled together a list of best practices that you should consider:
Awareness
Everyone must be made aware of the dangers and risks involved with being onsite, no matter who they are! If people are not made aware of these dangers, then they put everyone else’s safety at risk.
Clear instructions in an office or meeting space before entering a site really helps with grabbing everyone’s attention and makes them aware to follow site rules.
Training
Training for employees and contractors, no matter how experienced they are, will help with everyone’s safety. Even videos about simple things such as fall protection and using a ladder properly reinforce to even the most experienced workers that they must be continually vigilant.
Many organisations will use visual aids and other techniques to help support the point about the potential risks and injuries that occur on-site.
Proper Equipment
Construction workers who lack appropriate gear are more likely to commit critical mistakes. It is essential to ensure that every piece of equipment at the construction site is perfectly matched to its intended purpose and for construction companies to maintain their machinery and materials diligently.
You must also consider things like is their water available on-site as well as plenty of shady areas to help prevent dehydration. Depending on the length of the project, it may be beneficial for temporary structures to be erected so equipment can be stored, usually portacabins but these can be anything that can be secured.
PPE
Ensuring each worker has the correct PPE to perform their job is probably one of the most important steps you can take to help keep them safe. PPE includes hard hats, gloves, protective eyewear, steel toe cap boots and his vis clothing.
It’s important that workers regularly check their PPE before starting their day, for instance, checking for any defects to boots and rips to clothing that exposes skin. If the worker discovers any defect with any PPE, they should report it and follow the guidance of the site manager.
Documentation
It is essential to maintain detailed documentation for all planned activities on your construction site, recognising that this process is likely to change as new activities are planned and executed. Different types of work bring about different hazards and ensure you have taken the right steps to mitigate any risk they may pose.
For example, falls are the most common incident on construction sites. So any work that is being performed at height must be planned and managed by the relevant people.
How can you help with construction site safety?
No matter how diligent and how many procedures you put in place, accidents on construction sites are going to happen, but you can help to reduce those accidents by following a few simple steps:
- Carrying out daily pre-work site checks
This can help spot any potential risks and ensure that action is taken before the risk becomes an incident. - Hold mandatory safety meetings.
You can start each day by holding a brief safety meeting to discuss the day's plans, any changes to the worksite and looking at the safety measures and asking workers if they feel anything can be immediately improved. - Mandatory PPE
Reminding everyone that PPE is mandatory and if they require any extra PPE to perform their job safely, they need to ask for this to be provided. - Breaks and downtime
Encouraging regular breaks and downtime for workers can help them keep more focused and alert. Encourage them to look out for one another and provide a space where it’s safe to speak up if anyone is showing signs of tiredness or exhaustion.
What are the risks on a construction site?
Risks on construction sites are well known with companies and site managers taking preventative measures to ensure the utmost care has been taken to avoid any incidents. Some of the more common risks are:
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Working at height
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Moving objects
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Slips, trips, and falls
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Noise
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Hand-arm vibration syndrome
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Material and manual handling
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Collapsing trenches
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Asbestos
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Electricity
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Airborne fibres and materials
But construction sites don’t just pose risks for workers and visitors, you must also consider the security of the site, from diesel theft to storing expensive equipment, securing the site must be high on your priority list.
Thefts from construction sites cost the industry around £800m a year with copper, specialist equipment and lost wages contributing to this, but there are preventative measures you can take to help protect your site against theft. Staff awareness training, controlled entry and exit points, and investing in a broader range of security systems, including temporary CCTV cameras, which will act as a deterrent.
What are the threats of unsecured building sites?
Unsecured building sites face the dual challenges of potential theft, vandalism, and safety hazards for both workers and passersby.
Construction site CCTV is essential and must become a mindset and part of the culture. Regular security briefings, spot checks, and adequate investment in lighting, fencing, and CCTV cameras are crucial to keeping your sites safe.
How do you secure a construction site?
No matter the size of the site, it can be difficult to completely secure it. Firstly, securing the perimeter is crucial and can usually be accomplished by using fencing and barricades. Couple this with clear signage to further deter potential intruders and unauthorised personnel.
If possible, implement access control which requires all workers and visitors to sign in and out or verify their identification. If you have visitors on site, they should be accompanied at all times.
Using security cameras for construction site security is paramount, they not only deter potential thieves at night but can also be used for site maintenance and ensuring employees are working safely. If the cameras are using a live feed, they can be used to update stakeholders and project managers remotely.
You need to use a combination of CCTV, alarm systems and clear, visible signage that supports and complements the security of your site, ideally with remote monitoring or a fully managed CCTV service.
Should I have security lighting on my construction site?
Yes! The more the better. Lighting helps deter crime from construction sites, assists security patrols and makes the area feel safer at night. While high-powered spotlights can light up specific areas, they can also create black spots where a site intruder could take cover. Utilising low-wattage lighting throughout the site eliminates these areas of high contrast.
Any recesses or hidden points on your site should have particular attention paid to them with lighting and mirrors to increase visibility.
How do CCTV cameras help deter crime from construction sites?
CCTV cameras are one of the most effective ways to deter crime on construction sites. Cameras should be positioned to achieve the highest recognition quality and in such a way that site lighting does not interfere with the image.
Redeployable CCTV towers work best for construction sites, they can be easily moved so as the sites progress and camera position needs to change, the systems can change with the site. These can be paired with solar power and wireless transmission to increase effectiveness.
Larger sites should consider ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Reader) enhancement to manage vehicles coming onto site and, any unauthorised ones that may attempt to enter.
Footage can be monitored by remote operators who will have a crime prevention escalation plan which should be considered a key security measure.
What are the different types of cameras used on Construction Sites?
Construction sites can have a variety of different cameras to help protect and secure their assets. These can be static cameras, PTZ Cameras, ANPR and Infrared to name a few. Let's explore a few options below.
CCTV Cameras & Towers
One of the main cameras that sites have for security is a PTZ dome camera. PTZ stands for Pan, Tilt, Zoom, which is the functionality of the camera. These are usually mounted to poles or buildings, and our cameras can have their own solar panels to draw power from, these are called redeployable towers or portable towers.
The portable tower units run off either fuel and battery power or can rely on solar. The CCTV Towers can have up to 4 separate cameras for a full 360-degree view of the area. You can also attach an alarm with real-time voice prompts to deter any intruders that come onto the site.
Our PTZ camera is equipped with 36x Zoom and 1080p HD video. You can access any live or recorded footage remotely at any time, from any device. It has built-in analytics for intelligent surveillance.
If you’re looking for a portable CCTV Camera solution, then get in touch with us below.
ANPR Camera
ANPR cameras are used on construction sites to identify and keep a record of who accesses the site via a vehicle, for instance when materials and goods are being delivered. ANPR stands for Automatic Number Plate Reader and, as the name suggests, automatically reads the number plates of vehicles. This can be particularly helpful if you have a large site with multiple entrances and need to watch who is coming in and going throughout the day.
Infrared Camera
Infrared cameras detect and measure the infrared energy of objects. The camera then converts the infrared data to an electronic image that shows the temperature of the object being measured. For example, the infrared camera can detect abnormal heat signatures near diesel storage, convert that into an image and capture thieves stealing diesel. This is especially useful if you have a monitoring station that activates an alarm or a voice command over a speaker.
Time Lapse Camera
Time lapse cameras can be found on construction sites when companies want to showcase the project from start to finish, it’s a great way of generating publicity, engagement, and new business. Our time-lapse video cameras can be integrated into a portable solar site tower or as a standalone solution.
Our site security CCTV Towers are designed for rapid-deployment and we combine an Infrared PTZ camera, wireless transmission capability, a voice address system, battery back-up and an integral hard drive (up to 4TB) for evidential video recording into a portable and easy-to-install unit.
For expert advice and guidance on how to secure your sites, WCCTV is the industry's choice. If you are looking to get a quote for managed CCTV cameras for any upcoming sites contact us today.
