Building Site Fencing: What You Need For Security & Safety

Securing a construction site from unauthorised access is one of the first issues a project will face. Segregation from the public and security from potential theft are key requirements but building site fencing can do so much more.

While site security fencing on the perimeter is essential, you can use it to segregate and section off working areas within the site as well. At Wade, we have a wide range of anti-climb mesh fencing and solid privacy fencing available.

Why Do I Need to Secure My Building Site?

It may seem obvious. You need to keep tools, materials and equipment safe. Even if the site has a secure, lockable set of containers, there are other good reasons to keep unauthorised people off your site.

What Does the Legislation Say?

The Health and Safety at Work Act (HASAWA 1974) states that all employers and the self-employed must take necessary and reasonably practicable steps to protect the general public from their work.

The Construction Design and Management (CDM) Regulations (Section 17) state that action must be taken to ensure that no unauthorised person is able to gain access to a site.

The HSE advises that suitable and sufficient warning signs should be displayed to let the public know of the dangers of unauthorised access. The organisation also recommends that a regular regime of inspections is used to ensure the perimeter fence is maintained in good order.

Preventing Thieves From Accessing Site

As a deterrent, a secure perimeter fence will stop most opportunist thieves from robbing a construction site. It takes time to break in through a securely clipped and booted temporary fence.

With tools and equipment secured in steel containers, or a finished structure, there is little left for someone to slip in and walk away with. Upgrade your fence clips to anti-tamper level. These clips require a specialist tool to fit.

For the more determined thief, perhaps stealing to order, a good, solid metal fence can help to put them off. A professional, well-maintained perimeter lets the world know that the site is managed, and secure.

Preventing Children From Accessing Site

Despite campaigns and contractor engagement in schools, children are still drawn to the fascinating world of the construction site, especially when all is quiet at the weekend.

Every year, even with a secure anti-climb mesh fence installed, children still manage to find their way onto building sites. Some children are injured, some badly. A small number, in single figures, don’t go home again.

This is terrible news, and if it can be proven during the subsequent investigation that the perimeter fence was lacking, or below standard, and that the access and subsequent accident were preventable, it may lead to prosecution.

How Do I Secure My Building Site?

The HSE states that a construction site should have well-defined, secure and properly maintained boundaries, whether a solid hoarding or temporary fence. If possible, vehicle and pedestrian access should be separate.

Use Anti-Climb Mesh Fencing

Anti-climb mesh fencing can be rapidly deployed and secure a level site perimeter at a rate of fifty metres per hour with two operatives. Begin the work of securing the site at the front of the plot, the area with the greatest exposure to the public.

Anti-climb perimeter fencing comes in panels that are two metres tall, and 3.45 metres wide. Their feet are slotted into rubber blocks and the panels are linked together with a pair of clips, fitted from the inside of the fence.

Don’t be tempted to skimp on the number of clips as single-clipped fences are easy to lift out of the boots. Double-clipping with a fence spanner keeps them secure.

 

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Use Solid-Panel Metal Fencing

For additional privacy, solid-panel metal fencing keeps out prying eyes. Construction sites attract attention from passers-by, interested individuals and others. By using a solid panel system, you can keep people guessing as to what you have on-site.

Solid panel fences are also anti-climb and two metres tall by just over two metres wide, so expect a build rate of about thirty metres per hour. These panels are slightly heavier than the larger mesh panels, and because they are solid, they will have a higher wind loading.

When setting up a solid temporary fence you must make sure the panels are properly braced to prevent them from being blown over. Ballast blocks and stabilisers will do the trick, but will mean the setup will take longer.

Use a Mix of Both Mesh and Solid

You can use a mix of panel types as the rubber boot and clip system works for both. Perhaps have privacy at the front of the site, and use the mesh fencing along other, private boundaries.

You could also use solid panel fencing within the site boundary to isolate plant such as generators and fuel bunds or segregate working areas from welfare zones.

When a site has regular visits from the client, the design team, management or regulatory bodies, use a solid panel temporary fence to segregate the active work area and the office setup.

Separating the welfare and office setup with temporary fencing allows for greater flexibility with regard to access to the main working areas. On a larger site, you could create a holding area where operatives can wait for inductions and pre-start briefings.

 

How Much Will Temporary Fencing Cost?

For a hundred-metre perimeter, you will need 29 mesh fencing panels, 30 rubber block feet and 60 clips for a basic level of security. The cost for this would be less than £1500. Adding vehicle and pedestrian gates may add another £200 to the total (if replacing fence panels).

For a hundred-metre perimeter in solid metal, the number of panels increases. In this example, you will require 48 panels to cover the same distance. The equivalent increase in feet and clips will mean a final cost closer to £3500.

To find out which would suit your site best, or to discuss delivery, or other options, do not hesitate to call or email our professional team today.

How Do I Prepare a Site Perimeter?

Sometimes a site perimeter will be a mix of terrain, from broken walls to overgrown scrub. The first thing to do would be to assess the condition of the site and engage a groundworker to clear the area as much as possible, levelling as they go.

Works of this nature would have to be assessed for risk, and a method statement drawn up and agreed prior to starting. In some cases, a licence may be required from the local authority, should a public pavement require a temporary closure.

The temporary fence may need to be set up outside the boundary and then put into position as the work progresses. The gap between the bottom of a rubber foot and the fence panel is small, but attention must be paid to any discrepancies in the ground level in order to minimise any gaps.

What if My Site is on a Hill?

Not all construction sites are level, it’s true, and some areas of the UK are decidedly hilly. In these situations, it can be tricky when a temporary fence needs to be erected on a slope.

The most difficult point will always be a change in the direction of an incline, say from the level to a slope. In corner situations, you may need an additional panel to brace between two inner rubber feet.

When panels crest a hill, or there is another deviation that makes fitting clips difficult consider overlapping panels and clipping them on the top and bottom rails instead of at the sides. This will mean using more panels and more boots, but it is an effective solution.

What if My Site is Exposed to the Elements?

Windy, coastal, or otherwise exposed sites that are subject to high winds, might struggle to keep a temporary fence secure. Mesh fencing can encounter difficulty, when wind is funnelled between adjacent buildings, or there is a named storm underway.

Avoid fixing netting, or other banners or branding to a vulnerable fence line to lessen the wind loading.

Using Ballast blocks and stabilisers can help, or you could brace the fence with additional panels and feet in a triangular formation.

 

What if My Site is in a Busy Public Area?

If a site is in a busy public area, perhaps it’s close to a school, shops, or a transport hub, you must have a safe, secure boundary. If the work is particularly noisy, and creates a lot of dust, or sparks, consider using a solid metal site fencing system.

Use high-viz rubber feet with yellow flashes on them, oriented to the public side to aid visibility.

A public area could be an opportunity to advertise your brand. At Wade, we can print your logo, and custom text on a durable fabric mesh designed to fit over temporary fencing.

Next Steps

For more information with regard to the options available for your specific site, or to discuss delivery and lead-in times, do not hesitate to call or email our professional team today.