Security services in the construction industry

April 18, 2022

422 7 minutes read

Low view of a security man behind a wire fence wearing a hardhat on a construction site.

The construction sector is particularly subject to a multitude of security risks. Whether it is an area or an establishment under construction, demolition or renovation, the very nature of the activity on a construction site taking place in the open air, without perfectly secure delimitation, in an area calling on many subcontractors, exposes them to different types of looting or degradation.

Thus, the implementation of a security system is essential, day and night, by the use of a site security service that

Low view of a security man behind a wire fence wearing a hardhat on a construction

ensures the safety of goods and people on the work sites.

So what do we mean by site guarding? How can we secure a building site? SCS Group answers your questions in this article.

What is a site guard service?

The purpose of guarding a construction site is to ensure the safety of the construction site, both in terms of the goods present on the site and in terms of the people who are there.

Site surveillance also has the function of preventing any theft that could be the cause of delays in the progress of the work.

The risks present on construction sites

Whatever its type, any construction site is vulnerable to various risks such as:

Flights
Voluntary damage
Illegal occupation
Accidents
Unauthorized access to the site

In order to deal with this, we must put several preventive measures in place.

Thefts on construction sites

Construction sites are privileged places for thieves of cables, power tools, metals, construction machinery, various materials, etc.

Some measures can be considered:

Search for vehicles on entry and exit.
Verification of the waste outlet.
Installation of specific fences to secure stocks of tools and building materials.
Site lighting at night.
Setting up random rounds.
Installation of a dissuasive display (prohibited site, supervised, etc.).
Limitation and control of the main access routes.
Closing, locking and activation of all anti-theft systems of unused equipment.
Moving unused tools and materials out of sight of passers-by.
Positioning of equipment and machinery in such a way as to make it difficult to remove them; for example, by nesting several items of equipment one inside the other.
Removal of keys from machinery, machinery and vehicles.
Personalization and marking of materials and tools.
Registration of the marking and serial numbers and main characteristics of the most expensive equipment.
Realization of general photos, and others of the particularities that can distinguish the materials from similar ones.
Avoid supplying sites too far in advance and on the eves of holidays and weekends.
Provide specific storage areas for materials and equipment and parking areas for machinery as far as possible from areas easily accessible from the street.
Outside periods of activity, remove valuable tools and materials from the site or store them in secure areas.

Voluntary damage

Construction sites are the targets of degradation by vandals. Some measures can be considered:

The installation of a secure fence around the construction site.
Locking finished parts.
Establishment of a list of persons authorized to access finished work areas.
The establishment of a dissuasive display (prohibited site, supervised, etc.).
Site lighting at night.
Setting up random rounds.
The increase in the number and nature of physical and electronic “barriers”.
The limitation and regular control of the main access routes.
At the end of the day, ensure that everything is in order and close all access to the worksites.

Illegal occupation (squat) of premises

Some people sometimes try to take advantage of the end of certain works to squat these spaces and stay there until the courts intervene, which can be a long process.

The following actions should be taken to avoid this type of problem:

Delimitation and clear marking of the site area.
The establishment of a dissuasive display (prohibited site, supervised, etc.).
Installation of a dog handler.
The installation of a secure fence around the construction site.
Locking finished parts.
Call the authorities immediately in case of intrusion.
The increase in the number and nature of physical and electronic “barriers”.
At the end of the day, ensure that everything is in order and close all access to the worksites.

Accidents to people outside the worksite

Many authorized persons access a construction site on a regular basis. Subcontractors, suppliers, experts…

These people are not always informed of the specific risks associated with the construction site and their awareness is therefore important to avoid accidents.

The following actions can be considered:

Awareness of visitors and subcontractors at the entrance to the site by providing a safety guide on the site.
Distribution of PPE to visitors.
Obligation to wear PPE for subcontractors.
Demarcation of authorized traffic areas on foot and for wheeled vehicles.
Installation of pedestrian crossings.
Guarantee the physical integrity of the site, hence the need to set up dog handlers (dog handlers)
Deter intruders and malicious people from entering the site;
Identify dangerous behaviors and incidents very quickly and react accordingly, depending on the problem encountered;
Ensure that no fire is started in the construction site during his service;
Establishment of agents in charge of the company’s HSE policy
Regular verification of the operation of rolling stock reversing warning devices
Closing, locking and activation of all anti-theft systems for unused equipment and machinery.
Provide specific storage areas for materials and equipment and parking areas for machinery

Unauthorized access to the site

These accesses can manage significant disorganization of the site and favor the risks highlighted above.

It is therefore we take the following measures:

Limit the number of accesses to the site.
Ensure the presence of a Security Guard at the accesses 24/7
The installation of a secure fence around the construction site.
Implementation of badges for vehicles and people
Accompany visitors with Security Guard
Accompany visitors with Security Guard
The increase in the number and nature of physical and electronic “barriers”.

These misdeeds are recurrent on construction sites and affect companies of all sizes, sometimes creating very significant delays and colossal financial losses.

Setting up site supervision

The purpose of any site supervision service is to:

Secure the work of workers;
Avoid intrusions, which will secure the property and people present on the site;
Preserve equipment, including tools, machines, generators, and hired gear;
Preserve raw materials, in particular copper, which is an object of desire on construction sites;
Raise the alarm quickly in case of fire or accidents.

We strongly recommend that companies working in the construction sector invest in security means, to ensure quality surveillance and guarding on construction sites.

How can we secure a construction site?

The prevention of risks and accidents on the construction site also depends on the level of safety on the construction site. For this reason, it is often necessary to call on professional companies that guarantee full management of the safety issues of the site.

Depending on the type of site that needs security, it can set several site security services up. Thus, the customer has the choice of subscribing to various offers, the most efficient of which are:

Guarding and the classic so-called “static” surveillance;
Technical equipment for video surveillance and remote monitoring.

The study and analysis of the specificities of the construction site

Given that all construction sites are different, an in-depth study of the different areas that need protection is essential, before setting up surveillance solutions, to guarantee optimal safety of the premises.

Then, the security company proposes for each construction site, preventive arrangements, and interventions in the event of problems detected on the site. Specific methods are applied to guarantee the effectiveness of the solutions presented to each client.

Guarding and human supervision of the site

Whether for construction or demolition work, guarding a construction site is one of the classic missions of security and guarding companies, which they provide by setting up many types of security guards. trained and qualified.

As it is difficult to find this type of agent and verify the skills necessary to ensure site safety, it is better to call on a security company that will take care of the total surveillance of the site.

>> Here’s how to choose a security company?

Indeed, the purpose of the presence of security guards within the construction site is to:

Our carefully recruited security guards benefit from training essential to the smooth running of their missions. Whether you are looking for a patrol security officer, a fire safety officer, or a canine officer for your site, our employees put their talent at your service in any situation.

Technical supervision of the site

To guarantee the total security of a building site, it is strongly recommended to combine the provision of site guarding by security agents with technical surveillance via the installation of video surveillance and/or remote surveillance system.

Indeed, it supplements human supervision with other technical equipment to facilitate the mission of site guarding. This equipment can be:

A remote monitoring system, with special sensors and detectors, to avoid all attempts at burglary on the site.
A video surveillance system allowing remote monitoring of any construction site.

Sometimes, being satisfied with video surveillance or remote surveillance systems may prove insufficient to ensure the safety of the site and prevent intrusions and thefts. The deterrent effect of cameras turns out to be much less than that of security guards. Ideally, a construction site should be fenced, placed under video surveillance, and monitored by security guards. Surveillance cameras will only be effective if security agents are present on-site to intervene or if a remote surveillance service is associated with them and the tele operators can ensure the removal of doubts on site very quickly.

Depending on your needs and your activity, we set up surveillance agents and install high-performance video surveillance and remote surveillance systems, based on the best technologies, and accompanied by security teams, trained, and equipped with the know-how and expertise. Necessary material. And this is to allow you to secure your sites most efficiently without having to bear management constraints.

Post Views: 724