Just like any other commercial property, construction sites need to be protected. They also need to bet kept safe internally as well as protected from external threats. There is very little doubt that construction sites can be a dangerous place. Although some of the dangers around construction sites, such as the heavy construction equipment are fairly obvious, there are additional hazards to be aware of. There are a number of hidden dangers on a construction site which can lead to high value items being stolen or damaged, and people injured.
Protecting the workers on a construction site and keeping the environment safe requires companies to sometimes go beyond what are otherwise deemed to be ‘minimum’ safety rules and start addressing what they can do to avoid these risks and maintain proper Health and Safety standards.
You are likely to need a budget in order to make fully protect your site. Importantly, you will need to keep not just intruders in the traditional sense out, but also curious passers-by who may otherwise become injured. These precautions and safety measures will be more than worth it and considering using construction and vacant property specialists such as Secure Site is a wise way to implement safety precautions.
Keeping your Construction Site Safe
When working on a construction site, there is a skewed perception of the real risks. Some of the largest and loudest dangers which can be found on a construction site do not always cause the injuries that befall victims. This is partially due to the workers usually being the safest people on site, staying focussed on any obvious hazards. They are trained in hazard awareness and it will be second nature to carry it out when the risks appear obvious.
Workers who have been on a variety of construction sites for many years are likely to become somewhat desensitised to less obvious and smaller, but nonetheless genuine hazards. It can be the case that workers will underestimate their chances of getting hurt whilst they are performing the work that they have simply become accustomed to, performing related tasks on a regular basis.
Being exposed to a risk in some capacity day after day does instil a belief in many of the workers that they are less likely to injure themselves; it can appear to be ‘just another day at the office.’ This is an unhealthy attitude to have as when you stop thinking about the risks, that is precisely when an accident is most likely to occur.
Protecting the Physical Construction Site
In order to keep the construction site and premises itself safe from external threats, it is important to have some security measures in place. Construction sites can be very vulnerable as they are predominantly and for the most part outside and exposed to the public in one way or another.
It is good to have a budget in mind to be able to have the best security for the construction site that you can possibly have. This way you will find that you have a greater peace of mind, you are not losing out on stolen goods and that your construction workers feel safe at work.
Security Guards for Construction Sites
At Secure Site, we have dedicated teams of professional uniformed security officers as well as security dog handlers. Having this in place is often deemed to be the ultimate deterrent to anyone thinking they can vandalise or steal from a construction site. The very physical and imposing presence of trained security professionals and dogs, will more than likely put even the most seasoned of intruders off your site.
CCTV Systems for Construction Sites
Having a CCTV system in place is great to watch over vulnerable areas 24/7. It can detect if anything suspicious is occurring and limit the risk of damage or theft happening on the construction site.
Perimeter Security Systems
Perimeter security will provide you with a physical barrier which is installed around the entire construction site. This will make it very difficult, if not impossible, for anyone to enter the site. Perimeter security encompasses a wide range of security solutions which in the case of a construction site could include:
Access Control Systems in Construction
For the ultimate safety of a construction site, you could consider having an access control system installed. This is likely to be an alarmed system which only lets people with authorisation enter the premises. Furthermore, access control systems could allow you to monitor electronically, who is entering and exiting the premises, from where and when.
Work on Communication
It will be the case that not all good supervisors will necessarily be good communicators, and this often poses a risk to the safety of the workers. Although a supervisor may be great at getting their ultimate job done effectively, they may lack the skills to provide clear communication on essential safety issues. Failure to communicate effectively can make hazards even more hazardous and the work place more unsafe in general, leading to the workforce being less safety conscious down the line.
Since many supervisors get promoted because they are good at their job rather than because they are natural born communicators, therefore additional training which is focussed on safety leadership skills may be required.