The Real Cost of Construction Site Trespassing
The UK construction industry is reported to have lost £800million in 2020 as a result of theft and vandalism. With further reports by the BBC stating that only 7.8% of these crimes resulted in a suspect charged for their actions, many construction businesses are taking crime prevention into their own hands.
However, the cost of trespassing on construction sites is not just a financial one.
Health and safety consultancy Outsource Safety warn that the summer holidays increase the risk of trespassing on construction sites.
The holidays are now well underway and children have more free time than they know what to do with, meaning construction sites become a playground of possibilities, often resulting in life-changing and even fatal accidents.
With this in mind, it is important for you to secure the plant and equipment on your site to prevent financial loss and ensure that trespassing doesn’t occur – especially for the safety of those who may not be aware of the dangers.
In this blog, we look at how CCTV can be used as an effective means to combat construction site trespassing, with the aim of both reducing illegal activity and saving lives.
How Many Ways Can CCTV Systems Protect Your Construction Site?
The term ‘trespassing’ often implies vandalism and theft. While this is true, it’s important to note the further extent of damages and injury that can occur.
The HSE 2021 workplace fatal injuries report states there have been 39 fatal injuries this year alone on construction sites, with half occurring from due to falls from height.
Clearly, construction sites pose risks to experienced workers and they are certainly no place for children. The risks remain high throughout projects and can vary as sites are active or closed (overnight and during holidays).
The HSE states that, by law, you are responsible for ensuring security methods are in place on your site, to protect the safety of the public. In many cases, construction companies are receiving fines for accidents that have occurred on their sites due to the lack of security to prevent trespasser access.
What can you do to effectively protect your construction site from these risks?
The intimidating presence of CCTV systems on your site, partnered with signs warning off potential trespassers, provide an excellent deterrent.
The Top CCTV Solutions To Protect Your Site
CCTV systems come in a range of shapes and sizes depending on the type of site and how large it is.
That’s why we’ve selected the most efficient and cost-effective surveillance options that best suit the needs of any construction site.
In many situations, mains power may not be available due to the site location or project stage. However, this does not mean your site security must suffer!
Wireless, AI (Artificial Intelligence) powered CCTV systems with built-in intruder detectors are an excellent solution without the need for mains power.
These battery-operated CCTV systems record and monitor your site 24/7. Not only will the cameras detect movement, but AI capability enables live analysis of your construction site to differentiate human threats from, such as, harmless animals wandering around.
When managed by a responsive security service provider, these cameras will automatically alert a professional monitoring team that will contact the site manager, deploy security guards or contact the Police at the first sign of a threat.
Offering similar camera and detector technology, mobile towers are a fantastic option for actively developing construction sites. These towers are entirely wireless and fitted with 6 hard-mounted solar panels for continuous power delivery.
When the towers’ camera detectors trigger an alert, the remote monitoring team can use the onboard megaphone to deliver verbal warnings to intruders, potentially deterring them before the need to deploy a security response arises.
CCTV towers increase your coverage capacity thanks to the 10-metre-tall extendable mast, but they are also entirely mobile. Meaning as your construction project evolves, they will continue to cover the most vulnerable locations.
Conclusion
CCTV systems provide a fantastic solution for reducing the risks of theft and damage.
They also effectively deter children who may not intend to steal or vandalise your assets but can, and sadly often do, cause harm to themselves as a result of trespassing on construction sites.
If you’d like to speak to a security expert to learn more about CCTV systems or the legal requirements when securing your own construction sites, get in touch with Secure Site UK today.
