SITE SECURITY

Experienced self-builder David Snell shares tips to make sure that your building site is secure when work has finished for the day

Though this article will cover site security when work begins, the most important job needs to be done well before that point. In fact, it needs to be done as soon as you own the site: take out a self-build site insurance policy to cover you for employers’ liability, public liability and contractors’ all risk.

Insurance is a great backstop, but the fact that a body will reimburse you for loss, less any excess, won’t ever make up for the loss of time and the interruption to continuity. Neither will it compensate for the sense of violation. So, site security is also essential.

Securing the Site

Right from the word go, it’s necessary to secure the site from unwanted intruders. Contrary to what most people think, your primary concern shouldn’t necessarily be determined thieves. Children are attracted to building sites and, in the evening, when the site is empty, may be persuaded that trenches are great places to play. While later in the project, scaffolding may appear as an almost irresistible climbing frame. And don’t forget that animals may also fall foul of the dangers inherent on a building site.

There are of course the deliberate thieves and they need to be kept out or deterred. Heras fencing – con- sisting of strong steel mesh panels fixed together and footed in heavy bases – can be hired or purchased quite easily. If you do purchase them, then it’s almost certain that you’ll be able to offload them for the same money when you’ve finished on site.

Any gates should be securely padlocked at night. It won’t deter the determined thief but it will make them think twice and make their activities harder and more noticeable.

Hiring or purchasing a secure lock-up, such as a metal container, is a very good idea, too. This should be one of the first things on site, as soon as the ground is cleared and before materials start to arrive. But think carefully about its positioning; you won’t want to move it once it’s installed.

As soon as power is on site, arrange for a floodlight with a PIR sensor to be affixed to the container or mounted on a stout pole. (Your neighbours won’t thank you for any sound alarms that might wake them in the night and they won’t want any light shining into their bedrooms when a cat sets them off, so be careful with positioning).

Neighbours are the most effective security option. Give them your numbers so that they can contact you if they notice anything untoward.

top targets

There’s no doubt that professional thieves aren’t, in general, interested in sand and cement. They’re waiting for the high cost second fix items that normally arrive and are stored directly into the new home.

Unpack them on the day of arrival. That makes sense, in any event, as most goods should be checked for damage on arrival. But, from the thief’s point of view, once they’re out of their boxes, items are much more difficult to sell on.

Your tools and plant will also be a likely target should it be left exposed on site. To combat this, make sure that any hand tools are taken off site at the end of the day and that any larger items are safely locked away in the container each night. You can also remove the wheels from mixers and the like, which need to stay near the mixing station. Plant, such as dumpers and diggers, should be locked up and

the keys either taken home or hung up in the container.

Should i live on Site?

There’s no doubt that your site is going to be more secure if you do live on site. But that’s not always possible or desirable and there are, of course, inherent dangers for young families in doing so.

Putting a caravan on site with timed lighting can act as a deterrent, as can timed lights in the house once it gets to a more advanced stage. But getting your new neighbours involved, as they already live on site, is the best course of action — so introduce yourself early and try to keep them on side.