{"id":14989,"date":"2023-11-07T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-07T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clearway.vanillabeancreative.com\/news\/5-tips-for-securing-your-construction-site\/"},"modified":"2025-05-02T14:48:56","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T14:48:56","slug":"tips-for-securing-your-construction-site","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clearway.co.uk\/news\/tips-for-securing-your-construction-site\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Improve Your Construction Site Security"},"content":{"rendered":"

Construction site security is a gritty and complex issue. They\u2019re expensive to run, they\u2019re constantly vulnerable and at risk – and they remain that way until the very end of the project.<\/strong><\/p>\n

More than anything, construction sites need to be kept secure, particularly as the criminal underworld is conspiring against the sector all the time. So how do you improve construction site security?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

 <\/p>\n

It\u2019s the truth, and we all know it: The construction sector in the UK tends to react quickly to the state of our economy.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Are things going well \u2013 with robust growth and low inflation?<\/p>\n

Great.<\/p>\n

Everywhere you turn, there are construction workers in hard hats, building, measuring, and surveying things. When things are not going quite so swimmingly, construction sites are more of a rarity or become completely abandoned, as was commonplace during the economic turmoil caused by the COVID pandemic.<\/p>\n

Despite slower growth across the board in 2023, the construction sector has proved an interesting exception. Even though it makes up just 6% of UK GDP, it\u2019s the only area of business that has experienced growth. Output now stands more than 7% above its average level in 2019. Therefore, this makes construction by far the most significant performing sector in recent years.<\/p>\n

As a multi-billion-pound industry, it\u2019s clear that construction is a key driver in our country\u2019s financial well-being.<\/p>\n

However, on a practical level, there\u2019s some shade along with economic sunshine:<\/p>\n

Site Security Situations and risks<\/strong><\/h2>\n

More construction equals more building sites. This is good news, but the boom has created an underworld. The statistics don\u2019t lie; security threats to sites have become a significant problem:<\/p>\n

Allianz Cornhill recently reported* that in 2020, thieves stole nearly \u00a317.5 million worth of tools from building sites in London. There are two things here: firstly, the figures are for London\u00a0alone<\/em>. And, the figures are just for\u00a0tools<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Bold-as-brass, opportunists and career criminals also help themselves, often on a weekly basis, to larger pieces of equipment, such as plant machinery, excavators, and trucks. Moreover, vehicles such as these have a low recovery rate, primarily due to registration and identification issues.<\/p>\n

The most serious consequences of theft are the astronomically high equipment replacement costs. But, there are other knock-on effects, too. For example, expensive project delays and the time and money that needs to be spent on any possible damage to the site or the surrounding area. And, of course, price hikes in materials and insurance cover.<\/p>\n

Why Are Construction Sites Vulnerable?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

They become unoccupied.<\/strong>\u00a0There\u2019s always When these sites are vacant overnight, at weekends and on public holidays, they become exposed and susceptible to criminals.<\/p>\n

They stand out<\/strong>. In effect, building sites telegraph their activity \u2013 there\u2019s no hiding what\u2019s happening. Equally, if there is a pause in the construction project \u2013 say overnight, on weekends, or public holidays, sites are at risk.<\/p>\n

They store valuable items<\/strong>. Tools, equipment and machinery are specialist items. They find eager buyers on the black market. Also, other items can be stripped down and sold separately. Thefts from building sites are quite the niche industry, it would seem.<\/p>\n

Fly-tipping is an issue<\/strong>. Should the site be unoccupied for prolonged periods \u2013 perhaps in the early stages of development \u2013 it could become a target for fly-tippers.<\/p>\n

Securing your construction site is critical. It demands so much more than merely erecting a fence and hoping for the best. In Clearway\u2019s view, solid operational practices are as important as external surveillance strategies; in other words, what you do, and why and how you do it.<\/p>\n

How to improve construction site security<\/h2>\n

Here are our recommendations, with specific examples of the security measures, products and services we can provide. Start with the following:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n