Specifiers Journal 2015-2016

Building an effective security plan
As the construction industry begins to flourish postrecession,
demand for construction site security
looks set to rise. Amanda Caton of the British Security
Industry Association explores the changing security
requirements of construction sites and highlights
best practice in security procurement.
The construction sector has
experienced a positive start to 2015,
with figures from the Office for
National Statistics (ONS) suggesting
that the sector has contributed to
a better than expected outlook for
economic growth in the first quarter
of the year. Making up 6.4% of the
UK’s economy, the construction sector
suffered the effects of recession
particularly keenly, but is now
beginning to feel more upbeat, with
reports suggesting that customer
uncertainty has reduced following the
General Election 1 .
So, how might these changes affect
demand for construction site security?
As the number of construction
projects rise, it is natural to expect
demand for effective site security
measures to increase in tandem. With
the typical building site playing host
to a number of different contractors
at any one time, as well as a wide
range of valuable equipment, security
considerations are always paramount,
especially given the often open and
accessible nature of construction
sites. Left vulnerable overnight,
construction sites face the biggest
threat from theft, vandalism and
terrorism.
A security breach or poorly
implemented security measure
can have a number of negative
effects on a construction site
or depot. These can include
financial losses and unplanned
downtime, along with health
and safety issued cause by
unauthorised tampering of
equipment or procedures.
Therefore, site security is
essential to the successful
and timely completion of
a project, or the continued
success of a business. As such,
security should be addressed
at the earliest opportunity,
ensuring maximum protection
throughout the entire
construction process.
An holistic approach
A layered approach to security works
best to protect such sites. Starting at
the perimeter and working inward,
various security measures – both
electronic and physical – can integrate
successfully to provide an holistic,
effective solution to securing even the
most complex of construction sites.
According to construction industry
intelligence analysts, Glenigan 2 ,
London is leading the way in the
market’s recovery, with rising
demand for office accommodation
set to prompt increased investment
in the development of prime office
space, while the sharp rise in planning
approvals for a number of high-profile
residential schemes also looks set to
provide the market with a boost.
Of course, one of the most highprofile
building projects in the capital
is Europe’s largest construction
project, Crossrail, which employs
10,000 workers across 40 sites as the
project continues to work towards
its goal of constructing 42 additional
kilometres to London’s railway
network, providing a more direct
route across the city. Started in 2008
and scheduled for final completion in
2018, much of the work on the project
is due to take place in the 2015-16
period.
Interviewed recently
by IFSECGlobal 3 .com, Crossrail’s
Security Manager, David Buck,
outlined the successful application
of the layered security approach that
has been deployed at Crossrail sites
across the city. Showcasing the busy
Farringdon site, near the heart of
the city, David explained the blend
of physical perimeter security with
electronic security measures and
manned guarding:
“You will see hoarding, you will see
gates, you’ll see entry points, and all
of these are the physical ‘locks and
bolts’ of how a site is secured. On
top of that, we will then introduce an
electronic system of Access Control,
which will allow you access through
turnstiles, and then internally, we
6 SPECIFICATION JOURNAL 2015-2016