How to Protect Your Construction Site with Fencing

Construction sites pose safety risks for local traffic, the community, and all people involved at the worksite. Putting safety first allows you to run a safe site that is protected from security issues, while also keeping the community safe as the job is underway. Temporary construction fencing protects your worksite providing a barrier that not only keeps people off your property but also helps direct traffic in the area. Here we review how fending can protect your construction site, and how and where fencing should be used. Why Construction Sites Need Fencing

There are three main reasons you need fencing at your construction site:

1. Prevent Theft and Vandalism

Construction sites are a gold mine of items for thieves looking for things to steal and sell. From copper piping and wire to expensive equipment, the valuables are made far less accessible with proper fencing. The perimeter of your construction site can be fenced in, effectively marking your territory. It is more difficult to enter, and more importantly, leave the site with valuables.

Your insurance company will also expect precautions to be taken to avoid theft, otherwise, you could be faced with claims issues. Thieves aren’t the only criminals attracted to construction sites. Vandals enjoy doing everything from smashing windows to spray painting graffiti. Securing the area keeps trespassers at bay.

2. Keep Out Squatters

People seeking shelter often look to construction sites to help keep them warm and dry. Squatters can make themselves comfortable overnight causing issues for your team when they arrive at work in the morning. In some cases, these people can also be violent and dangerous. Fencing keeps intruders and squatters away.

3. Traffic Control

Construction sites often interfere with local traffic. The more complicated the project, the higher the chance there is for local traffic to make a wrong turn and end up on your property. Fencing can help keep people off the site, while providing clear direction for people making deliveries or arriving for their day of work. Fencing can be used to post signs, warnings and instructions for people who are supposed to be there, while steering people who aren’t supposed to be there in the right direction. This makes your site safer as it keeps people out of harm’s way.

Basically, temporary fencing helps keep your construction site safer, discourages trespassers and helps control traffic.

Where to Use Perimeter Safety Fences

As mentioned, perimeter fencing is your best defense to protect your site against both accidental entry by the public as well as intentional trespassing by criminals. Perimeter fences are at least six fit high, making it difficult for people to scale them and gain entry. These fences also provide a place to hang signage to meet local regulations, while also showing visitors where to go when they arrive at the site.

Fences to Protect Against Hazards and Falls

Construction sites pose many safety hazards due to open spaces, uneven ground, open holes and more. Hazard fencing protects people from accidents and should be placed wherever there is risk for falls. This would include stairways, holes, sudden drops, around open flooring, etc. Your local regulations will guide you with a list of hazards that require protective fencing and barriers such as guardrails and safety nets. These barriers work together to reduce risk for falls.

Safety Fences to Control Traffic Flow

Even the most remote areas require safety fencing to help control construction site traffic. While you might not be worried about locals driving onto your site by accident, you still have too much traffic to avoid using some form of fencing to keep everyone safe. The use of large noisy equipment makes sites dangerous as people might not hear another vehicle approaching. Your safety fences help direct traffic while keeping various workers and equipment contained in their work zones.

Fencing and signposts work together to direct clearly define where people arriving need to go. Restricted areas can be indicated, as can each work zones You can also create temporary roads, and indicate safe footpaths for pedestrians walking through the site. In some cases chain link panels work fine, while other areas might need different types of construction site panels for more privacy. Either way the barriers direct both foot and vehicle traffic safely through the site.

Temporary construction fencing allows you to create a safe, secure construction site with eco-friendly fencing that won’t wind up in the local landfill site.

If you would like more information on the types of construction site panels available, contact the Battlefield Supply experts today.