A new guide on construction site security has been published by Secured by Design (SBD).
The document has been produced by the group in partnership with Police Scotland, the Metropolitan Police Service, the London Fire Brigade and other bodies.
Construction site theft costs the industry £800 million a year, according to a recent study from Allianz Insurance. The guide includes various recommendations on how to protect sites from theft, including on how to secure site boundaries and advice on lighting.
Head of operational services at police crime prevention initiatives, Michael Brooke, said, “This SBD guide is designed to be risk commensurate and provide advice on how to secure the site from the moment the hoarding goes up until the moment the development is handed over to the client or end user. The advice is based on proven crime prevention principles that are known to reduce criminal opportunity by creating safer, more secure and sustainable environments. It applies to all construction sites regardless of their size and is intended for all staff including security personnel.”
Stuart Ward, national designing out crime manager at Police Scotland, added, “Crime affecting the construction industry is known to have a negative impact on the ability of contractors to meet on time and within budget delivery of development work. This new publication by Secured by Design and UK Police Forces, provides quality and credible advice that can be applied from the design stages through to the completion of construction and which can have a positive impact in reducing the risk of crime and anti-social activity against construction sites.
“Throughout the UK the use of this guide and implementation of its recommendations where appropriate will significantly reduce the cost of crime both in terms of finance and reputation. The guide can be used as an excellent start point for security measures to be applied, and further advice can be sought from the local police designing out crime officers, who can also assist in providing supplementary support.”
The guide can be downloaded here.
