Best Practices For Future-Proofing Your Long-Term Construction Site

According to OSHA, 1 in 5 deaths among US workers occur in the construction industry. Knowing the risks associated with construction, site managers must focus on safety and security on-site.

Keep reading if you’re considering how to future-proof your long-term construction site, making it safer and more secure.

This guide will discuss the tools, tips, and technologies ideal for ensuring agile security response, threat detection, and emergency response procedures.

Construction Site

Photo by Mikael Blomkvist

Implementing Cloud-Based Video Surveillance

When it comes to video surveillance on your construction site, you need a solution that doesn’t require consistent video monitoring. With a standard surveillance system, you can access features that allow you to provide evidence should a crime occur on your property, along with the display of security cameras to deter criminals on your site.

However, a standard surveillance system can rarely or hardly help your security staff and administrative personnel prevent a security threat from developing into a security incident.

With a standard system, you must monitor security cameras 24 hours a day to spot a potential incident. Since system administrators and security personnel have many tasks to attend to throughout the day, leaving them unable to monitor your surveillance footage, the likelihood of them spotting a potential threat is slim.

However, by opting for a cloud-based video surveillance system, you can ensure your team is always alerted to potential security threats detected by your security cameras.

A cloud-based surveillance system has open API integrations that allow you to integrate video analytics software. The analytics software monitors your video surveillance feed to spot potential security threats. When the system detects a threat, it will send out an alert to your security team, allowing them to act quickly and resolve the incident.

Additionally, a cloud-based surveillance system enables mobile security, allowing your team to receive alerts and view security footage on their mobile devices for fast-acting response and more convenient and user-friendly security.

Suppose you’re considering installing a cloud-based surveillance system. In that case, you should reach out to an installation expert who can place your cameras in optimal positions to ensure no blind spots and maximize the efficiency of your system.

Implementing A Lockdown System

A lockdown system can ensure that you can secure your construction site in the event of a security incident, allowing you to apprehend the perpetrator and resolve the threat.

You must implement access control for your site to implement a lockdown system. Access control blocks access to the site for anyone who does not possess a key card, fob, or mobile credentials.

Opting for a cloud-based access control system will grant you the ability to activate and deactivate keycards remotely. This function is particularly beneficial if an access card is stolen. You will be able to act quickly and prevent the intruder from using the card to enter your construction site.

With a cloud-based access control system, you can also gain access to lockdown features that allow you to contain a potential security threat. If there is a security event on-site, you can initiate lockdown procedures using a mobile application or cloud-based control center and contact authorities to resolve the incident. 

The ability to initiate lockdown procedures remotely hastens your security response, increasing the likelihood that you will prevent the security incident from escalating.

Registering And Organizing Equipment

One of the most significant security risks on a construction site is the potential for theft. Many pieces of equipment are costly, presenting a security risk.

To ensure your construction site is less at-risk for theft and equipment shrinkage, consider creating a registration system for your equipment. Equipment should be logged and counted at the end of each working day to ensure nothing is missing.

In addition to counting your equipment, you can also keep logs of which construction crew members logged out the equipment. If the tool is missing at the end of the day, you will know who is responsible, and you will be able to investigate the incident more efficiently.

Stairs

Photo by Josh Sorenson

Integrated Alarm Systems

In addition to providing surveillance, access control, and lockdown systems on your site, you must also have alarm systems. You are responsible for ensuring your crew’s safety on site and complying with alarm system regulations.

If you have a cloud-based security system, consider integrating your alarm systems with your security system. If your smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector, glass break sensor, or gunshot detector is triggered, you need to respond quickly. 

With an integrated security system, all information is readily available on a single interface, allowing you to respond quickly and resolve a potential security threat. If you didn’t integrate your system, you would need to log into separate platforms to access the functions you need to initiate evacuation procedures, unlock doors, and investigate the incident using your surveillance cameras.

Hastening your emergency procedures is essential, which is why integrating your alarm and security systems is necessary for construction site managers.

Summary

As a construction site manager, you must keep your workers safe on-site, ensure your equipment is secure, and have evacuation procedures should an emergency occur. Considering these security installations and innovations, you can future-proof your security strategy, ensuring you’re equipped to handle any threat to your operations and implementing an agile security response.