A Temporary Fence is always going to be a bit of a conundrum. It needs to be secure and it needs to be temporary, but the more temporary it is the less secure it is.
In addition to being a security measure, the fencing around a construction site is also a safety device. As a kid in a growing city I was always dismayed when walking by construction sites which were wrapped in a fence that I was not allowed to see through. There were often interesting noises going on the other side of the fence, and youngsters are naturally curious about such things. I hadn’t realised that the construction men were not trying to hide anything. Rather, the impervious fence was to block dust and debris from harming those outside of the site.
The minimum standards for Temporary Fencing can be found in “The Australian Standard for Temporary Fences and Hoarding”, AS 4687-2007. The type and degree of fencing required will depend upon the scope of the job and the location where it is being performed. A building renovation in a congested business area will have differing needs from a similar job in a rural or residential area, just as a demolition job will require different sorts of barriers than a painting job.
A common type of hoarding, or construction site fencing is chainwire fabric or panels covered with heavy duty fabric. Advertising for the construction company or the site owners may be printed on the fabric, or the surface may be used for the posting of bills and posters. The site owner may also chose to keep the barrier blank, but there will need to be security personnel in place to enforce the decision.
Beyond the safety of those outside of the barrier, the construction fence needs to provide security to the project itself. Simply blocking visual access to the site and its contents will be enough to discourage theft and pilferage after hours. It should be considered that no fence can keep out a determined intruder, so security measures inside the fence need to be taken as well. These will include locking tools and materials in a secured enclosure, and may require on-site security personnel or patrols.
Disposal of the fence or hoarding at the end of the project should be considered. In some cases the hoarding may be used on another project. Fencing removal and disposal should be specified in the installation contract.
Disposal of the fence or hoarding at the end of the project should be considered. In some cases the hoarding may be used on another project. Fencing removal and disposal should be specified in the installation contract.