SITE HOARDING RULES AND REGULATIONS

Hoardings and secure fencing surrounding construction sites do come with guidance and set regulations, and it’s essential to bear these in mind throughout the length of your project.

Construction site hoarding can often be thought of as placing a temporary wall-like structure around your project’s perimeter.

With hoarding seen to:

✓ Help to prevent unauthorised access
✓ Limit access to the site
✓ Shield the site from general view
✓ Protect against vandalism, theft, etc
✓ And most importantly, help to keep both construction workers and the general public safe.

REGULATIONS

Under the Health & Safety at Work Act, employers must protect public members when passing by a construction site. This means that as well as stopping people from accessing the site, construction sites should have a good standard of cleanliness with clear perimeters and signage visible at all times. The regulations are in place to help keep areas safe and clear from obstruction. If temporary fencing does cause an obstruction and an alternative route has to be taken, this must be highlighted and sign-posted.

The CDM (Construction Design Management) regulations also state what an employer’s legal obligations are when it comes to appropriate signage that must be displayed on hoarding gates.

Ultimately, contractors must take all precautions necessary to avoid unauthorised access onto the site – (this can also include 24-hour security and even key card access), and provide suitable signage to warn the general public of any dangers or hazards.

The Health and Safety Executive also requires regular risk assessments to be carried out when it comes to the planning, provision, and maintenance of site hoarding/perimeters. Identifying hazards and putting in place solutions to counteract these, hoarding, temporary fencing, and clear signage are many of these solutions.

AREAS OF CONSIDERATION

When placing hoarding around sites, it’s essential to consider:

✓ Rights of way
✓ Work areas/stations
✓ Homes nearby
✓ Children or vulnerable people living in the surrounding areas.

Gate hoarding, in this respect, is required to keep all areas secure and locked, with all materials and dangerous equipment stored away.

The good news for project managers and contractors is that there are varying heights available in hoarding. Depending on your site specifications, requirements, and any special considerations, it will depend on the hoarding that best suits your project.

Perimeter hoarding is typically manufactured from steel or timber. Today, most construction firms opt for hoarding paint in their brand colours, placing logos at various intervals to show who is working on site.

SECURITY AND SAFETY FIRST

Ideally, the fencing you choose should be difficult for any opportunists or unwanted visitors to scale.

Flat sided hoardings are harder to climb than mesh fencing and also stops prying eyes from looking in.

Fence posts should be highlighted in pedestrian areas to avoid creating a tripping hazard. Alternatively, warning/barricade tape should be used where appropriate.

Construction site hoarding needs to withstand all weather conditions, so assessments relating to the wind load should be carried out so that adequate bracing can be supplied. Everything relating to the hoardings load should be assessed to continually check the stability of the fence.

Tamper-proof fixings should be included on the inside of hoarding pedestrian gates, and you should have dedicated access gates clearly marked.

Site hoarding gates should also be inspected regularly and modified or changed depending on any site changes.

Of course, it goes without saying that appropriate PPE should be worn at all times, and workers and all personnel should consider the public impact while operating on site.

IT’S ALL ABOUT KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE

Hoarding and gate hoarding is designed to protect the public to a reasonable measure and keep unauthorised people out.

Using enforced regulation, the HSAW Act states that all employers must take both reasonable and practical steps ensuring the health and safety of the public – hence, providing hoarding or fencing around the perimeter of a construction site is a necessary must.

Hoarding is typically used for:

✓ Marking out construction perimeters
✓ Providing suitable protective methods
✓ Creating temporary traffic routes.
✓ Restricting vehicle access.
✓ Creating emergency routes/exits.

BENEFITS OF USING SUCH HOARDING SYSTEMS:

✓ Allows construction sites to operate safely
✓ No one can gain access to the site unless they’re authorised to do so
✓ Keeps sites safe for workers
✓ Helps to create a controlled access system
✓ Protects against intruders
✓ Looks less intrusive and is more aesthetically pleasing

Regular assessments and health and safety assessments must occur throughout any planning, demolition, construction, and removal aspects of a project. And clear safety signage must be displayed on hoarding at all times.

At Premier Site Hoarding UK we can supply gates for pedestrians and vehicle access and have a range of security gates, Leeds available.