Secure your construction site while you break for the holidays.
It’s that time of year again. Amid the festivities and gift-giving, you need to decide how you’re going to close your business for the holidays. Many in the construction industry are planning a well-deserved break. With many sites closed from the middle of December until the start of January, planning your site shut down needs to be high on the list of priorities – even if you still have your holiday shopping to do!
The holidays are generally the longest period of closure for construction sites. With this in mind, site security needs to be a top priority to prevent any unwanted visitors and to prevent damage that could send your plans back weeks. Even though every site is different, you need to assess your own site for the security risks that may be present.
Prevent Trespass, Theft, Arson
Construction sites, especially in city centers or within occupied premises, may be at an increased risk compared to sites in low-risk, rural areas for problems such as trespass, theft or arson. To reduce the risk of theft, make sure you remove any highly valuable items from the site or at least remove from view. Lock vehicles, doors, and windows and lock up tools and equipment within a secure storage area. Ensure that you have exterior lighting that comes on at nightfall to deter thieves.
Keep Out Winter Weather
It’s important to remember that the holiday season can bring with it some bad weather. Whether it’s snow, ice or rain, inclement weather can wreak havoc on your construction site. Storms and high winds can have devastating effects on scaffolding and other temporary structures such as site fencing. Ensure that entire scaffold structures are secure and remove any scaffolding that is unnecessary.
Put Protection in Place
The last thing you want to worry about on your holiday break is if your construction site is safe. Ensure that you have emergency contact numbers displayed or available should anything urgent need attending to, such as a break in or hoarding damage over the closure period. Take a moment to review your insurance so that you know you are well and truly covered.
The team at Nahai Insurance Services hope that you have a safe and happy holiday! To ensure that your construction site and entire project have the insurance it needs and deserves, contact us today.