Site hoarding is an essential safety measure for construction sites in the UK. They are specially designed and constructed fencing installations that protect your site from intrusion and keep the public from harm. There are significant rules and regulations surrounding the construction of hoarding to ensure that it is safe. All site hoarding in the UK must abide by these regulations.
Dimensions
It is recommended that you site hoarding stand at around 2.4 metres tall. This is deemed tall enough that it cannot be easily scaled, but not so tall it becomes impractical or unstable. Usually, the timber panels come pre-cut in these dimensions making installation easier. For high-security areas this will need to be increased to 3 metres. To further increase security, you could consider increasing the height with fans that will also prevent items from being thrown over the fence. The hoarding will also have to be broad enough to completely encompass the site. There cannot be any potential means of entry except for dedicated access points with proper security measures.
Wind loading
Due to a regulation change in 2011, all site and temporary hoarding must be able to withstand even extreme wind conditions. This will ensure that the weather does not damage or collapse any part of the hoarding preserving the security of your site and the safety of the public. You will need to account for the exposure of the hoarding, the strength of the wind, and the location. If the hoarding is free standing it is far more exposed and therefore more likely to be affected by wind than if it is close to a building in a built-up area. However, even if it at first appears unexposed, you will need to account for changes that might take place during the project that may expose it, such as a curtain wall being demolished or even frequently opened doors.
Crowd loading
It is likely that you will need to take the flow of people near your site into account when designing the hoarding. On footways or pavements less than 3 metres wide, or areas where there are likely to be significant numbers of people such as near theatres, shopping centres, and train stations then additional support will be needed to ensure the press of the crowd cannot damage or topple the hoarding. It is also important to consider the location of the hoarding and how that will affect the flow of a crowd. Placing it outside a train station or stadium can cause serious problems when large crowds push through and are suddenly constricted. For the safety of the public, it is essential that the design for your site’s hoarding accounts for the flow, volume, and direction of crowds to prevent damage or unauthorised access.
Access
The hoarding can only allow entrance to the site via designated access points. These points must have secure access control measures in place such as a gate, to prevent unauthorised entry. Depending on the scale of the project and security concerns of the site, other control measures such as biometric scanners and turnstiles could be considered. This will limit access to the site to only authorised personnel while still being convenient and straightforward for staff and other regular visitors to use. Additional safety precautions will also have to be taken to make sure that these installations are safe, for example there needs to be the means to secure a swing gate when it is open so it cannot blow in the wind and damage something. Controlling access is a legal requirement connected to site hoarding and is essential to the security of your site and the safety of the public.
Hoarding is a complex, but essential, requirement for major works. Since the British Standards Institute updated their temporary works guidance in 2019, subcontractors can now plan and manage site hoarding while still leaving overall responsibility with the principal contractor. At Perimeter Solutions we can design and install any hoarding you need and remove it at the end of the project. Our hoarding is not just built to suit your needs, but also to meet all relevant regulations. Just call 01474 702233 or send an email to sales@perimeter-solutions.co.uk to get started.
