01 / Construction
Construction site security
Controlled access by day, guards, patrol or cameras after hours.
View detailsGuide
Planning security for a construction site.
From residential rebuilds to campus projects, the same principles reduce losses.
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Control the perimeter.
Limit entrances, secure unused gates and keep the main entrance within view of an officer or camera. Inspect fencing regularly, particularly after deliveries or when sections are relocated.
Record who enters.
A gate officer registering subcontractors and deliveries during working hours produces a reliable access record. It’s also a deterrent to anyone without a reason to be there. Keep the log with daily reports.
Reduce what’s exposed.
Copper, wiring, tools, fixtures and fuel are frequent targets. Secure small materials in locked containers, time deliveries close to installation and keep valuable equipment visible from the gate or a camera. Lighting on staging areas is an inexpensive, effective measure.
Cover the unoccupied hours.
Losses concentrate at night and on weekends. A posted officer suits high-value phases; randomized patrol suits quieter periods; camera monitoring can observe the entire site and dispatch patrol when needed.
A combination that changes by phase usually fits best, on month-to-month terms that end with the project.
Hot work and impairments.
Your fire protection contractor will tell you when hot work or an impaired fire system calls for a fire watch. We can provide the officer and maintain the timed log on site.
Services
Services this guide covers
02 / Fire watch
Fire watch
Continuous rounds by a dedicated officer while fire protection is impaired.
View detailsMatching security to the project phase
Site work and foundations leave little worth taking beyond fuel and heavy equipment, and patrol visits with a camera on the equipment yard usually suffice. Framing and rough-in change the picture. Copper, wire, panels and fixtures arrive in quantity, and the structure itself begins to offer cover to anyone inside. This is typically the phase for an overnight officer, or monitoring with patrol dispatch at the least.
As finishes go in, appliances, cabinets and lighting raise the stakes again. Once the building is closed in and locked, coverage can shift back to patrol checking doors and windows, with the gate officer continuing during working hours until handover.
Residential rebuilds versus campus and commercial work
Single-lot rebuilds in Palo Alto’s neighborhoods sit beside occupied homes. Neighbors notice activity at odd hours, and a marked patrol vehicle on varied visits reassures them as much as it discourages anyone else. Materials are often staged in a driveway or at the curb, which makes timing deliveries close to installation especially important.
Campus and commercial projects near Stanford Research Park add layers: several gates, many trades, laydown areas that move week to week and occupied buildings next door. The gate log matters most here, and post orders need revising each time the site plan changes.
Working with the superintendent
One person on the project should own security decisions: who holds keys, which gates open when and who gets the call when an officer finds a problem overnight. Share the weekly schedule so the gate officer knows which trades and deliveries to expect and can flag anyone who isn’t on it.
Daily shift reports and photo-documented incidents give the superintendent a running record for owner meetings and any loss investigation. The construction site security page describes how gate, overnight and patrol coverage combine.
A few useful answers
Common questions
When should security start on a new project?
Before the first materials delivery. Fencing, gate rules and after-hours coverage are easier to set up while the site is empty than after losses begin.
Who keeps the gate log, and where does it go?
The gate officer maintains it during working hours, and it travels with the daily report so the project team has it on file.
Can coverage drop once the building is locked?
Yes. A project can move from an overnight officer to patrol and camera monitoring at that stage, and month-to-month terms make the change simple.