HSG 151 – ‘Protecting the Public – Your Next Move’

The HSG 151 is a construction health and safety legislation guidance note that was first published by HSE in 1997 and superseded Guidance Note No. ‘GS7’ – that has become a generic name for the Anti-Climb Temporary Fence Panel. The note has been written to provide advice and guidance in an effort to prevent construction accidents and ill health to the public who may visit or be within the vicinity of a construction site. The advice given is not compulsory.

HSG 151 is a 38-page document and section 2 is titled ‘The Site Perimeter and Other Boundaries’. This section describes how most risk assessments conclude that the site perimeter should be defined by a physical barrier to separate the public from construction work, and within this section page, 11 makes the following suggestions that can be related to all makes of temporary anti-climb security fencing panels.

A 2 m high fence is an effective site barrier for most sites, exceptions to this may be city centre sites and residential areas where there have been previous attempts by children to gain access to the site.

ZND temporary fencing panels are 2m in height. Anti-Climb extensions are available if additional height is required.

Perimeter fences can be constructed from a range of materials, including metal mesh. Using a close mesh which prevents children getting their hands and feet through should mean that no one can gain handholds or footholds.

ZND Anti-Climb temporary fence panels have a mesh which we suggest prevents children getting a foot or handhold on the panel.

Sectional fencing should be locked together and not easily separated without using a tool from the inside of the site.

ZND can offer a Standard Fence Coupler that meets with this criteria; however, for added safety and security, we can also provide a Lockable Coupler.

Sectional fencing should be locked together and not easily separated without using a tool from the inside of the site.

Keep gaps underneath the fence or gate as small as possible to stop anyone gaining access under the fence. On uneven ground gaps can be quite considerable if steps are not taken to level the surface.

ZND offer an Anti-Climb Skirted Panel that has a mesh skirt that extends below the bottom horizontal tube of the frame, reducing the risk of anyone gaining access under the fence when used on uneven surfaces.

Where the feet of sectional fencing points into pedestrian areas, they should be highlighted to avoid tripping hazards.

ZND offer the following purpose made products;
1. Thermo-Plastic Based – Coated with a highly visible flexible coloured paint
2. Concrete Filled Plastic Base – Moulded from a brightly coloured HD Polyethylene Alternatively a contractor may wish to hand paint the protruding ends of standard issue blocks once the fence has been erected.

ZND provides a full range of temporary fencing solutions that meet with, and often exceed, the suggestions contained within the Health & Safety Guidence Note HSG 151. Links to the full document are found at the bottom of the page.