The front line of school defence

While it’s true that this improvement to our educational infrastructure is bringing clear benefits to our communities, strikingly little attention is being paid to the simple and economical security measures which can be taken to ensure that these new facilities are not damaged or destroyed by vandals and intruders.

Despite the obvious benefits of security alarms and CCTV cameras, security fencing remains the first – and best – line of defence against intruders. All-too-often, though, it is the last element considered in project development and yet the first to be brought into question when economies are required.

On one level this is understandable. Fences do not make for sexy subject matter, and many people – clients included – no doubt assume that all security fences are much the same. From that perspective, simply buying the cheapest fence sounds like a good idea. However, a security fence should be treated in much the same way as any other item on the school budget.

You get what you pay for. Penny-pinching on specifications can end up costing a lot more money in the future.

Indeed, a poorly-designed fence made from low quality materials virtually invites repeated assaults on a property. Vandals have very little trouble penetrating such a fence, and can even disguise their entry points – meaning that they can return time and time again. To a vandal, such a fence looks more like a revolving door than a barrier!

On the other hand, a fence built out of heavy gauge materials and designed from the ground up to resist attacks will dramatically reduce – or even eliminate – crimes against school property. Some larger schools are currently facing annual glaziers’ bills of more than £50,000 to repair damage caused by vandals. Seen in that context, a high quality security fence would pay for itself within the year.

The key elements to a genuinely secure fence are the weight of the metal used and a design which resists tampering and assault. In particular, bolts or screws which are easily accessible – or the presence of openings which can allow a crowbar to be used in prising palings apart – will render a given fencing system far easier to penetrate.

Due to the importance of security fencing, the Government has recently introduced a British Standard (BS 1722-12) for palisade-style systems. Any security managers concerned with protecting school properties or other public facilities should ensure that the fencing used meets this standard. ACPO CPI’s Secured by Design initiative also recognises its importance.

Fences that meet the British Standard and ACPO requirements may cost more than non-compliant systems, but that is because they will ‘do the job’. A fence that costs less does less. Buying cheap is a short term economy that can – and often does – have nasty long-term side-effects.

Ian Kerr, Managing Director Lochrin Bain

The Editor replies: An excellent point well made, Ian. For security fencing, read CCTV, access control and intruder alarm systems, and just about any other type of security solution you care to mention.

Paying less for on-site protection may succeed in satisfying the Board by saving a few pounds on the bottom line, but you cannot put a price on what may transpire from any resulting break-in and/or extensive theft of property or data.