Thefts during construction
Plant theft is a familiar concern in the construction industry, so now plant is registered and various covert marking schemes are used for tagging equipment.
‘But the issue’, David says, ‘is not so much the larger pieces of equipment you see here in this environment, but the smaller types of equipment like jet washes, which are more easily movable.’
‘If you want to move that [points to a large digger] I’m not saying it couldn’t be done, and I’m sure they have lost cranes like that, but certainly not from a Crossrail site. Because the logistics in moving that crane are quite difficult, and this site tends to be [operating] 24/7.’
‘The smaller items, the jet washes, maybe small fuel tanks and generators, which are still on wheels, are more vulnerable because they can be moved around’.
To mitigate the risk of this kind of equipment being stolen there’s a strict processes around sign-out sheets, and as with a lot of the security measures, it relies heavily on processes, rather than ‘big lumpy cameras and big butch guards.’
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Severe threat level for international terrorism in the UK
With the London on a high state of alert, Crossrail engages closely with the Metropolitan Police and the City of London Police to mitigate terrorist activity. Staff receive counter-terrorism awareness briefings as well as document awareness training for spotting ID and passport forgeries.
There’s also a strict pre-employment screening process and all guards must be licensed by the SIA (Security Industry Authority).
Personal safety training is on offer to those that require it, David explains. ‘So if they’re working in areas of London where they might not feel safe travelling to and from work out of hours, or we have lone working, we can offer training and advice and certain equipment to support them perform in those roles.’
Security by Design is another key to mitigating terrorist incidents. While it’s not something David has personally overseen, he tells things like glass fragmentation, blast impacts and hostile vehicle mitigation measures have all been taken into consideration in the design process.
The fantastic third episode in a fascinating series. I can’t wait to meet the stars of the shows next week at IFSEC!