As a site manager or business owner, you’re responsible for securing your facilities against break-ins, theft, and vandalism. The first line of defense for your facility is a perimeter security fence.
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Choosing the best security fence for a commercial building involves many options and considerations. This guide to security fence ideas will discuss some critical factors for security planning and the relative strengths of various security fences.
There are five factors to consider for securing a facility. These “five D’s” are deter, detect, delay, deny, and defend.
The primary goal of an effective security fence is deterrence. Your fence is a physical barrier separating the outside world from your property. The level of deterrence the fence provides needs to align with your security needs.
For example, you might secure a public park with a low iron or wire mesh security fence. This type of fencing is a good option for securing a large area and deterring, but not denying, entry (anyone who wants to enter the property can jump the fence).
High-security facilities require a different level of protection. You might install a six-foot-high high-tensile steel perimeter fence topped with razor wire. CCTV cameras and security lighting add another layer of deterrence.
A good security fence provides clear surveillance sight lines (people can see through the fence). That allows security guards patrolling the interior or exterior of the property a clear view of what is happening on the other side of the fence. You can use palisade fencing, 356 and 358 fencing, or mesh panel fencing to secure the perimeter of your facility.
Clear site lines mean you can monitor both sides of the fencing with security lighting and CCTV cameras. You can easily mount CAST security lighting systems to provide detection to your security fencing. For example, the CAST Perimeter® CPL2 Series Lights is a low-voltage lighting system that illuminates a diameter of 40 feet inside and outside the fence line.
Additionally, include proper security lighting, surveillance cameras, and motion sensors to cover blind spots. These are the areas intruders are most likely to focus on.
No security fence is impenetrable. An effective perimeter security fence delays entry to your property. There are various ways to delay intruders.
Secure fencing, like a high-tensile steel palisade, is resistant to cutting tools and won’t break when rammed. A security fence with these properties will be difficult to destroy. Of course, it’s higher-priced. Mesh fencing, on the other hand, is much cheaper but easier to cut.
A tall security fence that is difficult to scale will also delay entry to your property. The recommended height for high-security properties is six feet and above. You can install an anti-climb fence to make it hard to scale.
Layers of perimeter security can also delay entry. For example, you might install a double layer of fences. You might see this form of perimeter fencing at highly secure facilities.
For lighting, consider the CAST Perimeter® Infrared Night Owl. You can easily integrate these lights with your surveillance system. The lights have a feature that temporarily blinds and disorients intruders.
It’s best to think of your perimeter fence as one layer of an integrated security system. Additional components of the security system include security lighting, motion detectors, CCTV, and security guards.
It is almost impossible for anyone to enter your facility undetected when all the layers of security work together. Conduct regular security reviews if you’re maintaining a secure facility. This will help you identify weak spots and keep your security team on its toes.
The final consideration for an effective perimeter fence is defense. Your security team or the police should be able to catch anyone trespassing or attempting to trespass on your facility before they do any damage or steal goods.
With well-designed layers of security, ample time will be available to apprehend intruders. Real-time monitoring via CCTV is crucial during this stage. Remember, most break-ins occur at night.
Assuming you have high-fidelity CCTV, advances in facial recognition technology mean you can accurately match the captured images of intruders with their identities. This will help you swiftly identify and apprehend culprits. With a system like the CAST Infrared Night Owl, you’ll be in the best position to capture intruders by using security lights that illuminate them.
Check relevant regulations and guidelines before installing a security fence. Local building regulations provide details like the type of fence you can install, building materials, lighting, and other factors.
Always check with local authorities or a professional to ensure your security fence ideas meet height, material, and design standards. Failure to comply with local or state regulations may result in legal consequences alongside the cost of modifying your fence.
You’ve identified the need for a security fence around your property. Now we’ll give an overview of the different commercial security fencing options. They include palisade fences, welded mesh fences, and chain link fences.
Palisade fences are made of steel and consist of vertical pales or pickets attached to horizontal rails. This type of fence offers a high level of security and is hard to climb. You can go for either a bolted or welded palisade fencing system.
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Review your needs before choosing a palisade fence. For example, companies like Ameristar offer fencing solutions like Impasse 2. You can choose between Gauntlet, Trident, and Stronghold fencing.
Meanwhile, companies like Perimeter Security provide fencing like the IFI-14 Palisade. This welded system is topped with a double gauntlet and integrated with climber deterrence. The feature set makes it best suited for high-value facilities.
In general, palisade fences are harder to breach. They don’t require infills and are hard to climb. They are also easy to install since they can easily be adjusted to follow the contours of your property.
Welded mesh fences are constructed by welding vertical and horizontal wires together. There are only small apertures between the wires, making it much harder for intruders to climb the fence since it reduces handholds.
The welded fence panels are rigid. They don’t require horizontal rails for extra support. On the flip side, welded mesh fences are considered hard to install, especially on a slope.
Most of the various welded mesh fence designs offer a similar feature set: hard to cut, hard to climb, and resistant to vandalism. There are some innovations in this space, like the Securifor® 2D double wire mesh system pioneered by Betafence.
Chain-link fencing is made of interlocking steel wires that form a diamond pattern. This type of fencing is the most popular choice for commercial properties because of the price. However, chain-link fences provide only moderate security.
You can strengthen a chain-linked fence by adding barbed wire at the top and a bottom rail or grade beam. Adding CCTV cameras and perimeter security lighting provides another layer of security to your facility.
Investing in a high-quality security fence is a proactive step toward protecting your property and ensuring the safety of its occupants.
To choose the perfect security fence for your property, first consider your security needs, then explore the key design features and types of fences we’ve discussed above. Remember to comply with local regulations.
Doing this will help you make an informed decision that aligns with your specific security requirements and gives you peace of mind 24/7.
Government buildings, military bases, data centers, corporate headquarters and other forms of critical infrastructure require a heightened focus on security. In just about all of these cases, security fencing is one of the most integral and effective forms of protection. But when it comes to safeguarding against external threats, not all security fence types and materials are created equal.
To successfully fortify high-risk targets, it’s essential to choose options that are strong, durable, resistant to environmental elements, difficult to scale, hard to penetrate and applicable to the unique security needs at hand. Whether you’re securing people or property, there are certain fencing systems that are better suited for the job than others.
To help you understand the best type of security fence for government property and other critical infrastructure, check out these expert insights.
Chain link is certainly one of the most popular choices for security fencing, and it might even be the first option that comes to mind. But it’s important to understand that chain link is not always the right fit for high-security needs. Following are some of the most notable characteristics explained in greater detail.
Chain link security fences are typically constructed from galvanized steel, though they can be coated in vinyl for extra protection and curb appeal. They are particularly weather-resistant as well as durable against heat, cold and moisture. They are also low maintenance and low cost, making them ideal for certain situations.
On the other hand, there are some high-security markets where chain link doesn’t quite cut it, including those for which the fencing system must be absolutely impossible to climb and/or break through, capable of limiting visibility from the outside or resistant to ballistics and projectiles. In a number of instances, welded wire mesh or concrete walls provide a more suitable level of protection.
Security fences constructed from welded wire mesh are designed with proper spacing to safeguard against climbing and resist penetration from standard hand tools. Installation can be performed with a vertical or horizontal mesh alignment, and this material can also be mounted onto existing chain link systems for added security.
Many organizations and high-security facilities rely on a combination of welded wire mesh, expanded metal and louvered panels to create perimeter fencing that requires highly sophisticated means for forced entry. Given the unique characteristics of welded wire mesh security fencing, it’s often a top choice for applications such as:
Precast concrete walls are perhaps the most impenetrable form of high-security fencing and often the best choice when high-level defense measures are required. Precast concrete is nearly impossible to scale, has the unique advantage of being bullet resistant and can withstand winds of hurricane proportions. Solid concrete security fences are an increasingly popular choice for areas where there’s a threat to critical infrastructure, particularly electrical substations.
Concrete has the added advantage of providing an excellent sound barrier when noise is a consideration, and it can be used to erect strongly engineered retaining walls that defend against lateral earth pressure. Installation involves drilling and setting foundations for the concrete posts and then placing the premade panels in between.
Deciding on the proper system and material for your security fencing is a major piece of the puzzle, but there’s definitely more to consider, especially where government and other critical infrastructure are concerned. Securing the best fence for a property’s needs also involves addressing additional features that might be required for an adequate level of protection. Here are some of the most common:
With these considerations about security fence types, materials and added features, your approach to selecting the right fencing system for a government or other critical infrastructure becomes a much more strategic one. Ultimately, it’s smartest to partner with an experienced fencing company that can offer the expert insight and design recommendations to choose the very best option for your needs.
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