Construction site Christmas closure checklist

Christmas closure dates

In Scotland the festive bank holidays are Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and 2nd January. When one falls at a weekend, the holiday moves to the following weekday. Many sites stop work in the week before Christmas and restart in the first or second week of January.

That can leave a site empty for two weeks or more, in short daylight hours. Plan security for the full closure, including the days either side of the bank holidays when the site may be partly staffed.

What the law expects of the principal contractor

Construction work must be carried out without putting members of the public at risk. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance on protecting the public says:

• "The principal contractor must take reasonable steps to prevent unauthorised people accessing the site."
• Boundaries should be defined physically where necessary. HSE says that in populated areas this will typically mean "a two-metre high small mesh fence or hoarding around the site".
• Children need particular attention: "You must do everything you can to keep them out of the site and away from danger."

HSE links this guidance to the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, including regulation 13 (duties of principal contractors) and regulation 15 (duties of contractors). These duties do not pause when the site closes for the holidays.

Checklist for the last working day

HSE lists practical steps for securing a site at the end of work. Use them as the basis for a Christmas closure checklist:

• Walk the full perimeter. Repair gaps, loose panels and damaged hoarding.
• Remove access ladders from scaffolds and excavations, or board them out.
• Barrier off or cover excavations and pits.
• Isolate and immobilise vehicles and plant, and lock them in a compound where possible.
• Stack materials such as pipes, manhole rings and cement bags so they cannot roll or topple.
• Lock hazardous substances away.
• Check site lighting and warning signs.
• Confirm the alarm, CCTV and any remote monitoring are working, and that contact details are current.
• Photograph the site, compounds and stock levels so any loss can be shown later.

Plant, tools and materials

Before closing, deal with anything that could be stolen or misused:

• Move small plant, power tools and hand tools into a locked container or off site.
• Record serial numbers and keep a list of what is left on site.
• Keep fuel to a minimum and store it securely.
• Remove keys from all machines and store them off site.
• Mark tools and plant with a visible company identifier, so they can be identified if recovered.
• Lock away copper cable, boilers and other easily sold materials, or move their delivery to after the restart date.
• Tell your insurer about the closure dates if your policy asks for it, and check any security conditions it sets for unattended sites.

Choosing guards, patrols or both

The right cover depends on the value of what is on site, its location, any history of break-ins and the length of the closure.

• Static guard. A licensed officer stays on site day and night or overnight only. This gives constant presence and fast action if someone gets in. It suits large sites, sites with high value plant and sites with a history of incidents.
• Mobile patrols. An officer visits the site at intervals, checks the perimeter, compounds and buildings, and records each visit. This suits smaller or lower risk sites, or sites that already have monitored CCTV.
• Both. Patrols on quieter days and a static guard on the nights you judge higher risk.

Our guide to manned guarding vs mobile patrols compares the two in more detail.

Contracted security guards need an SIA licence. GOV.UK guidance says a security guard licence is needed to "guard premises or property against damage, theft, unauthorised access or disorderly behaviour" under a contract. Ask any provider for licence numbers and check them on the SIA register of licence holders.

Records and reporting to ask for

Agree before the Christmas closure what you will receive, and how often. A useful arrangement covers:

• A written report at the end of each shift.
• A time-stamped record of every patrol or perimeter check.
• Photos or video of the site, so you can check its condition remotely.
• An agreed escalation: who is called, and in what order, if a break-in or damage is found.
• A named contact at the security company for the whole closure.

Keep the reports with your site records, in case of a later claim, a police investigation or a question from HSE.

Restart checks in January

Before the workforce returns, walk the site with the security provider. Check fencing, compounds, scaffolding and excavations for interference. Compare plant and materials against the list made before Christmas. Review the reports for any incidents that need follow-up with the police or your insurer.

Learn about On Guard Security

Construction site security over Christmas should be planned around the site, its boundary and what is left on it. On Guard Security covers construction sites across Edinburgh, Glasgow and the rest of Scotland. Officers are SIA licensed, come with hi-vis, hard hat, steel toe boots and gloves, and some hold CSCS cards.

Services include static guards day and night, mobile patrols at varied times, gatehouse and access control, and keyholding and alarm response. Every patrol is time-stamped and logged, and hourly walkthrough videos and WhatsApp updates to the site manager are available depending on the package.

Get in touch with your closure dates and we will learn about the site and your requirements, then provide a tailored quotation and security plan. See our page on Christmas closure security, or construction site security in Edinburgh and construction site security in Glasgow. If a site is left uncovered at short notice, see last minute and emergency security guards.