How to Keep Your Construction Site Secure Over The Holidays

Keeping your construction site secure over the holidays may seem daunting, but with the right pre-holiday, mid-holiday, and post-holiday best practices, you can reliably maintain site security even when workers are on break. At Blackbird Security, we’ve had the privilege of handling holiday construction site security for a wide variety of companies from coast to coast across Canada. For this article, we’ve distilled our decade of experience in this area into actionable insights that you can use to protect your own site over the holidays.

Key Takeaways:

• Holiday closures increase construction site risks. Theft, vandalism, and damage rise sharply when workers are away and sites are left unmonitored.

• Proactive pre-holiday preparation reduces the likelihood of incidents.

• Choosing the right security option matters. On-site guards provide full-time protection, while mobile patrols offer cost-effective coverage for lower-risk sites.

Why Do Construction Sites Need Security Over the Holidays?

Construction site theft rises when workers are absent, and this issue is compounded during holiday closures. With sites shut down for up to two weeks at the end of the year, sites are at a serious risk of theft and vandalism. The combination of absent workers, reduced neighbourhood activity, and extended nighttime hours during winter creates optimal conditions for criminals and bad actors to commit crimes. 

What Risks Do Unprotected Construction Sites Face?

The high values of materials like copper, lumber, tools, and other construction equipment make unprotected sites targets for thieves. The price of lumber has increased by 300% in the last 5 years, and copper has almost doubled in the same period. To make matters worse, thefts are trending upward across Canada. 

Stolen materials and damaged equipment can lead to expensive delays and costly replacements, which are the last problems any construction company wants to return to in the New Year. 

Does Every Construction Site Need On-Site Security Over the Holidays?

Sites in densely populated areas or neighbourhoods with a higher crime rate are more at risk than sites in more remote locations. For these higher-risk sites, an on-site security presence may be a necessity. However, all construction sites can benefit from security outside of working hours.

Next, we’ll cover what to implement before the holidays to set your site up for success and maximize safety over the break.

Pre-Holiday Security Prep

Checking a few key components and locking down the necessary equipment can make the difference between a successful shutdown and one that opens up opportunities for bad actors. The following items will make your mid-holiday security efforts that much more effective. Be sure to see our checklist at the bottom of this section. 

Fences and Signage

Walk through every area of your site to check that fences, gates, and signage are where they need to be. Check for gaps, weak points, and damage in fences and gates, and check that security signage is visible around your site’s perimeter.

Throughout our years of experience, we’ve seen how helpful signage is in keeping vagrants and bad actors away. As a result, Blackbird Security offers complimentary signage to all of our clients. Our past and current clients have noted that our signage is a highly useful deterrent at their construction sites.

CCTV Cameras

It’s important to check CCTV cameras regularly, which are often overlooked on busy job sites. The holidays are a great opportunity to ensure they’re in working order.

Ensure that every security camera captures and saves footage, and that this footage is accessible through your CCTV monitoring platform. Clean camera lenses, remove obstructions, and reposition cameras as needed. Review their areas of coverage to ensure they cover all sensitive areas of your site, such as entrances, storage areas, and machinery. 

Lighting

Verify that all of your lights are in working order, and replace any bulbs if needed. Check that your timers and motion sensors are set and working correctly. 

Consider installing temporary additional lighting to deter trespassers during long winter nights. Ideally, you’ll want every area of the site to be as well-lit as possible. If your site can’t have constant nighttime lighting due to bylaw rules (if it’s located beside residential buildings, for instance), consider installing motion-activated lights. 

Machinery and Materials

Immobilize your heavy machinery using external locking devices where possible, remove keys and store them in a secure space on-site or off-site. Ensure all handheld tools and materials are stored securely in a locked storage container. Don’t leave anything out in the open that might tempt thieves and/or trespassers. 

Once all tools and materials have been loaded into the storage container, double-check that the lock is secure before leaving the site. 

Access Points

Once workers leave on the last day before the holidays, ensure that every access point on site is locked. This includes gates, fences, sea cans, offices, and any small doors located throughout the site. 

Conduct a Security Audit

Consider partnering with a security company for the holidays. Security professionals with experience in the construction industry will know what to look for and what unique risks your site might face from a security perspective.

Pre-Holiday Construction Site Security Checklist

Use the following checklist to help you confirm the points above on your site:

• Inspect every section of fencing for gaps, damage, or weak points.

• Confirm all gates close and lock securely.

• Ensure security signage is visible.

• Check every CCTV camera to confirm it’s recording and saving footage properly.

• Ensure cameras cover all secure areas (entrances, storage zones, machinery).

• Verify footage is accessible through your monitoring platform.

• Clean camera lenses and check for any obstructions.

• Confirm all lighting systems are functional.

• Replace burnt-out light bulbs. 

• Add temporary lighting to dark or high-risk areas.

• Ensure lighting timers or sensors are set correctly for winter hours.

• Secure heavy machinery using external locks or wheel clamps.

• Remove all keys and store them securely.

• Lock all handheld tools and materials inside secure storage units.

• Double-check all storage container locks.

• Remove or conceal high-value materials from open view.

• Confirm that sea cans, trailers, and on-site offices are locked.

• Limit the number of operational entry points.

• Schedule a pre-holiday audit with your security provider.

Next, we’ll cover the professional security options available to you during the holidays. 

Security Options During Holiday Periods

Holiday security looks different for every construction site. The best solution depends on your site’s size, location, and budget. Here are the most common security solutions we provide for our construction clients during the holidays:

On-Site Security Guards

On-site security guard services offer full coverage and immediate response to any incidents. Guards perform foot patrols throughout the site and perimeter while creating reports. However, their main advantage is their ability to immediately respond to any security incidents that occur on site. In the event of an emergency, such as trespassing, vandalism, or theft, an on-site security guard will immediately address the situation, prevent it from escalating, and contact the police if necessary.

During long holiday shutdowns, they provide peace of mind that your site is being monitored. While on-site security requires a higher upfront investment, the protection it provides typically outweighs the cost.

Mobile Patrols

If a full-time guard isn’t in the budget, mobile patrol security is an effective alternative. Guards conduct randomized patrols between sites in marked vehicles, which means they’re not present throughout their entire shift, unlike on-site guards. Like on-site guards, mobile patrols involve checking perimeters, gates, and equipment and writing reports. 

Mobile patrols are an option that works especially well for smaller projects or sites in lower-risk areas.

Not sure which security solution is right for your site? Read our blog, How Many Security Guards Do I Need At My Construction Site? to learn about the different factors that determine how much site security you might need over the holidays. 

Post-Holiday Security Strategy

Once the holidays are over, perform a complete site sweep before workers return. Review camera footage, logs, and incident reports from your security team. Check fences, lighting, and gates for any damage or signs of tampering.

This time is best used to strengthen weak points and review or update your holiday security plan based on what worked and what didn’t. A little preparation now will make next year’s shutdown easier, faster, and more effective. 

Protect Your Construction Site with Blackbird Security This Season

Holiday shutdowns create real risks for construction sites, but proactive planning can prevent theft, vandalism, and delays. At Blackbird Security, we specialize in construction site protection across Canada. Whether you need an on-site guard, mobile patrols, or a complete security strategy, we’ll tailor a plan to keep your site safe this holiday season.

Contact us today to schedule a holiday site security audit or request a quote for guard coverage.