Guard Houses & Perimeter Protection

The UK energy network is a massive industry, producing on average over 333 TWh in 2018 (Ofgem), owing to the huge amount of infrastructure work done in recent years to develop sites for new green power generation solutions, in particular renewable energy.

Significant design & preparation goes into how these sites are protected from physical security risks whilst maintaining life-safety and operational requirements that are important to both staff & site management.

Power Storage, substations, and other power infrastructure are often based in rural areas, where police presence is reduced, and are rarely manned 24/7. Perimeter security forms an important first line of defence against forced entry into a site and is the first opportunity to detect & delay trespassers.

Unmanned Sites

Common for green energy solutions such as wind or solar power, unmanned sites produce a unique security challenge due to the high value of equipment, and remoteness of their location.

Typically the location and size of these sites means large vehicle access is essential and, by nature, this provides a clear opportunity for illegal trespassers to move around a site quickly.

This also enables the trespassers to cause damage and transport stolen property via a vehicle, allowing for a quick exit within local police or security response times.

Gate security and monitoring is a must in these environments to provide the delay and detect capabilities that are central to security planning.

Consider using a purpose built vehicle gate locking solutions such as the Palisade lock, designed to protect vehicle gates from forced entry attempts.

Gate Locks Security tested on specific gates to LPS 1175

Single-point or Multi-point locking solutions

Key Entry and Access Control With Key Override

Systems Emergency Escape Compliant to BS EN 179

Lock and Bolt Status Monitoring For Signalling Detection Systems

All Constructed in 316 Grade Stainless Steel or Equivalent

See Gatelocking Solutions

Click below to read more on securing unmanned power generation sites.

Manned Sites

Higher security, manned sites usually have personnel and vehicle gates accompanied by control points and/or guard houses to ensure only legitimate visitors and staff enter the site.

Ensuring that staff, assets, and high value materials are appropriately secured is an important objective in security planning for these sites.

To achieve this, physical security solutions are backed up by trained security personnel.

As an example, guard houses need to be safe and secure from any potential attack. These are typically built to provide resistance to physical, ballistic and potentially blast attacks.

Therefore, door systems need to have been designed and built to sufficiently protect against these threats, including the locking systems, to the required standards and expected door performance.

Both activist and criminal activity is a dangerous threat to the safety of these sites and supply of energy. Security plans should consider all levels of risk to the site.

See Slimline Locking System

Key & Asset Management

The guard house is designed on some sites as the control point for both people and vehicles plus the issuing point of passes/keys and retention of personal items such as ID’s, car keys and mobile phones.

To ensure safe and secure management of these items and processes, Key and Asset Management systems can be installed providing an easy to use and audit controlled storage system.

For more high security establishments, weapon issue systems can be incorporated into the Key and Asset management technology. Verification technology such as scales will check that the correct item has been replaced.

See Key & Asset Management System

High-Performance Solutions For...

Protected against Theft, Trespass, & Vandalism

This is the first part of a series of newsletters discussing different access and physical security challenges posed by external threats, operational obstacles, life safety, and natural risks in the power industry.

These topics will cover:

Guard Houses & Perimeter Protection

Main Building Perimeter & Critical Asset Protection

Remote Modular Buildings & Enclosures

Our next newsletter will cover:

Remote Modular Buildings & Enclosures

• Safety, security, and fire standards
• Panic & emergency escape hardware
• Door sealing for Acoustic, Flood, and High pressure
• Single & Multi-point Locking Products
• Securing switchgear and server room ventilation