Site fencing and public safety on residential sites in Australia

What it is

Site fencing on a residential construction site is the physical barrier between the work and the public. Children climbing onto a site after hours, neighbours wandering through during a quiet weekend and strangers entering an empty open frame at night are the most common ways a residential site becomes a public safety problem. The PCBU with management or control of the site has a duty under the model WHS Regulations to ensure the workplace is secured so that people outside the work are not exposed to risks from the work. AS 4687 Temporary fencing and hoardings sets the construction and installation requirements that satisfy that duty.

AS 4687 and what it covers

AS 4687 was first published in 2007 and updated as a multi part series in 2022. The series sets construction, installation, performance and stability requirements for temporary fencing and hoardings used in construction, public events and other short term applications. It is referenced in regulator guidance from SafeWork NSW, WorkSafe Victoria and WorkSafe Queensland. AS 4687.1:2022 covers temporary fencing, AS 4687.4:2022 covers hoardings.

Class A and Class B

The 2022 series sets two performance classes. Class A fencing is sized and braced for sites adjacent to high pedestrian areas, schools, playgrounds, shopping strips and pubs. Class B fencing is the standard duty fencing for general construction use where pedestrian exposure is lower. The difference shows up in panel weight, brace spacing, ballast weight, foot spacing and resistance to wind loading. A typical Class A install uses heavier panels, closer feet and additional bracing on every panel run.

Where each class belongs on a residential job

A new build on a quiet suburban street with no schools, shops or pubs nearby can usually run Class B fencing as the standard control. A renovation or knockdown rebuild on a corner block opposite a primary school, next to a childcare centre or on a high foot traffic street should run Class A fencing on the public facing boundary. The risk assessment drives the choice. The builder records the choice and the reasons in the site management plan.

Mesh size and climb resistance

AS 4687 requires that the panel mesh prevents foot holds. Reo mesh is not acceptable as temporary fencing. The mesh aperture must not exceed 75 millimetres so a small foot or hand cannot use it as a climbing aid. Panels must be tied together at the joints with the fencing supplier provided clamps so that a panel cannot be pushed sideways out of its foot. Shade cloth or fabric on the inside of the fence reduces visual access and adds wind load, which is why the bracing schedule for cloth covered fencing is heavier than plain fencing.

Installation and stability

Temporary fencing fails when the ballast feet are placed on uneven ground, when too many panels run in a straight line with no bracing, when feet are placed on grass that becomes soft after rain and when gates are not properly hung. Wind acts on the panel surface, the higher the panel the more sail area, and a partially completed install on a windy spring day is a real failure case. AS 4687 sets the minimum bracing intervals. A run longer than 6 panels in a straight line needs a brace at each end and at intervals along the run.

Gates and hoardings

Gates need to be hung on hinges that close fully and lockable at the end of the day. A removable panel held in place with cable ties is not a gate. Where the public footpath is closed during a build the hoarding rather than the fence is the right tool. AS 4687.4 covers hoardings, which are solid sheet barriers usually 2.4 metres or more in height and braced to take wind and impact loads on a much greater scale than a temporary fence.

Unattended sites

A residential site is unattended overnight, on weekends and during shutdown periods. The duty to prevent unauthorised entry continues during those hours. SafeWork NSW publishes a checklist for keeping sites safe and secure when unattended. The checklist covers fence integrity, gate locking, removal of climb aids near the boundary, securing of ladders and scaffolds inside the fence and storage of hazardous materials. WorkSafe Victoria publishes equivalent guidance and has issued safety alerts on temporary site structures that did not meet the standard and failed during weather events.

Children and the residential site

Drowning in unfenced pool excavations and falls from partly completed structures are the most reported public safety incidents on residential builds. The fence is the primary control. A pool excavation on a site without a fence is an exposed risk for as long as the excavation is open.

Records to keep

Keep the fence install records from the hire company, the daily inspection log, the risk assessment that selected the Class A or Class B install and any photos taken at the end of each day showing the fence and gate in place. Insurance, regulator and council inquiries all draw on those records.