Site Fencing: The Complete Guide

Perimeter security is one of the first line items sorted during site mobilisation, well before the first delivery lands. On a UK construction site, that job falls to temporary fencing, referred to almost interchangeably across the trade as wire fencing, mesh fencing, or Heras fencing, after the manufacturer whose panels became so dominant that the brand name absorbed the whole category, the way Hoover did for vacuum cleaners.

A run of mesh panels does three jobs at once. It keeps intruders out, marks the site boundary, and puts the project on public display.

Wire fencing covers a wide spread of products, and conflating them is where confusion starts. At the lighter end sit the galvanised chicken wire, stock fencing and mesh rolls stocked by builders' merchants and garden centres, adequate for containing livestock or excluding pests and not much else. At the specification end sit the welded steel mesh security panels rated for perimeter security on a live construction site, correctly termed temporary fencing, though the trade almost universally defaults to Heras fencing, after the brand name that absorbed the category.

Altrad Generation's temporary fencing sits at the specification end. Round Top and Square Top panels are welded mesh set into a tubular steel frame, connected with couplers and held upright on weighted or pinned feet rather than dug in or bolted down, which is what keeps the system temporary rather than permanent. A run of panels goes up around a site, event or stretch of roadworks within hours and comes down just as fast.

It secures compliance as much as it secures the site. HSE guidance in HSG151 sets the benchmark for perimeter fencing on UK construction sites, and it is usually the first specification a principal contractor checks before committing to a supplier. Altrad Generation's Round Top and Square Top panels are fully HSG151 compliant.

Deterrence, not containment, is the design brief. No fence stops a determined intruder outright, and specifying on that assumption wastes budget. What welded mesh delivers is a credible deterrent against casual trespass, opportunist theft and vandalism, the risk profile temporary fencing is actually specified to manage. Anti climb design, taut mesh and a strong weld all contribute to that.

Wind loading is the more common failure point. A panel brought down by wind is a bigger liability on site than one that gets climbed. Every run needs feet, stabilisers or ballast matched to ground conditions and exposure, and the taller or more exposed the site, the more that stability calculation matters.

Reversibility is the whole point of the system. Unlike a permanent boundary, none of this is dug in or bolted down. A perimeter that can be reconfigured, extended or struck within hours, without a groundworks package, is what makes temporary fencing viable on a project with a fixed programme end date.

Site fencing on a UK construction site splits into two genuinely different types, and mixing them up leads to the wrong specification. Temporary fencing is the open mesh system this guide has covered so far, built for speed and visibility. Temporary hoarding, including the Steelhoard system, is a solid panel alternative built for sites that need the sightline blocked as well as the boundary secured.

Temporary Fencing

Altrad Generation's temporary fencing covers two panel profiles, plus the gates built into every run.

• Round Top Temporary Fence Panel: The specification default across UK sites. Mesh is pulled taut and welded to a 38mm tube frame using Smartweld technology, producing joints up to 70% stronger than a standard MIG weld, with 174 individual welds per panel. Every panel is tested to 500kg of force and stamped with a unique ID for full traceability back to the factory. Panel dimensions are 3450mm long by 2000mm high, weighing 13.8kg in the standard specification and 14.9kg in the heavy duty version. Fully HSG151 compliant.

• Square Top Temporary Fence Panel: Identical build and specification to the Round Top panel, in a square top profile that some site teams prefer for its low, flat stacking footprint during transport and storage. Panel dimensions are 3450mm long by 2025mm high, weighing 14.9kg. Fully HSG151 compliant.

• Pedestrian Gate: The Pedestrian Gate is a 1151mm wide access point built into a temporary fencing run, for controlled pedestrian movement through the fence line without compromising perimeter integrity. The curved top edge and full latch and hinge assembly give a fast fit without sacrificing anti climb performance, and the gate is specified to match the Round Top panel it sits alongside.

• Vehicle Gate: The Vehicle Gate is the same specification, built into a temporary fencing run and scaled for vehicle movements. A 4.2m wide anti climb gate in galvanised steel, specified for controlled plant, delivery and site traffic access wherever a managed opening is required in the perimeter.

Temporary Hoarding

Altrad Generation's temporary hoarding replaces open mesh with a solid steel panel.

Heavy Duty Hoarding Panel: A portable steel hoarding panel that combines the speed of temporary fencing with the strength and coverage of a solid perimeter. Available in 2m and 2.4m heights, both 2140mm long, weighing 24.4kg and 28.8kg respectively. Supplied in a galvanised finish as standard, with powder coated and plastic coated finishes available for company livery or signage. Suited to preventing unauthorised access, screening the public from site hazards, and giving a branded hoarding face on higher profile projects.

Heavy Duty Vehicle Gate: The Heavy Duty Vehicle Gate gives the Heavy Duty Hoarding Panel system its vehicle access point, built for plant and delivery movements in and out of a hoarded site. It measures 4314mm long by 1980mm high and weighs 53.5kg, in galvanised steel, with lockable hardware to secure the opening at the start and end of each shift.

Hoarding Pedestrian Gate: The Hoarding Pedestrian Gate gives the same system a pedestrian access point, for staff, visitors and deliveries who do not need the full vehicle opening. It measures 1200mm long by 1980mm high and weighs 21kg, in galvanised steel, with lockable hardware for controlling access at the start and end of each shift.

Steelhoard

Steelhoard is Altrad Generation's modular hoarding system, built section by section from individual posts, rails and sheets rather than a single preassembled panel. Steel posts stand 2800mm tall and weigh 11.8kg each, connecting into a framed bay using top and bottom rails that retain a hoarding sheet supplied as standard in white, 0.7mm gauge steel, 1062mm long by 2440mm high and weighing 16.4kg. The system is assured to TWf2012:01 and withstands wind speeds up to 56.6mph as standard, upgradeable to 79.85mph. Sheets can be screen printed with corporate branding or powder coated to a corporate colour, which makes Steelhoard a common choice on high profile or city centre sites where the hoarding run doubles as a public facing surface. Steelhoard is available for hire or purchase.

Decide between fencing and hoarding before you decide between panels. Temporary fencing is the open mesh option, and it goes up fastest while keeping the site visible from the perimeter through to the passerby. Temporary hoarding, including Steelhoard, replaces the mesh with a solid panel, the better choice where the sightline needs to be blocked, security or site image carries more weight than erection speed, or the perimeter itself doubles as a branded surface. Settle this decision against what the site needs to achieve before choosing a variant within either range.

Within temporary fencing, match the panel to site preference, not performance. Round Top and Square Top are built to an identical standard, so the specification decision usually comes down to stacking, storage and site aesthetics rather than strength. Neither carries a safety advantage over the other.

Assess what the perimeter actually needs to deter. A standard panel delivers a visible, HSG151 compliant boundary, which is sufficient for most site risk profiles. Where trespass or theft risk is elevated, an anti climb extension panel or a barbed wire bracket raises the specification without redesigning the entire run.

Get the stability calculation right for the site, not just the fence. A stabiliser with a pin performs on compacted ground. Where ground conditions are hard standing or paved and a pin cannot be driven, a ballast block takes over instead. Altrad Generation's Wind Speed Calculator assesses your site's wind speed and recommends the stability specification to match, rather than leaving it to site judgement. The same principle applies to a hoarding run, matched to its own stabiliser and ballast system instead.

Plan access points into the layout before the fence goes up. Deciding where pedestrian and vehicle gates sit is a straightforward call before a run of panels is in place, and a considerably harder one to change once it is not.

Fencing secures a perimeter. Barriers manage people. Where the requirement is pedestrian flow control rather than boundary security, Altrad Generation's pedestrian barriers are the more appropriate specification.

Decide between hire and purchase. Altrad Generation's temporary fencing range is available for both. Hire suits a single project or a defined short term requirement. Purchase is the better commercial case for a business running fencing across multiple sites on an ongoing programme.

Altrad Generation supplies the full temporary fencing specification for hire and sale across the UK, including:

Temporary Fencing: the complete range, panels, gates and everything in between.

Round Top Temporary Fence Panel: Smartweld construction, HSG151 compliant, standard and heavy duty options.

Square Top Temporary Fence Panel: the same specification, low profile, easy to stack.

Pedestrian Gate: 1151mm wide, controlled walk through access.

Vehicle Gate: 4.2m wide, galvanised steel, controlled vehicle access.

Fence Coupler: connects adjacent panels into one continuous run.

Fence Stabiliser and Ballast Block: keep the fence upright, whatever the ground conditions.

Barbed Wire Bracket: another layer of deterrent for high security sites.

Altrad Generation's temporary hoarding range covers solid panel hoarding, including the Steelhoard system:

Temporary Hoarding: the Heavy Duty Hoarding Panel system and the heavy duty hoarding gates.

Heavy Duty Hoarding Panel: 2m and 2.4m heights, galvanised as standard, powder coated and plastic coated options for branding.

Heavy Duty Vehicle Gate: 4314mm long, galvanised steel, vehicle access through a hoarded perimeter.

Hoarding Pedestrian Gate: 1200mm long, galvanised steel, pedestrian access through a hoarded perimeter.

Steelhoard: modular post, rail and hoarding sheet system, assured to TWf2012:01, sheets available in screen printed or powder coated finishes.

A fence panel does not care what term brought you to it, wire fencing, temporary fencing or Heras fencing. The specification requirement is the same, secure the perimeter, mark the site boundary, and hold under wind loading that would put a lesser system on the ground. That is precisely what Altrad Generation's Round Top and Square Top panels are built to do, backed by Smartweld construction and full HSG151 compliance. Altrad Generation supplies the full temporary fencing range for hire and sale across the UK, alongside temporary hoarding and Steelhoard for sites that need the perimeter solid rather than open. Contact your local branch to discuss your site's requirements.

Q. What is Heras fencing?
A. Heras fencing is trade shorthand for temporary, free standing mesh fence panels used to secure construction sites, events and roadworks. The term originates from Heras, a fencing manufacturer whose panels became so dominant in the market that the brand name absorbed the entire category, the same way Hoover did for vacuum cleaners. Altrad Generation's Round Top and Square Top panels meet this specification, fully HSG151 compliant and built from welded steel mesh in a tube frame.

Q. What is the difference between wire fencing and temporary site fencing?
A. Wire fencing typically refers to lighter agricultural and garden products, chicken wire, stock fencing, mesh rolls, specified to contain livestock or exclude pests rather than to secure a construction site. Temporary site fencing, sometimes still referred to as wire fencing out of habit, is an entirely different specification. Welded steel mesh is set into a tube frame and connected with couplers, built to HSG151 and rated for the security demands of an active construction site or event.

Q. What is the difference between temporary fencing and temporary hoarding?
A. Temporary fencing is an open mesh panel that keeps the site visible while marking the perimeter, and it is the fastest option to erect and strike. Temporary hoarding, including the Steelhoard system, replaces the mesh with a solid steel panel that blocks the sightline into the site entirely, suited to projects where security, privacy or public facing image carry more weight than erection speed. Gates are not a separate type in either case. They are access points built into whichever system, fencing or hoarding, the site is already using. Both ranges are supplied by Altrad Generation, and the right choice depends on what the site needs to achieve rather than personal preference.

Q. Is it legal to put barbed wire on a fence?
A. Generally yes, subject to conditions. Barbed wire is typically only fitted above 2.4m in height, so it engages only with someone actively attempting to climb rather than a member of the public passing by, and clear warning signage should be displayed. Fitting it within 2.4m of a public highway is also restricted under the Highways Act 1980. Altrad Generation's barbed wire bracket is specified to fit to the top of a compliant fence panel for exactly this purpose.

Q. How do you keep temporary fence panels stable in windy conditions?
A. It depends on ground conditions. A stabiliser with a pin performs well on compacted ground. On hard standing or paved surfaces, where a pin cannot be driven, a ballast block provides the required weight instead. Altrad Generation's Wind Speed Calculator assesses the wind speed for your site and recommends the correct stability specification, rather than leaving it to site judgement.