Construction sites and vacant buildings are tempting places for thieves, trespassers, vandals, arsonists and children. A perimeter barrier, such as a site hoarding, is seen as the first and most important line of defence in securing a site. The windows, doors and other openings of individual, unoccupied properties may be boarded up. Widely recognised as the ideal panel material to fulfil these needs, Norbord’s SterlingOSB Zero is easy to use, consistent and great value.
SterlingOSB Zero is a highly versatile board for structural use in load-bearing dry or humid conditions. Naturally strong and hard-wearing, it is tougher than most softwood plywood and has no knots, voids or delaminating problems.
Securing construction sites is challenging. The theft of tools, building materials and expensive plant such as diggers and generators is just one of the problems. Security is linked inextricably with health and safety, there are also serious liability issues. Those owning or operating a site are responsible for managing access and ensuring the safety of non-employees, trespassers and particularly children.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) states: “While the numbers of children being killed or injured on construction sites has reduced, there is no room for complacency. Each year, two or three children die after gaining access to building sites, and many more are injured.”
Security breaches have implications in terms of downtime, loss of revenue, increased insurance premiums and equipment replacement costs; they also do little for the PR effort when problems on a site become public.
According to the HSE, site boundaries must be defined physically, where necessary, by suitable fencing. The inherent strength of SterlingOSB Zero makes it the natural choice for hoardings. Requiring minimal finishing, the product is available in a number of sheet sizes and thicknesses. The boards are square-edged so butt together easily and cleanly; nails can be driven as close as 8mm from the panel edge without causing splitting.
Hoardings created using SterlingOSB Zero may be finished with most popular surface treatments, allowing logos and marketing messages to be displayed, creating a smart site perimeter for the duration of work.
Not all sites lend themselves to hoardings. In some cases, it is important to secure access to individual buildings by boarding up doors and windows. This is particularly necessary for renovation and conversion projects involving old buildings where the structures may be unsound and present a potential danger to trespassers. In addition, thieves will be lured by the prospect of valuable architectural salvage; fireplaces, panelling, doors and even staircase are vulnerable. Such items may require ‘boxing in’ to provide protection from both thieves and damage due to the building work itself. SterlingOSB Zero is a robust solution in all these situations.
The first OSB product to be made in the UK with zero added formaldehyde, SterlingOSB Zero is a ‘greener’ board that meets all standards with ease. Its environmental credentials are enhanced further as it is manufactured in the UK from responsibly sourced timber, so its carbon footprint is low.
Samples of SterlingOSB Zero, and Norbord’s other construction panels, can be ordered on the website, www.norbord.co.uk. Head to the housebuilder page on the website to download a selection of tools including a fully-interactive guide to all Norbord products and a checklist to make sure you have everything you need for your build.
For further information, call 01786 812 921 or visit www.norbord.co.uk.