A fence can have features that make climbing difficult, but what actually makes an anti-climb fence? Is there such a thing? The team at Barkers Fencing, part of HS Security, offers some advice.
When looking for a security fence, you have probably come across the term &#;anti climb&#; which seems to have become an industry norm when describing 358 mesh fencing systems.
If your operational requirements have identified that an accredited/tested fencing system is required to protect your people and property, the last thing you want is someone climbing over your newly installed high-security fence.
Russel Ridgway, Business Development Director at Barkers Fencing highlights how the height of the perimeter is the first and most critical factor. The higher the fence, the longer it will take to scale (even with a ladder) and the longer an intruder will be vulnerable to detection &#; whether visually or through technology.
Russel questions &#;Is it really necessary for an intruder to be 3 metres in the air while attempting to gain access to a site? They&#;ll also have further to fall&#;. Emphasising that even the most robust of intruders will be deterred by this, especially when mixed with a nasty topping.
If you are concerned an intruder will use a ladder, Richard Flint from BRE offers some suggestion, &#;consider investing in a dual set of fences forming a sterile zone. While the intruder may scale the first layer using a ladder, it can take considerable planning effort to scale the second &#; particularly if carrying tools to breach a building facade or other subsequent protective measure&#;
To make a fence system resilient to climbing we would advise that an additional security topping is essential. These can include:
These toppings are sharp and spikey, meaning if a person was to touch it or attempt to climb over, they could be cut and caught on them. This increases the risk of the intruder being injured or caught so it is likely to deter them from even attempting.
These systems are attached in different ways using specially designed post or bolt-on extensions. For example, barb & razor wire is normally fitted using &#;T&#; or &#;Y&#; extension. &#;T&#; extensions mean the wires will be upright, whereas &#;Y&#; extensions mean the wires will be curving outwards the front of the fence.
When the topping is extending outwards, the depth an intruder would need to get over gets much deeper making it more difficult to climb over. Therefore we would always advise &#;Y&#; extensions, but certain planning restraints mean Y extensions are not possible and &#;T&#; extensions can then be used.
The downside of adding an anti-climb topping onto your system is the cost of the additional material and the cost of the installer adding this to the fence when they are installing. As you can probably imagine there are also additional risks for the installation team when attaching something sharp and spikey to the top of the fence, and proper method statements must be provided to cover this.
Alternatively, rather than adding additional security toppings, Barkers are now offering a palisade with the pales curved outwards and mesh with the panel curved outwards. This curving creates an overhang which makes the system more difficult to climb, especially on palisade as the tops of the pales are spiked. This process is part of our manufacturing meaning no extra material or installation time thus making it more economical than adding a security topping.
Now we have discussed security toppings &#; the key factor in making sure a fence is anti-climb, lets discuss the features of the fence which can contribute to making a fence anti-climb.
To start with there is a huge variety of mesh fencing. When we talk about mesh security fencing, we consider &#;868&#; twin wire and 358 mesh the lowest level of mesh to provide any kind of security. With the right fixings, they can prevent an opportunist attacker using bodily force and basic tools from gaining access through it for more than 60 seconds.
V Mesh fencing, paladin mesh and 656 twinwire are retrospectively the most economical mesh systems on the market. They are ideal for demarcating a boundary but provide a low level of security.
Mesh fencing is often referred to as anti-climb as it is difficult to get a foothold in the tight mesh apertures. However, an attacker with limited skills may be able to lodge items in the mesh to aid climbing.
To make high-security derivates of mesh, some systems have two layers of mesh panels. However, this provides two skins of tight apertures, making any items lodged in the fence to aid climb extra sturdy.
As with mesh, there is a varying degree of quality in palisade systems on the market. If you are using palisade fencing which falls below British standard, the pales will likely be further apart meaning someone could use the rail as a foothold.
On high-security derivates the pales are much closer together so gaining a foothold is much harder. Other than the rail, the pales run vertically so there&#;s very little for a person to be able to get a foothold on especially on higher fences.
No matter what level of security your fences is, you are purchasing a fence to demarcate a boundary so the last thing you want is a person climbing over the fence.
With both mesh security fencing and palisade security fencing, the aim is to ensure that it is difficult to gain footholds and that footholds can&#;t easily be created. But the key to making an anti-climb fence is an additional security topping or curving the panel/pales outwards to create an overhang.
Haoshun Wire Mesh Manufacturing contains other products and information you need, so please check it out.
Curving of the panel/pales can be done on any of the following systems.
SecureGuard 358, Palisade Security Fencing, TwinGuard SL1, SecureGuard SR1, StronGuard, StronGuard SR2, SecureGuard SL2, SecureGuard SL2 X, StronGuard SR3 and StronGuardRCS,
Get in touch to discuss your site requirements for impartial advice from our expert team.
The requirements for securing an organization&#;s physical space varies widely based on a collection of risk factors. For certain types of properties, there&#;s a very high risk of security threat, necessitating a more dynamic approach to defense elements like perimeter fencing. These can include places such as prisons, at-risk youth centers, airports and government buildings, to name a few. At such high-risk facilities, it&#;s vital to apply specially designed perimeter fencing with anti-climb characteristics.
An anti-climb security fence is implemented based on some specific features that make it difficult-to-impossible for someone to scale. Let&#;s take a closer look at what these anti-climb fencing components entail.
One of the primary ways a fence prevents scalability is through its vertical size. Quite simply, the greater the height of a security fence, the more challenging it will be for trespassers to breach.
While standard fencing solutions may feature a seven-foot height specification, high-risk facilities intent on ensuring an anti-climb perimeter should opt for fencing panels that reach a height of eight, ten or twelve feet. Based on size alone, these specs make it harder for someone to scale the fence, and they add more time to the amount it might take for someone to actually climb over.
Of course, height is just one part of the anti-climb equation. To design a perimeter fence with maximum scaling deterrence, it&#;s crucial to combine height specifications with other anti-climb elements.
An anti-climb security fence relies on materials and construction methods that contribute to its overall capabilities. For instance, it&#;s important for these fences to be made from strong, durable materials with spacing elements designed to eliminate footholds for climbing. Following are some of the most common fencing types for high-risk facilities that require anti-climb properties:
: These fences are designed with proper spacing to safeguard against climbing and resist penetration from standard hand tools. They can be installed with a vertical or horizontal mesh alignment, and the material can be mounted onto existing chain link systems for added security. Many high-security facilities rely on a combination of welded wire mesh, expanded metal and louvered panels to create perimeter fencing that requires highly sophisticated means for forced entry.
: Consisting of vertical steel pales secured to horizontal rails and mounted to support posts, steel palisade fencing has a looming visual presence and features strength, versatility and durability. Its lack of footholds and resistance to cutting make it a particularly effective deterrent for intrusion. With the advantage of height and the option for spikes at the top, palisade fences are effective deterrents for high-risk facilities.
: Possibly the most impenetrable form of high-security fencing, precast concrete walls are nearly impossible to scale. They also have the unique advantage of being bullet resistant and can withstand winds of hurricane proportions.
: Typically constructed from galvanized steel, chain link fencing can be coated in vinyl for extra protection and is particularly weather-resistant. On its own, it may not feature the anti-climb properties required of a high-risk facility, but it can be combined with options like added welded wire mesh and topped with barbed or razor wire.
In combination with height, material and spacing specs, there are certain anti-climb features that help fortify perimeter fencing for high-risk facilities.
The first and perhaps most common addition for anti-climb security fencing is barbed wire, barbed tape or concertina wire. Consider adding strands of barbed wire to the top of a security fence, at an angle facing away from the interior, in order to increase the degree of difficulty and time involved in broaching the structure. You can also leverage stainless steel barbed tape at the top or bottom for a similar form of diversion. Concertina wire is wire that features sharp blades, and this option may be appropriate when an extremely high level of security is needed. Concertina wire has the potential to cause more serious and even fatal damage to any intruder attempting to breach it.
Another anti-climb feature involves the omission of a top rail on your security fence. Eliminating this handhold for climbers makes it that much more difficult to scale. A coil spring can be substituted where a top rail would normally exist.
Sometimes, a second row of fencing is installed several feet inside the perimeter fence so as to fortify the grounds. This way, even if the first line of defense is breached, a second row of anti-climb fencing can make the intrusion more difficult or involved, giving security more time to respond and thwart the breacher.
The same is true for added lighting and cameras at various perimeter points. While these mechanisms don&#;t necessarily lend an anti-climb quality to security fencing, they do make visibility and surveillance accessible to the security team, who can then respond more quickly to any intruder(s) attempting to scale the fencing structure. They also serve as a visual deterrent.
Given the specifications and options available for implementing anti-climb fencing at a high-risk facility&#;and the major importance of this effort in the context of your organization&#;s security approach&#;it&#;s wise to contract the services of a highly experienced professional in these areas.
High-risk facilities should have the confidence of working with a security fencing partner who exhibits proven mastery, know-how and precision. This is the best way to receive the most effective recommendations, ensure a high-quality installation and secure the best pricing, products and workmanship on solutions that meet the unique requirements of your facility.
Continue your research by downloading our whitepaper: High-Security Fencing Systems: What You Need To Know Before You Install.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website Anti-Climbing Thorns.