How to Secure Your Job Site With Construction Site Turnstiles

Do you know if every person stepping onto your job site is trained, certified, and authorized? That’s more than a security question. It’s a matter of compliance, safety, and profitability. Read on to learn more about the most effective job site security, from the origins that gave rise to its need to how to build an effective solution.

The Epicenter of Change: How NYC Local Law 196 Reshaped Job Site Security

New York City is the nexus of construction in the United States. It has more active construction sites and workers than anywhere else in the country.

With that volume comes a high rate of job site accidents and fatalities, numbers that steadily rose between 2015 and 2018. Due to this crisis, the city became a catalyst for change and passed Local Law 196, a safety-focused regulation that reshaped how job sites operate.

Although Local Law 196 is a New York law, construction companies across the country are adopting the same access control model. The logic is simple: if it’s good enough for the most demanding city in the nation, it’s good enough anywhere.

There’s proof that the law works with record-low numbers of fatalities and accidents reported for 2024. Worker injuries dropped 30% year-over-year, while construction-related incidents fell 24% even as initial construction permits grew 24% during the same period.

At the core of Local Law 196 is a focus on job site access: limiting it exclusively to trained workers. Every person entering a construction site must have the proper site safety training certification specified by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Massive fines await companies with unqualified individuals on-site and site managers who can’t prove who is present at any given moment and verify their certifications.

This requirement sparked a need for tighter access control measures and posed a new challenge for construction site professionals, simultaneously ensuring that every person was certified and being able to prove it.

Enter construction turnstiles and compliance software.

How Do Job Site Turnstiles Plus Software Equal Effective Access Control?

So, how do modern site managers solve this complex compliance puzzle with an equally modern access control approach? They turn to high-security turnstiles paired with intelligent compliance software. This combination provides effective access control by only allowing entry to trained and authorized workers.

The system works like this:

• Workers approach the turnstiles and present their credentials to verify identity and access privileges.
• The reader on the turnstiles connects to leading site safety software, such as Sitemetric, Eyrus, BiltOn, Odin, or MSite. The software checks whether the individual is certified and approved for entry.
• If approved, the turnstiles unlock to let them into the site. If not, the system denies the worker entry.
• The platform automatically documents every entry, so site managers always know precisely who is on-site, when, and for how long.

Why This System Is the New Standard for Job Site Access Control

An integrated approach is the foundation for a positive impact on your project’s safety, efficiency, and profitability.

Better Compliance Means Keeping More of What You Earn

Compliance with the laws isn’t optional, and fines are expensive. OSHA can levy penalties of up to $16,550 per incident and almost 10 times that for repeated or willful violations. Plus, they adjust this annually for inflation, which means noncompliance won’t become kinder to your bottom line over time. Under Local Law 196, NYC can charge up to $5,000 per uncertified worker found on-site. Add to that the potential for reputational damage that can affect future projects, and costs mount considerably.

Implementing turnstiles with site safety software at construction site entrances helps protect profitability by ensuring only the right people gain access to the site, thus avoiding costly fines.

A Safer Site Means a More Productive Team

Completely eliminating all on-site hazards is unrealistic, but the higher the job site safety, the more productive your workforce can be. Safer construction sites mean fewer incidents, less absenteeism, and reduced downtime. All are factors that project managers know help keep projects on time and budget.

Turnstiles with software integrations demonstrate your commitment to improving the safety of every worker. With access granted only to trained personnel, site safety grows.

Automated Access Control Means Reclaiming Time

Long lines at the entrance gate, manual data entry from handwritten logs, and cumbersome spreadsheets to track access. All are time-consuming and tedious tasks drag down project and operational efficiency.

Reclaim that time with an integrated system of software and turnstiles. Onboarding is effortless, logging is instantaneous, and there’s no need to transcribe records. Your high-value people can focus on high-value tasks, and you can focus on managing the actual construction work.

Increased Site Visibility Means Fewer Inspection Headaches

Site inspections are a reality, and so are the headaches that come with them. It’s not enough to comply. You also have to prove it through records that are ready to withstand scrutiny.

An integrated access control solution solves this issue since it documents every entry and verifies worker training automatically. As such, you always have an audit-ready digital trail to present to the inspector instead of scrambling for records or trying to decipher manual logs with illegible handwriting.

Building the Right Solution for Your Construction Job Site Security

Building a truly effective construction job site security solution requires making informed purchasing decisions. The following tips will help guide your choices.

1. Match the Turnstiles to the Environment

Turnstiles for a construction site are not the same as those for, say, a corporate office building. The equipment and hardware must withstand the demanding operating location, with its high traffic, exposure to environmental stressors, and changing access points. As a result, it’s crucial to consider factors like:

• Durability: Look for turnstiles featuring industrial-grade materials that offer exceptional quality and resilience against weather, dust, and heavy use.
• Portability: Construction job sites are dynamic. Choose turnstiles that offer portability, so you can reposition them as the project progresses.
• Power and data connectivity: Ensure your turnstiles include reliable power and data connectivity options to maintain a consistent link to your access control software.

2. Prioritize a Purpose-Built Mechanism

The internal mechanics of turnstiles are equally as critical as external materials. Conventional mechanisms will fail in the rigorous setting that construction sites pose. These mechanisms are suitable for lower-traffic, indoor use, but will quickly wear out with constant, heavy use and environmental exposure.

Opt instead for a purpose-built solution with industrial-grade components like speed control mechanisms. Manufacturers specifically engineer these parts for high-throughput turnstiles to help prevent the wear and tear that can create failures in cheaper alternatives.

3. Plan for Seamless Software Integration

For effective integrated access control, turnstiles must flawlessly communicate with compliance software. The best turnstiles will be software-agnostic. They’ll feature seamless integration with various access control platforms so you can choose the software that meets your needs.

It’s also crucial to look for a history of successful integrations with multiple software partners. Expertise with different programs will be invaluable in helping ensure an effective, high-performing system.

4. Look Beyond the Product to the Partnership

Choosing a manufacturer for your turnstiles is about so much more than selecting the right equipment and having it delivered to your job site. It’s about having a partner dedicated to your success, regardless of project complexity.

Look for a partner that demonstrates their commitment by offering comprehensive support, from layout design assistance and technical guidance to responsive customer service long after equipment delivery.

Build Your Solution With America’s Most Trusted Partner for Turnstiles

Ready to implement a security solution built on a foundation of trust, American-made quality, and unmatched expertise? At Hayward Turnstiles, we’re not just a turnstile manufacturer. We’re your partner in securing your most valuable assets. As the largest, 100% independent family turnstile manufacturer in America, we bring decades of experience and an unrelenting passion for quality to our turnstiles and the companies that rely on them.

Our SecureTurn HT431P Portable Full Height Turnstiles are the gold standard for construction site access control systems, featuring American-made quality with 100% American-sourced steel. We ship hundreds of these construction-grade turnstiles annually to projects nationwide, from small job sites to sprawling multi-site campuses. You’ll have our team’s full support, from initial design to a network of software partners, professional installation, and beyond. Best of all? Our HT431P is in stock and ships fully preassembled to your job site, bringing rapid site safety now, not later.

Let us help you create a safer, more efficient job site while supporting regulatory compliance. Connect with Hayward access control experts for guidance in securing your construction site or to receive pricing.