Construction at the new Western Sydney Airport at Badgerys Creek began in September 2018, with award of the massive earthmoving contract to CPB Contractors-Acciona JV. The new Airport is due to open by 2026 at a cost of $8billion.
The massive scale of this project moving 25million cubic metres of soil and rock covering 4200 acres (twice the size of Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport) created major site security challenges for JV management. Of particular concern was potential vandalism and damage to widely scattered earthmoving equipment and critical infrastructure that could potentially cause unacceptable performance delays.
Original site protection thinking revolved around ‘traditional security’ employing multiple onsite roving security guards for 12 hours each night plus weekends. A tender was called to supply a team of onsite guards, however RFT bidders were also encouraged to offer non-complying alternatives to take advantage of any new protection technologies.
‘We wanted to minimise the number of onsite guards needed without compromising security’ said General Superintendent Paul Bull, ‘and Paul-Tec’s alternative RealGuard proposal made that outcome possible for us.’
Instead of multiple guards continually circumnavigating the 4200 acre site, JV management chose the recommended option to employ just 1 x onsite mobile security guard, plus deploy solar powered RealGuard Live Video Guarding Towers at critical infrastructure locations throughout the site. These camera towers record 24×7, and at weeknights and weekends when the site closes down any ovement detected near these protected critical areas immediately
triggers live video back to the RealGuard Remote Video Monitoring Centre.
Live Video Guarding towersareeasilyelocated/added/removed as required to protect any newly identified ‘at risk’ areas anytime during the evolving project term.
RealGuard operators immediately ‘warn off’ identified intruders or trespassers over PA speakers and also notify the onsite mobile guard to respond immediately. Police are also called to any identified criminal incidents in progress. This unique and proactive ‘end to end’ security solution eliminates the need for multiple onsite guards, while providing immediate response by warning off detected intruders before they have opportunity to cause damage or mischief…. ‘stopping crime before it happens.’
In addition to protecting machinery and critical infrastructure scattered throughout the site, JV management also needed to secure its prefabricated administration building for duration of the earthmoving contract.
The solution adopted was installation of a separate alarm/CCTV system rented at a fixed cost including RealGuard Remote Video Monitoring for the duration.
‘We are pleased with the combined RealGuard echnology/manpower security solution provided by Paul-Tec’ said Mr Bull.’
Overt RealGuard Live Video Guarding towers and warning signage has proven to be an excellent deterrent at Badgerys Creek during the extended earthmoving phase, with no major security incidents being experienced at the time of writing (December 2021.) And overall roject financial savings compared with the cost of multiple onsite roving security guards is estimated to be well in excess of six figures.
