Fences and gates: when damage stops being cosmetic

A bent fence panel at the back of a site reads as cosmetic — until the same fence is the barrier at a pool, a retaining edge, or a play area, or the gate that no longer latches is on an egress path. Site items get judged by what they protect and what they expose: a leaning section over a sidewalk is a hazard story, a gap at the bottom is a pest and access story. Walk your perimeter asking the function question — what is this fence keeping in or out, and does it still do it? Photograph the sections you are watching with a date, so 'we are monitoring it' is a record and not a hope. Where does your site fencing worry you most? — Otto Mergl, Admin