Heras fence panels are a form of temporary, free-standing mesh fencing used to secure sites and control access wherever a permanent perimeter is not practical. If you handle these panels in any volume, the real challenge is not the fencing itself but how you store, stack and transport it safely between jobs. This guide explains what Heras panels are, where they are used, and how a purpose-built Heras fence stillage keeps them tidy, secure and quick to load.
What are Heras fence panels?
“Heras fencing” has become the generic term for the standard rectangular welded-mesh temporary fence panel, typically supported by rubber or concrete feet and joined with anti-tamper couplers. Panels are usually made from galvanised steel wire mesh in a tubular frame, which keeps them light enough to handle by hand while standing up to repeated outdoor use.
Their popularity comes down to a few practical strengths:
- Fast to deploy and remove — panels slot into feet and clip together without tools, so a run of fencing can be set up or struck down quickly.
- Reusable and hard-wearing — galvanising resists corrosion, so panels survive being left out in the weather across multiple projects.
- Flexible layouts — because each panel is a standalone unit, you can fence any shape of site, close gaps and add gates as the job changes.
- Clear sightlines — open mesh lets site teams and security keep eyes on the boundary rather than working blind behind solid hoarding.
Where Heras fence panels are used
Because they are quick to install and easy to relocate, Heras panels turn up across a wide range of settings, including construction, shipbuilding, rail and the power sector. Typical uses include:
- Construction and demolition sites — securing the perimeter, protecting the public and marking off exclusion zones around plant and excavations.
- Events and festivals — creating temporary enclosures, back-of-house areas and queue management, often alongside crowd control barriers.
- Industrial and utility sites — cordoning off works at power stations, depots and rail infrastructure where access has to be tightly controlled.
- Empty premises and land — deterring trespass, fly-tipping and theft on vacant plots between phases of work.
Whatever the setting, panels spend as much time in storage and in transit as they do standing up — which is where the right handling equipment earns its keep. For event and site-security applications in particular, it is worth browsing our events stillages and cages and security stillage ranges.
How to store and transport Heras fence panels safely
Loose Heras panels are awkward. Stacked flat they slide and topple; leaned against a wall they warp and become a trip and crush hazard. A dedicated stillage keeps a full set of panels upright, contained and ready to move as a single unit by forklift or crane.
Good practice when handling and stacking panels includes:
- Keep panels contained and upright in a frame sized for them, rather than stacking loose bundles that can shift in transit.
- Don’t overload or over-stack — respect the stillage’s rated capacity and follow safe stacking limits so the load stays stable. Our guide to keeping stillages stable and preventing collapse covers this in detail.
- Store panels and feet together so a complete kit travels as one, cutting down on lost components and repeat trips.
- Inspect before you lift — check the stillage and any lifting points are sound, in line with LOLER 1998 for lifting operations and PUWER 1998 for the equipment itself.
Heras fence stillage vs Heras fence feet stillage
We manufacture two complementary products so you can move a complete fencing kit efficiently:
- Heras fence stillage / pallet — a heavy-duty steel frame that holds a stack of panels upright and contained, ideal for storing and shifting the panels themselves.
- Heras fence feet stillage — purpose-designed to store and transport the rubber or concrete feet, which are heavy, awkward and easily scattered without a dedicated container.
Used together, the two keep panels and feet organised as a matched set, speed up loading and unloading, and reduce the risk of damage and mislaid components on site.
Why choose a certified, UK-made stillage
Heras fence stillages from Lowe Stillages & Cages are manufactured in the UK from heavy-duty steel and built for repeated lifting and stacking. Where a stillage is intended to be lifted with a load in it, certification matters: it gives you documented assurance that the equipment has been designed and tested to a defined standard.
For the UK market, the operative conformity marking is UKCA. If you are unsure which standards and regulations apply to your equipment, our overview of the regulations that apply to certified stillages is a useful starting point. Choosing certified handling equipment helps you:
- Demonstrate due diligence for lifting and workplace-equipment duties under LOLER 1998 and PUWER 1998.
- Reduce the risk of accidents, dropped loads and damage to panels.
- Standardise your fleet around equipment built to consistent, verifiable specifications.
Get the right Heras handling kit
If you store, hire out or move Heras fence panels regularly, the right stillage pays for itself in saved time, fewer damaged panels and safer loading. As a UK manufacturer we can supply standard Heras fence stillages and feet stillages off the shelf, or engineer a bespoke solution around your exact panel dimensions and volumes.
Tell us what you handle and we’ll recommend the right setup. Get a quote or contact our team to discuss your requirements.