Protecting your construction site can be more complicated than you think. Therefore, you should always keep an extra eye out for your equipment. However, this is not always as easy as it sounds. Currently, the construction industry is bleeding money due to the theft of construction equipment. The example of the United Kingdom is more than representative.
Considering these numbers, it quickly becomes apparent that something has to change within the industry. Before discussing ways to prevent construction site theft, it’s crucial to understand why this is a big problem for our industry. But first, take a look at our video with ten funny tips to prevent construction site theft:
The Issue of Construction Site Theft
The problem of construction equipment theft has two equally important aspects. On the one hand, we are discussing preventing it and developing ways to keep the intruders out of the site. On the other hand, we also have to consider the extra financial resources necessary for replacing the stolen equipment. That being said, it’s easy to realize that the problem of theft in construction is more complicated than someone might think.
As far as the main reasons why construction equipment theft is such a pain for the industry, we could mainly focus our attention on the following three:
Demanding Deadlines
Time is construction money. It’s no secret, then, that most construction projects operate under highly pressing deadlines, and the equipment has always been accessible in no time. This often leads to its on-site storage, which facilitates a lot of the intruders’ jobs.
Insufficient Protection of the Equipment
Storing your equipment on-site might not be the best idea. It’s widely exposed and an easy target to anyone who would like to lay their hands on it. On top of that, thin chains or bad-quality locks can be one of the main reasons your equipment can eventually be stolen. Experienced intruders can break them fast and with no trouble to get what they want.
Recovery rate
The low recovery rate of the equipment is another factor that empowers construction site theft. The severe difficulties in identifying the stolen machinery/ tools are one of the most fundamental reasons for this relatively low recovery rate.
How To Prevent Construction Site Theft
As we already saw, the issue of construction equipment theft is very perplexing. Thankfully, there are some solutions to it. We present some of the most effective below:
- Invest Extra Attention On Training
Training against on-site criminal activity should be one of your priorities and a fundamental part of your construction risk management plan. Don’t be afraid to adjust your training plan according to the area where your construction site is located and based on the competencies of your security guards. In that way, you can always be prepared for such incidents and know how to protect your construction site most efficiently.
- Work Only With Certified Security Guards
This is an essential parameter that many construction managers seem to overlook from time to time. Be always extremely careful with the selection of your security guards. A good suggestion comes from BestWORLD Security, which encourages hiring Licensed security guards. Thanks to this, you can avoid any “shady” security companies that might be linked to criminal activity.
- Thorough Background Check Of Your Employees
In addition to the previous point, you should always thoroughly check your new employees’ background. It’s critical to know whether you can trust your new colleagues. And most importantly the people to whom you trust your construction machinery. The more you know, the better!
- Establish Strong Protection Measures
Putting together a solid security plan can be the answer to your construction site theft problem. For that reason, you want to cover every possible parameter by investing in security infrastructure. Strong locks, proper lighting in every corner of the site, and monitor sensors can be valuable allies to your effort to protect your construction site. High-quality cameras that are active 24/7 can also be a great solution. All the above, combined with skilful security guards, can play a significant role in protecting your construction equipment.
- Monitor Job Site Access
It’s vital to know who comes and goes from your construction site at every moment. New technologies can provide significant help with that. You can have complete control over your equipment by creating a detailed database that lets you know who and when accessed the site. Furthermore, you can easily understand who is using which piece of machinery. Thanks to this, you can quickly find who is responsible if you face problems with your equipment.
- Add Distinct Characteristics To Your Equipment
Even in cases where you are not obliged to register your construction equipment, it’s a great idea to add some unique signs to them. Thanks to such identifiers, it can be easier for police to identify your stolen equipment and bring it back to you. These identifiers could be anything from a unique serial number to the symbol of your company.
- Store Your Equipment To Low-Risk Places
Keeping an eye out for your equipment when you are working on-site is one thing. But being sure you have stored it safely during the hours when nobody is around is another. That being said, moving your construction equipment during the hours when everyone is off-duty would be a great idea. In that way, you can store it where the likelihood of theft is significantly lower.
- Never Neglect To Report A Crime
Even if we are talking about the most insignificant piece of equipment, make sure that you report it to the police. You may think that it’s not possible to make a difference, but it will in the long run. Your equipment might not be found this time, but you give the police the chance to start putting together a pattern that might help in future cases. Moreover, you want to make the life of the intruders as hard as possible. So, why not?
- Catalog Everything
You must keep the soundtrack of every little piece of machinery in your inventory. Like that, you can be sure that nothing is missing at any time. In case of theft, it helps a lot by providing information that might help find the stolen equipment.
- Stay Informed About Construction Site Theft
To keep your construction site safe, you must constantly stay informed about everything related to construction theft. Learn more about the kind of equipment that is most in demand by potential thieves and pay extra attention to its efficient protection. Additionally, try to learn about the areas with higher risk of construction site theft and manage the storage of your equipment accordingly.
Conclusion
Construction site theft is one of the hottest problems in our industry. In many cases, it can be very challenging to prevent it. Nevertheless, there are ways in which people working in construction can eventually tackle this problem. It is crucial for everyone to realize that there is no room for complacency or negligence.
To protect your site, contact us at MyService@BestWORLDSecurity.ca.
