The theft of equipment and material from construction sites is an issue. The loss of equipment and material from construction sites can amount to a lot of wasted dollars on recovering what was stolen. Stolen material and equipment can also delay construction, which costs money as well.
Construction sites are such a popular target for theft because they have an assortment of costly equipment and materials and typically they do not have the best security or loss and prevention procedures in place.
Unsecured sites have a greater risk of theft. Criminals are after uninstalled materials such as copper cables, and installed materials, such as copper wire & pipes that will be ripped out of walls and create damage to the build. Thieves will also steal appliances, tools, drywall, lumber, and any other building materials they find lying around. Any theft and destruction to a construction site hurt the bottom line and delay deadlines, and all these costs add up to big losses for the site.
Theft on construction sites is a massive issue that records approximately $1 billion in yearly losses for construction companies. When items are stolen from a construction site, the company has to pay to replace equipment and materials, or rent equipment to keep the construction on schedule. Other costs involved are downtime caused by the unavailability of equipment and materials and increases to insurance premiums.
Some steps can be taken to protect your construction site. Here are five ways to increase security at your construction site:
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Form a Security Plan
Before you can set any security measures, an assessment of the construction site needs to occur. This plan will map out the site, categorize valuable assets and weak areas.
As soon as you’ve completed mapping out your site, its layout, and strategies to reply to security breaches, the plan should be displayed and shared with all construction workers on the site. It is important to encourage staff to follow the security plan and to report anything abnormal they might discover and to take inventory of supplies and the site. The security plan needs to be accessible to everyone.
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Arrange Deliveries as Required
Purchasing only the supplies, you need when you need them helps cut back on theft to the construction site. If you have additional supplies lying around unused for a while, your construction site could become a sitting duck to those looking to steal. Scheduling deliveries for supplies as needed helps in preventing having any additional materials laying around. Setting a delivery schedule will require planning and open communication between site managers and labors to ensure that construction does not become delayed. Construction sites are large and multifaceted, and it requires skill and really good communication to ensure deliveries are arriving on time.
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Install Video Surveillance
A mobile video surveillance system is an essential tool in keeping your construction site secure. Surveillance cameras monitor the construction site and help in protecting your work and equipment. If theft or vandalism should occur, the person monitoring the surveillance camera can alert authorities right away. Cameras also record and can be re-watched to see the appearance of thieves, license plate numbers, etc. A mobile video surveillance system gives you an extra set of eyes on the construction site and lets you see what is happening on the site at all times. Installing signs stating that the construction site is under surveillance is also a way to prevent thief at your site.
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Invest in Lighting
Having lights shine on the construction site at night can help dissuade criminals from trespassing, as the lights make them more visible and easier to spot invading on your site. Criminals prefer a dark site where they cannot be detected or easily seen by passersby. Also, having lights on might make trespassers leary to enter, because they will think that workers are still on the construction site.
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Use Shipping Containers for Valuables
Ensuring that all equipment and materials that can be locked up are locked up. At the end of the day, any materials and equipment not being used by workers should be put into a shipping container and locked. By keeping these valuables out-of-sight, you will discourage any criminals to enter your construction site, because items are not easily accessible to them. Shipping containers are extremely difficult to break into, and thieves don’t know if there is anything in the containers worth stealing.
In Summary
Theft on your construction site is an expensive problem and causes serious headaches for your company. A smaller construction company may fall victim to criminal activities more so than a larger construction company because they do not necessarily have the capital to invest in a security plan, but these security items can help with your bottom line.
She is a content writer & editor for more than 12 years. She usually writes about technology news, country news, arts & science, travel & automobiles. She used to test the product and write reviews for popular magazines.
