subject: Security For Construction Sites [print this page] September of 2007 saw a pair of Des Moines, Iowa construction sites come face-to-face with the vital need for security. One suffered the theft of its Komatsu excavator, while the other, just down the road, had a Low Boy trailer stolen. Together, the two losses totaled almost $200,000. With no leads to the burglars, the county sheriff is not hopeful of returning the heavy-construction machines to their owners.
Contractors endure losses of up to $1 billion each year thanks to theft at construction sites, according to the national registry of stolen heavy equipment kept by the National Equipment Register organization. In addition to the monetary losses of stolen equipment and penalties for delayed completion of projects, construction outfits also lose time, as they have to complete insurance claims and wait for the replacement of equipment. Continual changes in employees, expensive equipment, and a lack of security on nights and weekends make construction sites very attractive to vandals and robbers.
Measures Toward a Secure Construction Site
Following are procedures you can follow to avoid criminal activity on your construction site:
Safeguard the perimeter.
Minimize access and discourage robbery by surrounding your site with temporary fencing.
Light up the property.
Prevent criminals from hiding in shadows by installing lighting throughout your site.
Install indiscreet video surveillance.
Safeguard against employee theft by ensuring that your staff is aware of the locations of security cameras on your site.
Manage your keys.
Take keys out of inactive vehicles and maintain them in a protected location. Regain possession of keys from ex-employees.
Be Aware of Crime on a Construction Site
Avoiding crime is desired, but not always attainable. Many methods exist of detecting criminal activity that has taken place on a construction site:
Utilize asset trackers.
Installing asset trackers on equipment makes it easier to get it back. Also helpful in recovering stolen property is identifying it with serial numbers.
Use hidden video surveillance.
Coupled with indiscreetly placed cameras, hidden security cameras can assist in being aware of construction site crime. These discreet tools are unlikely to be inactivated by robbers and they supply vital evidence of criminal events.
Paint to distinguish possessions.
Marking company equipment with paint is a cost-efficient method of recovering stolen property.
Invest in a security system.
Installing a quality security system can enable you to identify the elements of a crime, e.g. which of your propertys entrance points were accessed by criminals.
Security of a Construction Site on a Personal Level
The fortification of a construction site transcends the safeguarding of equipment, helping to also prevent vandalism and theft. To allow for the on-site security of your staff as well:
Equip new staff with adequate training.
Maintain a well-kept site to avoid tripping and falling over misplaced items.
Be proactive in the maintenance of fire extinguishers and fire alarms.
Make sure your staff members wears the correct gear for their job positions, such as gloves, goggles, hard hats, and back braces.
