You might think construction sites are uninviting to intruders: with mounds of dirt and unfinished buildings, construction sites are not exactly attractive settings. And yet, construction sites house lots of expensive equipment making them, unfortunately, susceptible to theft and crime. A 2016 construction theft report found that equipment robbery accounted for $400 million in losses in the United States — and of that, only a fifth of stolen goods were recovered. A location is only as strong as its security. Below, we outline a few ways to best protect your construction site, equipment, employees, and more.
Install Security Cameras
When site managers and workers leave the job at the end of the day, more often than not, the site’s equipment is just a sitting duck. Cumbersome and large, machinery can be hard to lock up and store safely. Anyone can walk in and steal such goods! That’s why it’s essential to set up an elaborate and effective security camera system. Put cameras in prominent positions so intruders know they’re being watched. And even if the cameras don’t deter them, they will capture where the criminals are heading. You will also have evidence to show law enforcement their physical features and can more quickly find and retrieve your stolen property.
Rely On An Alarm System
You want peace of mind when you leave a construction site. Know that your equipment is safe by installing an alarm system that will best protect your construction site. Today, many systems are synced up to police stations or smartphones so you can be alerted immediately of what’s going on. The sound of a blaring alarm will scare off intruders. Coupled with a camera system, you’ll be able to see who broke in, where, and when.
Understand What Can Be Easily Stolen
Criminals value two things in thieving: ease of mobility and worth. If you have a truck or tractor on your site that is pricey and easy to move by breaking into a window and stealing a key, it might be a recipe for disaster. Remove the potential risk by prioritizing essential equipment items’ safety and properly locking them up. Install a system at work where it is someone’s designated job to properly store and stow such tools at the end of the workday. A lock system, keypad, or grandmaster key will further protect your equipment and can be implemented here.
Disable Equipment After Work
After locking equipment up, be sure to disable it. Turn it off, keep its keys in a unique location away from the equipment, and only have certain verified employees know where these keys are. If someone breaks in and the keys are right there, they’ll have a quick getaway. Keeping the keys somewhere else ensures the robbery will only be an attempted one.
Working on construction sites? The Security Professionals know how to keep such locations safe and criminal-free. We’ll do a site visit, provide an expert recommendation, and suggest the equipment needed to keep yours safe.