How many times have you walked past a construction site and seen building materials and heavy equipment standing there unguarded and in full view of everyone? It’s hardly surprising therefore that construction site theft continues to be a matter of concern for construction companies.
What’s more, the problem extends further than the losses incurred from theft alone. For example, companies may have to rent equipment or replace it right away in order to keep projects on time. Furthermore, there are the losses to consider from downtime when materials and equipment aren’t available and workers have to down tools. Delays cost a lot of money as do increased insurance premiums, resulting from numerous claims.
Construction sites are easy targets typically because many of them have no loss prevention practices or adequate security in place. So, if you don’t want your construction site to become another costly statistic, then here are some preventative measures you might want to consider implementing:
Install plenty of exterior lighting
Thieves like nothing better than dark corners and unprotected sites where they can sneak in and out without being noticed. Tip: many construction sites are committed by employees who are familiar enough with the site to know their way around it in the dark. Make sure every inch of your construction site is well lit to deter opportunists.
Secure a perimeter fence
Make sure that your entire site is secured with top quality fencing and that there is just one access point that should be monitored at all hours of the day.
Keep everything secure
Be sure to install kill switches, have drivers lock up their machinery and hand in the keys, and lock up all necessary materials.
Show them who’s boss
Let the people working for you know that you’re keeping an eye on them. Pass regular comments about the progress being made on-site by particular teams or individuals while also making notes and bringing up your observations in meetings. Once people realise that you’ve got your finger on the pulse, they’re less likely to try and steal from you.
Order supplies as and when necessary
Don’t put temptation in the way by ordering lots of building supplies which may be sat around for weeks before they’re needed. Instead, be sure to communicate on a regular basis with your team so that you can organise and arrange for the necessary materials to be onsite when they’re needed. Any delays could cost money, so planning is vital.
Keep Tight records
How can you know if materials or equipment has been stolen if you don’t keep a regular tally of your supplies? Make sure that all deliveries received are logged onto your inventory and that all activity is charted from ordering to delivery, and implementation. People are more careful when they know that they’re accountable for their actions.
For further information on how you can prevent construction site theft contact MA Security. In addition to supplying security guards for a wide range of individuals, businesses and events, we also carry out security testing to help companies better safeguard themselves against criminal activity. To find out more contact us on 1300 020 406 today.
