Many construction sites lose valuable tools and materials to theft every year. There are simple steps that can be taken to prevent such thefts from occurring and mitigate damages should a theft occur.
According to Salvador Chavarria, construction site theft is a serious problem that costs the industry significant amounts of money yearly. It has been estimated that construction site theft costs approximately $1 billion annually in the United States alone. This cost includes material and equipment losses as well as labor expenses to replace them. The total amount lost each year from construction site theft is difficult to estimate due to many factors, such as unreported thefts. Still, there are some estimates available for those who want more information on this issue.
Here are a few tips to help you prevent construction site theft.
Have Proper Lighting Placed Around the Site
Make sure to place lights around your construction site so that thieves cannot easily access those items stored in dark areas. Suppose you have smaller machines and tools that can be brought into a home or office. In that case, you should also keep these locked up at all times, but proper lighting around the clock will discourage thieves from even trying to find these things inside of your storage sheds and other locked locations.
Install Rapid Deployment Security Cameras
Installing high-definition rapid deployment camera surveillance can give you and your crew peace of mind at the end of your shift. The systems are ideal for remote site security needs. Rapid deployment cameras are perfect to use in off-grid locations as well. Another benefit of the rapid deployment CCTV cameras is that users can access high-quality video from any location and any mobile device such as tablets, laptops, pc’s and cell phones.
Put Equipment Away
When heavy equipment is not in use or once the workday finishes, you should put all your tools away. This, according to Salvador Chavarria, prevents thieves from easily knowing which items they will need to pick up and which ones are free to take. If they cannot tell at a glance whether an item is even worth stealing, most thieves will move on toward the next site with more portable items that thieves can easily load into their truck or another vehicle.
Keep Tools Locked Up
Tools like drills and saws should always be locked up when not in use. Other tools such as ladders may also pose a risk if not properly secured. All tools should either remain locked up while not in use or remain attached to a belt unless there is a reason to bring them indoors for use.
Remove Unused Items
Unused items, according to Salvador Chavarria, are an open invitation to potential thieves that you are not there or that there are opportunities to take free items off of the job site. If possible, remove all unused materials from your construction site before leaving it for the evening or at any other time when no one is expected to be on-site. This includes tools, lumber, and other bulky items, as well as vehicles left parked outside. Clearly label items with your company name via signage so that they cannot be easily taken by mistake during a weak moment.
Secure All Materials
If you have a construction site where thieves cannot see what's happening within the fence line, ensure that all materials above the fence line are properly secured. This includes items such as tools and other equipment that a thief can easily carry away during a quick snag and grab type of moment. Even though it will not prevent all thefts from taking place, the vast majority of thieves will take off if they cannot tell whether there is something valuable inside of your site to take or not.
Keep Records of Purchases
When you purchase any equipment for your construction site, make sure to keep records of them. According to Salvador Chavarria, this documentation can be helpful when filing insurance claims following thefts or other damages at the site where figures are needed to file a claim properly. If you have total-loss coverage on all items, this could provide enough information about what was taken so that you do not need to worry about having receipts in hand.
Turn off Equipment Circuit Breakers
When you are away for an extended period, ensure that every piece of equipment plugged into the site's power source is turned off. This includes saws and other large items as well as smaller tools used throughout the day. If all circuit breakers are turned off, it will not allow thieves to access your power supply so they can steal these types of items without having first to shut down your entire system. It would help if you kept any exterior lighting facing downward so no one can see inside your storage sheds or other construction sites where you store all of your construction materials.
Cut Fuel Supplies
If you have fuel sources accessible to thieves, it is important to cut the flow off before leaving for the day. This means closing valves on any large fuel tanks so that they cannot be accessed by anyone who does not know where they are located or how to work them. It would help if you also took note of all adjoining roads and other entryways to easily identify these locations when looking over your site map at the end of every day.
Protect Fences
Make sure to protect your construction fence line so that no one can climb over into your site. If there are areas where fencing is damaged or missing altogether, use temporary protection such as boards with nails facing outward until repairs can be made in due time.
Chain Up What You Can
If you do not have a fenced-in area or your actual fences cannot be properly protected, it is important to chain up as much of your equipment and materials as possible. This includes ladders and other bulky items that might look like something valuable for thieves to take. Keep in mind that there are limitations when chaining items such as appliances together, especially those weighing over 100 pounds. Some modifications may need to be made so that all chains can support the weight of what needs to remain locked down at all times.
Final Thoughts
Construction site thefts can be prevented by making sure you follow all of the guidelines we have listed above. These measures do not guarantee that someone will never break into your storage shed or try to steal something from your equipment, but they will make it much more difficult for thieves to successfully carry out their crimes over and over again.
