Theft of tools and equipment from construction sites is an ongoing problem for contractors and construction businesses, costing anywhere from $300 million to $1 billion every year. Recent events have made matters worse. Construction firms and contractors were unable to follow typical project scale-down and off-boarding processes due to unplanned stay-at-home orders and work stoppages. That means job sites were frequently shut down immediately, leaving foremen and tradesmen scrambling to secure equipment and tools as quickly as possible — and hoping it was still there when they returned to work. With that in mind, here are some easy and cost-effective measures you can do right now to deter criminals and secure your construction site:
When looking for security services, look for a company that provides customized construction security solutions, as well as expert security personnel and video surveillance.
- Unplug heavy-duty equipment’s batteries
If you work in construction, you’re probably aware that most heavy construction equipment, such as loaders, excavators, and bobcats, are controlled by a master key. As a result, if criminals get their hands on that master key, they’ll have the keys to your kingdom. While creating a unique key for each piece of equipment on your site isn’t practical or efficient, you can protect machinery by unplugging its batteries at night. When every second counts, a criminal won’t have time to peek under the hood to figure out what’s wrong if they can’t start up a piece of equipment right away.
- Leave enough room between the fence and the storage containers.
Criminals frequently try to hack their way through fencing to get access to construction sites. This means that if storage containers are placed right up against perimeter fencing (as they typically are to separate them from the work area), criminals can get a two-for-one deal by cutting through both the barrier and the storage containers. Allowing enough distance between fencing and containers will enable surveillance cameras and security personnel to notice any activity, as well as prevent criminals from readily cutting through storage containers.
- Use special lighting
Security lighting has long been a recommended practice for construction sites, but here’s something you may not have considered: security lighting doesn’t have to be confined to floodlights. Simple motion-activated lights, such as those found on your garage or front entrance, can be just as effective as floodlights (and you can get them at the local hardware store at a much more cost-effective price). Bright lights are the best way to stop crooks in their tracks.
- Place all heavy equipment in one location.
It will be much easier to keep track of your construction site equipment if you place all of your heavy equipment in the same location every evening rather than dispersing it over the site. Regardless of whether you’re utilizing a video surveillance system or physical security guards, the central location will make monitoring more efficient and speed-up threat detection.
Ranger Guards Will Help You in Making an Effective Security Plan for Your Construction Site
For effective construction site security, contact Ranger Security Agency in Fort Worth, TX. Our agents have military or police backgrounds and are trained to spot suspicious activities and take appropriate action to protect your business. As a result, our crew can keep an eye on your site 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so you can relax. Protect your business from theft, property damage, and bodily injury damages. To talk to a Ranger Security Agency specialist about construction site security and to book your comprehensive security evaluation, contact us today.
