While GPS has become an important part of tool tracking, theft prevention and equipment recovery, some old-fashioned security measures can also decrease the risk of equipment theft, material loss and jobsite vandalism. Simple locks and fences can prevent opportunistic thefts and vandals, while more sophisticated measures may be needed to prevent the more experienced thief.
Best Practices to Prevent Loss
The first step is to make one person on each jobsite responsible for the security and loss. They should ensure that everything is gathered up, locked up and secure before they leave each day.
• Lock the gates and equipment trailers
This seems like a no-brainer but this is a step that can easily be overlooked if there isn’t someone responsible for checking it every day.
• Limit the time material is on the site
Avoid having material delivered in advance and install is quickly once it is delivered.
• Secure equipment and materials
Although equipment is the first thing that we think of when we think of theft on a jobsite, materials are easier to remove and easier for the thieves to unload for quick cash. These losses can add up quickly. Chain trailers and containers together to make them more difficult to access. Use equipment to block the entrances or exit paths for materials.
• Disable large equipment
Since equipment manufacturers use the same keys for their equipment, removing the keys will not prevent a thief from taking the equipment. Simply disabling it (disconnecting the battery, installing a hidden fuel shut off or equipping high security locks) can prevent a thief from taking the equipment or moving it out of the way.
• Register and track your equipment
Register your large equipment to assist in identification and recovery if the piece is stolen. A great resource for this is the National Equipment Registry (NER) at www.ner.com.
• Know the numbers
Maintain a list of phone numbers (police, insurance agent, other contractors) and a list of all equipment serial or product identification numbers. An example information sheet follows this article.
Have the Right Equipment in Place
• Light it up
Making sure your job is well lit discourages many intruders and increases the odds that others will witness and report someone that doesn’t belong. Position lights to illuminate areas where equipment or trailers are located or can be accessed.
• Fence it in
Although fences won’t deter serious criminals, they will reduce impulsive offenders. Fences can be cut or climbed but many vandals and small time criminals will avoid jobsites with high or barbed wire-topped fences. Fencing with smaller mesh makes it more difficult to climb and less time-efficient to cut.
• Install cameras
Cameras do deter theft and vandalism but they also make it easier to report and catch criminals. There are multiple manufacturers and a variety of systems, making this a solution for any price-point.
• Hire a guard
Security guards are a great deterrent, although they can be expensive.
• Protect your fuel
A commonly stolen, but often overlooked, item on construction sites is fuel. Locking fuel caps are a cheap, easy way to prevent most fuel theft.
