Construction sites are often the target for theft, often because they are easily accessibleand they are home to more than a few valuable equipment and materials. They are often left unattended for long periods of time, making them even more vulnerable to opportunistic thieveswho are blending in as construction workers.
Equipment and resources from these sites are often expensive and easy to sell, which makes them attractive targets. In fact, a NFU Mutual survey found that 89% of UK tradespeople have been victims of theft and over half of those surveyed have lost income as a result.
To avoid increasing costs and delaying projects, you can employ some security tips to minimise the impact of construction site theft:
Security strategies to prevent site theft
Maintain accurate records of your equipment
Knowing where your tools and inventory are and who is supposed to be responsible for them helps you keep track of your investments. Having logbookswill help you work backward to find perpetrators and then keeping records of serial numbers on heavy machinery will aid law reinforcement in recovering your items.
Install site entrance security
Security measures such as CCTV, automatic lights and other surveillance makes your construction site less of a target to opportunistic criminals. Adding swipe cards or facial recognition helps you ensure that everyone entering the site is a trained professional. While this might not deter a determined thief, it may encourage them to opt for a less secure site.
Have the right insurance
While it won’t help prevent theft, having builders’ insurance can help you recoup the loss of your items. Whether you are working as a one-person operation or are part of a bigger outfit, you ensure your business has a vital safety net that prevents you from missing out on projects and, by extension, income.
Store materials inside
With shortages affecting key products, building material prices have risen by 2%. This has made resources like bricks and cement more valuable than ever. Leaving them out in the open makes them easy pickings but you can minimise this risk by storing them inside. There will always be items that have to be left outside but anything that can easily stored away should be.
Report any suspicious activity
Ensuring that your crew knows proper security protocol can keep a construction site more secure. All workers should know who to talk to in the case of a theft, along with how to report any suspicious activity. With the right intervention, a lot of criminal activity can be prevented before it even begins.
