You drive up to your construction site, coffee in hand, ready to get to work. But when you arrive, you see busted locks, empty racks, and fresh tire tracks. Someone just stole the gear and vehicle you need to keep your project moving. You’re not alone – construction site theft tops over a billion dollars a year, and a simple fence isn’t enough to stop it. In this article, we’ll explore the costly problems of crime at construction sites, how you can prevent construction site theft, and the technology you can use.
In this Article
- Costly Problems of Construction Site Crime
- What Makes Your Construction Site a Target?
- Checklist: 6 Ways to Protect Your Construction Site
- Loss Prevention: Technology for Construction Sites Security
- Best of Both Worlds: Virtual Guards for Construction Site Security
- Next Steps
The Costly Problems of Construction Site Crime
A staggering 89% of tradespeople have been victims of theft at their construction jobs. Not only is theft and other crime detrimental to morale, it leads to delayed project timelines, costly financial problems, and higher insurance rates. These are some of the worst problems caused by theft and vandalism on building sites:
- Delays and Deadlines: Stolen equipment can drive a nail into the coffin of meeting your deadline. Lost equipment means wasted time replacing it and waiting for delivery. In turn, this can negatively impact deadlines. Missed deadlines can ruin your reputation.
- High Insurance Premiums: When theft and vandalism occur, insurance premiums will rise, making it difficult to meet your budget.
- Loss of Equipment: Theft can be expensive and time consuming. Make sure you have the right tool to prevent it.
- Loss of Employees: Crime devastates employee morale. When crime happens frequently, employees will likely feel less inclined to work efficiently. It also emboldens employees to act in a similar manner, which makes your job site more vulnerable.
- Time Searching for Replacements: Constant theft has resulted in higher turnover at your job site. Higher turnover means you’ll spend more time trying to backfill the position. Not only can all this feel like treading water, it also means you have more work to do.
- Police Reports: Similar to searching for replacement laborers, filling out police reports is time and energy intensive. Taking time to deal with authorities means less time on completing the building project.
What Makes a Construction Site a Target for Theft?
Everybody likes a good buffet. Szechuan beef, fried noodles, bottomless red Jell-O – the possibilities are endless. For burglars, construction sites are good buffets. Failing to secure items like power tools, heavy-duty equipment, wiring, and vehicles will make your construction site a perfect target for any thief. In 2021 alone, almost 13,000 burglaries occurred on construction sites.
Vandalism is another common problem facing construction teams. At night, building sites are often empty. Sometimes foot traffic around the site is nonexistent. As a result, vandals see these areas as easy targets. Here are some of the most common mistakes that make job sites vulnerable.
6 Reasons Your Site is Perfect for Crime
- Leaving machinery and tools on-site overnight
- Failing to light your construction site at night
- Leaving gates unlocked
- Not securing power generators
- Skipping “No Trespassing” signage
- Failing to communicate security procedures to the team
Checklist: 6 Ways to Protect Your Construction Site
Protecting your construction project from theft starts long before your first day. While security technology – like cameras, access control, and alarms – helps, there are plenty of ways to secure your building project. Below are a few tips about how to protect the equipment and people at your construction site. As you read, think about how these might fit into your daily operations.
- Establish a Procedural Plan
A project without a plan is like a box of Ikea furniture without directions: you might get a result, but not the one you want. A procedural plan can be included as part of a project plan. Consider including information like:
- Proper tool handling
- On-the-job safety
- How to report hazards
- Workflow
- Timelines
- Make an Inventory List
Your equipment gets stolen. You file a police report. They identify the culprit. Sounds great, right? But there’s a problem: you never made an inventory list, so you don’t know what equipment needs to be recovered. An inventory list helps project managers account for every piece of equipment from drills to backhoe loaders. Tip: You can find inventory list templates online.
- Lighting and Signage
As simple as they may be, lighting and signage deter criminals from entering construction sites. Lighting should be used at night and in accordance with local laws. If your construction takes place in a residential or mix-zoned neighborhood, be aware of how your lighting might affect residents.
“No Trespassing” signage should be placed around the perimeter of the job site. These signs can be as simple as a “no trespassing” command or state the punishment for those who trespass.
- Use Tracking Devices
Asset tracking is like attaching an Apple AirTag to a staple gun. With asset tracking, project teams can attach durable ID tags to any piece of equipment and pinpoint its location at any time. They come in a wide variety including:
- Real-time Trackers
- RFID/NFC Trackers
- QR Code Trackers
- Beacon Trackers
These trackers use electronic signals to relay GPS information back to a software dashboard. Your project manager or another project administrator can then track the equipment from their smartphone or computer.
- Perform Background Checks
No amount of preparation and security equipment replaces a trustworthy team. Make sure you’re hiring the right people. Background checks help construction executives know exactly who they’re hiring. The interview process is short, so make sure the people you bring onboard have the skills, discipline, and attitude you need. For more information about performing background checks for construction and manufacturing, check out this guide.
- Log the Vehicle Identification Numbers
Construction vehicles are undoubtedly the most expensive equipment at your building site. With this in mind, it’s important to log each vehicle’s VIN. Construction managers can manually record VINs using paper and pencil or more quickly with scanning apps. Some software manufacturers, like Scanflow, will auto-populate your vehicle’s specifications when you scan your VIN. Logging vehicle identification numbers is a simple way to account for your heavy equipment inventory – whether you’re managing 10 trucks or 10,000.
Construction companies that enact theft-prevention measures reduce costs and improve their business’s reputation. But sometimes hanging a “No Trespassing” sign isn’t enough. That’s where security technology comes in.
Loss Prevention: Technology for Construction Site Security
There was a time when hiring security guards was the only option for 24/7 construction site security. Today, technology has changed that. Solutions like motion detectors, intruder alarms, and video surveillance help to monitor building sites. These solutions strengthen loss prevention. They hold employees accountable for the tools they use and make it easy to manage security after hours. Explore our guides below to start building a custom security solution for your site.
- Video Surveillance: Video security cameras and video management systems (VMS) empower construction managers to keep an eye on their site, even when working remotely.
- Access Control: Maybe you’re worried about criminals cutting through fences, or need to ensure only specific employees and contractors get into an area. An access control system will help you monitor and manage exactly who gets in and when.
- Motion Detectors: Stay aware of any movement inside or around your site. Get instant alerts, so you can take action immediately.
- Two-way Intercoms: These devices allow project managers or administrators to talk with employees on the job or intruders after hours.
For some projects, technology has completely replaced live security guards, while others use technology supplemented by security guards. Let’s explore how.
Best of Both Worlds: Virtual Guards for Construction Site Security
Virtual guard systems use both technology and humans to manage security. First, construction managers select and install the security equipment they want. Next, the security equipment is connected to a monitoring site, run by a third-party company. At the monitoring site, trained human guards oversee the system. If a security emergency happens, the guard will alert authorities and you.
More Safety and Scalability with Virtual Security Guards
From better scalability to lower operational costs, virtual security guards offer numerous advantages for construction sites.
Virtual security guards protect construction sites with 24/7 monitoring. They respond in real time to stop problems before they escalate. Additionally, they leverage surveillance cameras, motion sensors, and integrated alarms to help them detect threats more accurately than traditional patrols. Virtual guards are scalable and can adjust as projects grow or move.
Construction Security: Built by You
You know your security needs better than anyone. Make sure your construction or building site stays secure with the solutions you need most. With over 30 years of industry experience, Safetouch can help you assess, purchase, and install a system that’s right for you. Looking for a way to monitor your security without hiring security guards? Our trained monitoring staff will keep an eye on your property 24/7. And with a guaranteed response time of 45 seconds or less, we’ll always have your back. Give us a call at 888.895.SAFE (7233) to speak with a SafeTouch expert today!