Solutions for Your Customers
Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
Submitted by Van Meter Inc
We have all seen the reports of retail locations closing their doors in certain areas due to the rising cost of theft. The same losses are being experienced on construction sites. Tools, heavy-machinery, commodities and product are being stolen and resold on third party online sales sites. Just this month, November 2023, police in Minneapolis have been warning construction workers of being targets of thefts and robberies as they leave the job site. The National Insurance Crime Bureau estimates losses to US construction companies may exceed $1B this year.
These losses are not only expensive in terms of lost tools and materials, they are also expensive in the delays they cause, the impact on insurance premiums and the time it takes to replace stolen items. And according to Pro-Vigil’s “The State of Physical Security Entering 2023”, 43% of those polled in construction reported that they have not implemented a security strategy.
Following are some recommendations. The layered approach is best, combining different tools and solutions that better deter and detect crime. And they run the gambit of cost so there are many options available to fit the needs of the contractor and the project.
1. Have a theft prevention policy and enforce it
Ensure that all employees and subcontractors are aware of the policy and consequences. This can include tools being used on side jobs or after hours and removing scrap material for personal use or sale.
2. Secure your site
Fencing, security lighting, cameras and “No Trespassing” signs go a long way to deter unwelcome activity. Maintain an inventory log of all materials, tools, equipment and keys to ensure everything is accounted for. This is also important for contractors working on several sites. Know where your stuff is!
3. Secure your construction equipment
Securing your heavy equipment can be as simple and low tech as removing batteries or wheels, lowering blades and buckets, and locks designed to immobilize controls or to keep the wheels from moving in a straight line. There are also plenty of high-tech options such as alarms, fuel, and ignition cut-off switches, geofencing using radio frequency identification, and GPS tracking devices.
4. Staging and storing your materials
Work with your distributor and project coordinators to have materials staged to be delivered when and where you need them to lessen exposure.
5. Vendor Managed Inventory
Work with your distributor to determine if your project site is suitable for job boxes, clam shells or trailers so help manage and secure your tools, equipment, inventory, even PPE.
Taking these steps won’t guarantee your company will never have anything stolen, it will go a long way in deterring would-be thieves from targeting your construction site.
vanmeter.com