When you’re using expensive equipment and machinery for your construction project, securing the site becomes paramount. Construction sites are easy targets for thieves with expensive plant equipment tantalisingly drawing them in for a quick payday.
With over £1 million worth of equipment going missing from UK construction sites every week, you’ll need to protect the plant you hire by implementing a sound security strategy. Here are our top tips for securing your construction site from thieves.
Keep it Lit
Bright lighting is a real deterrent for theft and vandalism as it makes criminals much more likely to be spotted. It’s also a helpful deterrent for opportunists who may think twice about breaking in when your site is well lit at night. If you don’t want to keep lights on all night, you can also utilise motion sensor lights that come on when people are detected on site. They can even be linked remotely to a smartphone to send an alert when they’ve been activated.
Hire Security
One of the best ways to prevent theft is to have people patrol your site at night. A security team will deter trespassers and will be able to catch thieves in the act, preventing them from taking off with your plant equipment. Your security team will be trained to address potential threats and keep your site secure.
Install Alarms and Cameras
A combination of lighting and CCTV makes it virtually impossible for a thief to get into your site without being spotted. Alarms can ensure a rapid response from a security officer on-site shortly after being triggered. They can then assess any potential threats and coordinate with the police to minimise losses.
You can also set up smart cameras that live stream to your smartphone and alert you to any suspicious activity, so you can contact the police or on-site security. Should the worst happen, and a crime is committed on your premises, a CCTV camera will record the incident for evidence.
A loud alarm will scare potential intruders away, whereas a silent alarm will alert the police so they can catch them red-handed. Whichever you choose, alarms are another smart way of keeping your site protected, and having signs stating you have CCTV and alarms can deter criminals from trying to break-in in the first place.
Install A Perimeter Fence
A fence is an excellent barrier against intrusion, so make sure you keep it well maintained. Fences should be 2.4 metres high to keep out intruders effectively. Check your fence’s physical condition regularly and look for any blind spots that aren’t lit or covered by security cameras. Add warning signs that highlight the presence of your other security features like cameras and alarms.
Involve Your Workforce
Always get your workforce involved in securing the site, whether that’s keeping detailed records and logs of all the equipment on-site, or by assigning individual responsibility for locking up and securing the equipment, or even just encouraging them to be aware of security on-site.
Encourage drivers to ‘park smart’ by facing into a circle and activating anti-theft features like ignition and wheel locks and shut-off systems to protect your plant hire. Also, keep a record of any suspicious activity seen by your staff.
Display Signs
Fences can act as a great physical barrier and deterrent to keep thieves away, but warning signs are also a great way to discourage unwanted visitors. Some people may be tempted to jump your fence and nip through your site if it is blocking their usual route home. This can be disastrous if that person becomes trapped or injures themselves on any stationary equipment. Worse still, your company could be legally liable.
By using plenty of clear signage about the dangers of entering the construction site without permission, you can deter people from trying to take that unnecessary shortcut.
Sign in and Sign Out
You should always know who is on your site and who isn’t. Make sure everyone is accounted for by implementing a signing in and out system. Sign everyone in at the start of the day, including any visitors, and sign everyone out at the end of their shift, so you know that everyone has left and the site is secure.
Ask Questions
Never be afraid to question anyone you’re not sure about. If there is a new face on site, they may just be a delivery driver looking for the site office or a client’s friend, but it never hurts to check. Question any person you think could potentially be a trespasser and escort them off-site if they do not have permission to be there.
Plant Hire from AE Faulks
Whether you choose to hire guards, implement new security procedures or rely on smart security, a comprehensive strategy will help prevent break-ins and minimise the threats to your building site. If you decide you want to minimise the risk even further by not buying plant that you then have to secure between construction projects, you can hire plant equipment from AE Faulks for the time you need it.
