It may surprise you to know that construction sites are hotbeds of crime. According to studies, almost 92% of construction sites experience theft. Other common crimes are vandalism, health and safety neglect, and rogue security by criminal organizations.
But there are some things you can do to prevent these crimes. This article will talk about five steps you can take to mitigate crimes in your construction.
What Are the Most Prevalent Crimes?
source: securesiteuk.co.uk
While the construction site’s location affects the type of crimes committed, theft seems to be the industry’s most prevalent crime.
Vandalism is another common crime in the industry. More than three-quarters of construction sites have suffered from graffiti and site damage.
The location also affects the frequency of the crime. Construction sites located in the urban area might have a higher rate of occurrence compared to other places. The nature of the workforce might also contribute to high crime rates. Construction sites that had many different workers coming on-site daily were affected by more crimes than others. The type of on-site security is also a contributing factor.
Why Secure a Construction Site?
source: ntsafety.com
Construction site theft costs companies $1 billion per year. This figure includes the cost of equipment theft and other accompanying expenses like delays in projects and higher insurance premium rates.
Another reason to take construction site security seriously is that it may affect your workers. If your project involves the idea of a construction camp for the group of workers doing shift duties, then on-site crimes may endanger them
Layout a Security Plan:
The first step in securing your construction site is to have a security plan in place. Do a perimeter scan and map out the assets and sensitive locations of your plant. You can also hire a professional to do a security risk assessment for you. After analyzing your plant in detail, put together a security plan. Post this plan somewhere that is easily accessible for your employees. Highlight all the standard operating procedures so that your employees can easily follow them. Assign specific roles to employees so that they can do their part in securing the site. The best deterrent is reporting crime. Make it clear to all employees that it is mandatory to report crimes to the concerned authorities.
Store Tools in a Secure Location:
source: cecoconcrete.com
According to research, the best way to deter theft is by storing things in a safe place. While it is impossible to lock away machineries such as cranes and bulldozers, you can secure small construction tools by locking them up. On-site, storage is the best option as it is both cost and time-effective. You can use shipping containers to lock away tools since they are very sturdy and almost impregnable. There are two advantages to using shipping containers. They will keep all your equipment hidden from intruders, and no one would think of breaking into a shipping box.
Have a Well-Lit Area:
Most construction sites do not have proper lighting. There are many dark corners and crevices a thief can use to trespass on to your property without detection. The increased visibility will discourage potential thieves because they will be easy to spot. You can also invest in motion sensor lights to alert your security team whenever there’s any activity on the construction site. Another advantage of having a well-lit area is that it can fool intruders into thinking that workers are still on site.
Hire Security:
source: mckinsey.com
It is construction site security 101. Security personnel can keep an eye on things by patrolling the construction site. They can also report suspicious behavior to the authorities. Most sites rent guard booths and place them near entry points to restrict access to the site. You can also install CCTV cameras to fortify your security. This way, you will have eyes on the ground and in the sky. You can also use CCTV footage to identify any criminals caught in the act.
Keep Out the Riffraff:
The more accessible your site is, the more likely it will get targeted. Fencing the perimeter is an easy way to make your site more secure. You can use electric fences to discourage intruders from scaling the wall. An added advantage of electric fences is that they can notify you when someone encounters them. You can also use electronic entrance systems connected to a central employee database to monitor which employees last used stolen equipment.
Conclusion:
Construction site crimes are a menace of the construction industry. The good news is that you can follow some tips to make your site more secure. Enhanced lighting and securing storage are the most preferred and most effective measures. Other measures, for example, hiring security, restricting access, and having comprehensive security plans, can also increase security on sites.
