Construction sites are inherently vulnerable to theft. They’re more open, with permanent perimeter structures having not yet been built. They’re filled with unfamiliar faces, given that many different contractors are necessary for the completion of any given project. What’s more, they’re packed with expensive, specialised, and highly-portable tools, which can be easily sold on the black market.
Fortunately, there are several tried-and-tested ways through which tools can be safeguarded. Let’s look at a few of them.
Identify your Equipment
To keep track of what’s gone missing, you’ll need an idea of what’s on site at any given moment. Doing this through traditional means, however, is extremely labour-intensive, and vulnerable to exploitation. If you go for a digitised inventory management solution, on the other hand, then you’ll be able to tell at any given moment what tools there are to hand on the site.
Safe Storage
Having a safe and secure location for high-value tools is imperative. If workers simply leave their tools unattended around the site, it is almost guaranteed that those tools will go missing. As well as guarding against theft, a storage location will also help workers to develop good habits when it comes to tidying up after themselves.
Access Control
Modern technologies allow us to monitor who enters and leaves the site at any given time. This makes it easy to determine who is at fault when a given set of tools goes missing. You might issue unique identity cards to workers, or identify newcomers based on biometric data. There’s no need to get keys cut, or to leave yourself exposed to workers whose access needs to be revoked.
GPS tracking
Many modern tools come with GPS tracking devices installed. This means that you’ll be able to follow them in the event of a theft, and perhaps even recover them. GPS alerts will go off when tools are taken beyond a given perimeter. An anti-theft tool tracker will make your site more secure by orders of magnitude.
CCTV
The presence of CCTV will help to identify culprits after a theft has been committed, and to deter wrongdoing before it occurs in the first place. CCTV is more affordable than ever, and doesn’t require wired systems. This makes it increasingly suited to construction sites, even in remote locations.
What should I do in case of theft?
If you’ve identified that theft has taken place, then you need to first determine what’s been stolen, and then contact the police. They’ll be able to take action on your behalf to recover the loss. If you’re tracking tools with GPS technology built in, then getting them back, whether directly or through an insurer, tends to be much easier.
