Security is sacrosanct. Yet many construction companies fall short.
One billion dollars worth of equipment is stolen from construction sites every year. The value of stolen goods has grown by 10 percent every year since 1996. Construction equipment is valuable, and the metal used in construction projects is even more so.
You need to keep your site safe. Thankfully, you can promote construction site security with a few basic measures. Here are five of them.
1. Plan in Advance
Before you start a project, create a construction site security plan. Get a layout of the construction site, including points of entry. Prepare security for each point.
Do some research about the area around your construction site. Robberies can occur in rural areas and small communities. If you are in a high-crime area, prepare additional security.
Assign a clear chain of command within your organization. Appoint at least one person to oversee and manage security. Give them multiple ways to contact you and the authorities.
Contact local fire and police departments. Coordinate with them and ask them questions about your construction site. Contact any neighboring properties, including residential ones.
2. Train Your Employees
The weakest link on a construction site is employees. From the moment they get hired, you need to train them on security.
Train them on how to detect, confront, and report security threats. They do not need weapons to deal with an intruder. Approaching the intruder is usually all that they need to do.
Thieves can steal uniforms and ID cards to present themselves as legitimate employees. Tell your employees to allow no one in that they are not expecting.
Aside from security threats, construction sites must be safe for workers. Stenhouse Lifting in Australia recommends training employees to operate machinery safely, including basic safety measures in handling repairs and equipment maintenance.
Without proper knowledge about equipment operations, the accident risk is high. Therefore, training supervisors must dedicate enough time for new operators to study how the equipment works and the possible measures they can take when issues arise. Even long-time employees need refresher training to keep up with the latest updates and rules, especially when procuring a new construction tool or equipment.
Construction workers must know and understand the details of standard operation procedures (SOPs), especially in case of accidents. Indeed, employee training is critical to the safety and security of any construction site. First aid training might also be necessary to ensure workers get immediate medical intervention in case of an injury or accident.
3. Install a Surveillance System
Place security cameras around exterior fencing and by points of entry. Run the cameras on batteries so power outages will not impact them.
Some cameras have Wi-Fi and text alerts. Select them whenever possible. Instruct your employees to contact you immediately if the cameras detect something.
Motion sensors cost less than cameras. When the sensors detect movement, lights turn on. This sheds light on a crime in progress, but you need guards nearby to react.
Install lighting around the exterior of your site. Shine lights in a perimeter around your fencing. You should detect someone approaching from 30 feet away, if not farther.
If you’re busy or don’t have the technical expertise to install a surveillance system on your construction site, you can hire experts to do it. Most security companies offer surveillance systems and install them for free or for a small fee. They also perform regular maintenance and repairs for cameras, wiring, and overall setup of surveillance systems.
4. Keep Records
Keep records of every employee who works on the construction site. Include photo IDs and contact information. If an employee calls in sick, record their absence on your paperwork.
Make an inventory of all your equipment and assets. Take photographs and videos of all items, including where you store them on the construction site. You can use drones to do this. Read this article to learn more about how drones are revolutionizing the construction industry.
5. Clean Up
At the end of each workday, organize your materials and equipment. Lock them in lockers and storage facilities. If you can take them with you, transport them back to your office.
If you can’t, use chains and cables to secure them. Place valuable items away from exterior fencing.
After any construction job, clean up the site. Provide a guide for future workers to handle security at the site.
Embrace the Five Essentials of Construction Site Security
Construction site security isn’t complicated and needn’t be costly. You can save thousands of dollars if you follow through on these security tips.
Plan construction security procedures in advance. Examine your local area and chart where entry and exit points are. Train your employees to monitor these points.
Install a security system, including exterior lighting. Keep records of employees and belongings. Clean up your site at the end of each workday.
If you stop learning, you stop staying safe. Follow our coverage for more security guides.
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