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Archive for October, 2008

Pro-Vigil at the Permian Basin International Oil Show

Despite the weather and the lack of parking the 2008 Permian Basin Oil Show was awesome. I got to talk with some incredible companies about using Pro-Vigil surveillance to achieve security and quality assurance objectives – great to meet with you.

The highlight of the event for me was the spirit of enthusiasm and market vitality I took home from the show. Thanks again to all those who stopped by to tell us about their companies and how our security can benefit their operations.

In case you missed this year’s Permian Basin Oil Show here are some round ups from around the web…

First a video interview with PBIOS executive director Tony Fry: “Expectations Exceeded”

2008 Permian Basin Oil Show Coverage
Much has changed, but PBIOS still ‘working man’s oil show’
Jimmy the “Blogneck” wrote some opinions about the show.
Deal-making gets underway at Permian Basin International Oil Show
Permian Basin International Oil Show grew from ‘Little International Oil Show’ beginnings
Oil Show Parking Causing Problems for Restaurants Near Ector County Coliseum
‘Working man’ gauges value of oil show

Jobsite Arrest Caught on Video

Officers chasing a suspect ended on a job site monitored by a Pro-Vigil Virtual Guard Station. Chalk one up for the good guys…

Arrest Caught On Tape

Put Pro-Vigil to work on your jobsite >>

More Pro-Vigil Video’s “Catch of the Day”
Jobsite Intruder Scared of Climbing Fence
Subcontractor Caught Robbing the General Contractor
Video: Jobsite Intruder Learns what Live Surveillance Means
Two Girls Flee Pool After Warning from Pro-Vigil

Jobsite Intruder Scared of Climbing Fence

Watch this jobsite intruder begin to climb a jobsite security fence. Try to pick out when he hears the warning message from the Virtual Guard Station we installed…

Guy Climbing Job Site Fence – NOT

More Pro-Vigil Video “Catch of the Day”
Subcontractor Caught Robbing the General Contractor
Video: Jobsite Intruder Learns what Live Surveillance Means
Two Girls Flee Pool After Warning from Pro-Vigil

Pro-Vigil on Fox 7 News – Austin Texas Construction Security Report

Pro-Vigil’s very own Pete Ballard gave Fox 7’s Jenni Lee a tour of our Austin construction surveillance operation over at a site we’re protecting on South Austin’s South Congress Avenue. Austin police reported 353 construction thefts in 2007. That’s up from 316 in 2006. So far in 2008 there have been 249 reported construction theft cases.

Pro-Vigil on Fox 7 News – Construction Theft Report

Learn more about Pro-Vigil’s Construction Security Systems >>

9 Areas of Growth for the Construction Industry in the Down Economy

The credit market crash has many folks feeling gloomy the past few weeks. And, while it is looking rough out there (we’re not here to sugar coat anything…) there are a few bright spots you can try to keep in mind the next time you’re in another conversation about how bad things look.

Dark Cloud With a Green Lining…
Green construction practices are increasingly in demand both from consumers and from governments. Here are some bright GREEN spots in this dark economy and here’s our guide to growing profits through green construction practices .

1) Green building construction in the US is projected to remain strong in 2008 and is projected to grow by 58% or more than US$21.2 billon during the year

2) 40% of builders find "building green" makes it easier to market in a down economy; 16% find it makes it much easier.

3) 60% of builders claim homebuyers are willing to pay more for green homes. This is greater than the opinion in 2006 (56%).

4) The regions in the U.S. with the best growth in green building are the Pacific, followed by the South Atlantic and Mountain regions. The East South Central region has the lowest growth.

Other Areas of Growth in the Construction Industry…
It’s not just "green construction" that shows promise for 2009. There are other areas too that have some sectors staying very busy right now.

5) Heavy construction companies in the US reported relatively firm results during the first quarter of 2008

6) Merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the US remained at high levels during the first half of 2008

7) Construction equipment manufacturers in the US forecast smaller gains for 2007, but a rebound in 2008 as sales are expected to grow by 2.8% during the year

8) Heavy construction spending in the Pacific Northwest of the US is expected to grow in 2008 with gains in the transportation and building sector

The AGC-Supported Portions of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act
The economic bailout package has some provisions that the AGC supported heavily. While you may not ever see the impact in your business, there are some construction-oriented benefits included.

9) The House package includes extensions of the Production Tax Credit for Alternative Energy Investments and the Targeted Relief for Investments in Real and Personal Property.

Bonus: Down Economy Advice
Here’s a quote from a recent article from Matt Stevens: “there are 10 rules of business. The first is to not run out of cash – and the rest don’t matter.” I highly recommend that you take a look at his article:
Managing a Construction Firm in a Down Economy.

"Brighter" Resources:
Green Building is Growing Despite Down Market, According to Report from McGraw-Hill Construction
HOUSE PASSES ECONOMIC RECOVERY PACKAGE (AGC)

"Darker" Resources:
North America Heavy Construction Sectors
Construction job market continues to decline nationwide
August Construction Retreats 3%
North America Heavy Construction Sectors: Company and Industry Analysis Report

6 Ways to Control Construction Costs in a Volatile Materials Market

“Since December 2003, the overall cost of construction material has climbed 41 percent, not including distribution costs. For comparison, the cost of consumer goods has increased 19 percent.”

-Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America

If you’re a general contractor you’ve seen price increases far more than 41%, especially metals and petroleum-based materials. This article proposes 6 strategies for controlling your costs and closes with several resources for further investigation.

The sections are:
1) Know What Accountants Look for During an Owner Audit
2) Be Aware of the Market and Stockpile Materials
3) Stop Material Theft on Your Jobsite
4) Find Value Engineering Opportunities
5) Know Your Cost Estimator
6) Cost Projections and Contingency Planning
7) Recommended Construction Cost Saving Resources

1) Know What Accountants Look for During an Owner Audit
A rise in capital costs will result in a rise in owner expense audits as owners try to tighten down. A familiarity with what audits turn up will help you during the cost estimation phase… you may be unwittingly setting yourself up to lose your shirt.

Some of the major things owner-auditors look for include: all your cost-reimbursable contracts, discretionary benefits you provide that aren’t legally mandatory, statutory limitations in payroll taxes, inaccurate pension and profit sharing claims for employees, computer costs and accounting costs (overhead) included as labor costs in the project. These items are covered in more detail in Understanding the owner’s right to audit construction costs.

2) Be Aware of the Market and Stockpile Materials
We’re now out of the era of reliable supply chains. This means higher prices. It’s your job to stay up on the materials markets using resources like the AGC’s Construction Inflation Alert (pdf). One way to manage the sometimes dramatic cost fluctuations is materials stockpiling.

This is an old but effective technique whereby you purchase and warehouse large quantities of materials at prices that you speculate will be lower than when the project starts. This flies in the face of “just-in-time” materials management and brings with it a new host of issues, the least of which is warehouse management. This method won’t be right for some companies, but it’s worth investigating

3) Stop Material Theft on Your Jobsite
As material costs increase so will material theft. These costs go beyond replacement – you suffer the loss of time and ready cash replacing materials. Then you have to wrangle with your insurance company to get your money back. All this contributes to significant damages to your bottom line and even your reputation.

We’ve written extensively on stopping construction site theft. Here are a few articles to help you increase your jobsite security:
9 Ways to Stop Construction Theft During Holidays and Vacations
Reducing Employee-Driven Job Site Theft
How Secure is Your Construction Security Fence? 11 Questions to Ask
5 Security Lighting Tips For Your Construction Site

Also, investigate our construction site security services. We use live video surveillance to stop construction site thieves.

4) Find Value Engineering Opportunities
According to Wikipedia, “Value engineering is a systematic method to improve the “value” of goods and services by using an examination of function. Value, as defined, is the ratio of function to cost. Value can therefore be increased by either improving the function or reducing the cost.”

In our language that means build only what you need. An example I read suggested that if you know a given conference room won’t have high traffic then don’t cover the floor with high traffic carpeting. Save it for the hallways. Extend this thinking across your project and you will see significant savings.

5) Know Your Cost Estimator
Matt Stevens is a construction business consultant. I found this quote on bidding and hope it can be a guide for you when you’re estimating cost or working with your existing cost estimator: “Being low is not success, being right is.” Estimating construction costs is a science, and well worth studying.

Spend some time reading through Cost Control, Monitoring and Accounting by Chris Hendrickson of Carnegie Mellon. It provides – at the very least – a good basis for figuring out what are the right questions to ask.

6) Cost Projections and Contingency Planning
Does your contract identify and prepare you for potentially skyrocketing material costs? Because estimates happen so far in advance of project completion you may need to build a plan, if not allocate funds, to safeguard against a major cost increase.

Make sure that the “trigger” for the plan is perfectly clear in the contract and that the owner is on the same page. The contractual language will be vital if and when you face an owner audit for overages.

10 Green Construction Practices that Boost Your Profit

In simple terms, here’s the case for adopting green construction practices… MORE PROFIT .

Not only do green construction techniques save you money, but they tap you into the mainstream green building movement. Consumers and local governments seem eager to back this movement, so read on and learn the tactics that will have you seeing GREEN.

1) Prevent Waste in the Design Phase
2) Prevent Construction Waste on Site
3) Purchase to Prevent Construction Waste
4) Reuse/Recycle Waste On Site
5) Implement Green Security to Prevent Waste Due to Theft
6) Know Your Local C&D Material Recycling/Salvage Requirements
7) Filter/Divert Your Jobsite Water Runoff
8) Know Your Green Materials Alternatives
9) Design for Deconstruction
10) Document Your Green Efforts for LEED and/or GBI

(more…)

Convenience Store Security: 16 Tips for Preventing Convenience Store Robberies

Convenience stores have always been tempting targets for armed thieves. This makes them dangerous places for employees to work, and local governments are becoming increasingly involved in keeping them safe. Houston and Dallas are two Texas cities with recently implemented convenience store security ordinances . Are such ordinances effective? New Mexico saw convenience store murders drop by 44%, and robberies drop by 91% between 2005 and 2007 after the state enacted new regulations. Their success is why we’re seeing similar ordinances spreading across the country.

This article outlines the security steps that will increase the safety of your convenience store employees and reduce theft. Many of the tips here may become ordinance in your city, so be aware and consider implementing them ahead of the law.

>> Cash Control
>> Employee Security Education
>> Surveillance Cameras and Silent Alarms
>> Securing the Internal Environment
>> Securing the External Environment
>> More Security Resources

>> Cash Control
Cash. It’s what lures robbers in the first place. Strong cash-handling policies along with good signage can greatly reduce rates of robbery. One study found that robbery rates drop by 80% when potential robbers know that there’s $50 or less in the cash register.

1) Install a Drop Safe
Install a drop safe and implement cash drop procedures with your employees. Be sure that your employees understand that the procedures are in place to protect them, not just the company’s money.

2) Post Cash-Amount Signage
Advertise to everyone who walks in your store that there’s only $30 or less in your cash register after dark, and that the employees don’t have the keys to the safe.

>> Employee Security Education
How employees behave has enormous impact on whether your store is robbed AND on the extent of injury in the instances that they are robbed.

3) Provide Annual Security Training
Studies have shown that the likelihood of violence is 49% higher when employees resist a robber. Further, when employees become familiar with your existing security measures they are not as likely to participate in "inside" robbery attempts. Look for local security training programs and video resources.

>> Surveillance Cameras and Silent Alarms
Technology can play a large role in preventing and prosecuting robberies at your convenience store.

4) Install Silent Panic and Holdup Alarms
These types of alarms protect your employees in potentially violent robbery situations. They are not useful in preventing robberies but can help to reduce the impact of a robbery in process. Provide proper training on the usage of silent alarms so that employees know how to safely use them.

5) Install CCTV Live Surveillance Cameras
Highly visible cameras can have a powerful impact on potential robbers. Especially if they know that the cameras are monitored by live security professionals. Consider first and foremost a live surveillance CCTV system for robbery prevention and instant robbery response. Having cameras properly aimed at the door and at the register can also provide valuable after-the-fact images for use in court.

>> Securing the Internal Environment
There are a number of measures you can take inside of your store that are proven to reduce the frequency and impact of robberies. Here are several points to consider.

6) Remove Signage From Windows
Visibility in and out of a convenience store plays an enormous role on the psychological comfort of the would-be robber. If robbers know they can be seen from the outside then the likelihood of a robbery falls. Keep your windows free and clear of any and all signage.

7) Keep Shelves Stacked Moderately
Robbers often have a loitering period before they strike when they are getting comfortable inside a store. If they remain visible to employees – and the parking lot – then they are less likely to get to a point where they are comfortable robbing you. Further, lower shelves can reduce incidences of shoplifting.

8) Elevate Your Employees
If possible, elevate your employees to provide them with longer range vision within the store. This along with low-stacked shelves will maximize visibility and natural employee surveillance.

9) Have Two Employees on Duty During High-Risk Times
Having more than one employee on duty can reduce the risk of robbery during the most high-risk robbery times. It’s vital that both are well trained on violence reduction though, as sometimes two employees are more likely to fight back against robbers.

10) Keep Your Store Neat
Stores that appear dirty and disorganized are robbed more often. Enforce regular cleaning duties that keep employees actively engaged in maintaining the store environment. Be sure that they understand how this impacts their safety.

11) Post Height Strips at Exits
For post-robbery management put height strips at your stores exit points. This enables employees to better assist law enforcement officers in identifying a robber after a holdup.

12) Invite Police for Regular Visits
Free coffee, free food, even a free place to sit and write up reports – find out what your local police want and give it to them so that they become regular visitors to your convenience store. Most robbers stake out a given convenience store before striking and stores that are known police hang outs are typically less of considerations for theft.

>> Securing the External Environment
How your store appears on the outside can have an enormous impact on overall robbery reductions. This section outlines several external environmental tactics for stopping robberies.

13) Remove Pay Phones
Pay phones encourage loitering. When people just "hang out" in front of your store robbers become more comfortable in loitering and gathering information that could make your store more vulnerable. Further, if you permit loitering around your pay phones you’re likely to attract illicit trade, which in turn can attract robbers.

14) Post "No Loitering" Signs Outside and Enforce a No Loitering Policy
Get the police involved with loitering reduction. Train employees to call the police if there’s someone hanging around outside the store – especially if they are acting suspiciously. Many ordinances focus on loitering reduction as a means of robbery reduction.

15) Provide Adequate Lighting
Adequate lighting is shown to reduce incidents of robbery. Be sure that faces in your parking lot are easily visible from the street. Further, be sure that you’re not creating a glare that could reduce visibility. Strong, white lighting outside of your convenience store can also make your customers feel safer.

16) Limit Access with Fences and Shrubs
Studies show that escape routes are a key consideration for robbers. Control getaway paths – especially for robbers who plan to escape by foot. When possible put up fencing and shrubbery that restricts easy getaway into allies and crowded neighborhoods surrounding your store. Reduce entry and exit points and you will reduce robbery.

>> More Convenience Store Security Resources
Here are other convenience store security resources that you may find valuable.

First Houston, Now Dallas: the Convenience Stores Security Ordinance in Texas
Robbery-Deterrence Program (7-Eleven’s Tactics)
Multistate Study of Convenience Store Robberies (PDF)
Robbery of Convenience Stores (PDF)
Responses to the Problem of Robbery of Convenience Stores
Recommendations for Workplace Violence Prevention Programs in Late-Night Retail Establishments (PDF)
A crime-fighting plan for urban store operators (free sub req’d)
RISK FACTORS FOR INJURY IN ROBBERIES OF CONVENIENCE STORES EXAMINED IN NIOSH STUDY
Houston and Hartford adopt laws to curtail crime at convenience stores (free sub req’d)
Crime rate drops at C-stores in New Mexico; security rules are credited (free sub req’d)
Expert: Anti-crime ordinances should be based on proven methods (free sub req’d)
Convenience Store Security (PDF)