Highway Construction Site Security: 11 Ways to Stop Road Jobsite Theft
In the coming months highway construction projects will begin around the country and thousands will go back to work. This is exciting news for construction thieves too, who will be even more aggressive and bold due to the current economic climate. This article looks first at the particular vulnerabilities of the highway construction site, then at methods for stopping loss due to theft. Don’t put your profits into the pockets of thieves – protect your organization’s hard earned money by implementing these highway jobsite security tips.
To stop more crime than armed guards contact a Pro-Vigil security consultant today >>
>> Highway Jobsite Vulnerabilities
Highway construction sites pose particular challenges to security efforts. Here are some of the reasons they are so vulnerable to loss by theft.
High Value, Easily Stolen Equipment and Supplies in Temporary Storage
Skid steers, generators and compressors remain the highest jobsite theft items year after year. Their prevalence – and the necessity of temporary equipment yard storage – make highway jobsites highly vulnerable targets for theft.
Proximity to High Traffic, On/Off Ramps and Interchanges
Thieves always look for fast and easy get aways. The closer your highway jobsite is to major on ramps, off ramps and interchanges to other roads the more vulnerable you are to loss by theft.
Lack of Electric Supply
Lights, video cameras, motion detectors – all these typically require electricity. Though there are solar powered options, a lack of electricity can severely limit standard security options.
Thieves Read the News
“Entrepreneurial” thieves keep up with the news to discover new theft opportunities. The burst of new highway projects in your area will have them licking their chops for the easy marks.
>> 11 Highway Construction Security Tips
Don’t succumb to the victim mentality – stop crime on your highway jobsites by following our security tips below.
1) Make One Person Responsible for Security
When the buck stops with a single individual you make your job as a manager much simpler. Give this person the authority and guidance required to implement and enforce an ongoing security strategy on your crew. Visit your site at night with this individual to see how well he has assessed and protected your machinery and materials. Further, this individual should be your contact person with the police and any business or residential neighbors in your proximity. Make these contacts at the beginning of the job for greatest impact on crime stopping.
2) Invest in Pro-Active Surveillance Technology
Surveillance cameras with remote guards and onsite deterrents provide the same crime stopping power of a guard at a fraction of the cost. Learn more about stopping crime before it starts in this news story:
Read more about Pro-Vigil’s proactive crime stopping surveillance >>
3) Protect Your Temporary Equipment/Supply Yard
Your temporary storage yard is the thief’s primary target. Fencing, lighting, motion detectors, surveillance cameras – it’s hard to take supply yard security too far. Keep it picked up and don’t let debris or materials pile up near the fence as this provides cover and access for thieves. Layer your defenses for the greatest security affect.
Read more about equipment yard security >>
4) Maximize the Impact of Your Security Surveillance
Make sure that you know and utilize the security zone created by your surveillance cameras. Be sure that this zone covers your equipment/supply yard as well as all access points, drop off points as well as the surveillance camera power supply.
Read more about maximizing the impact of jobsite surveillance >>
5) Prevent Theft by Employees and Subs
We see it time and again, across all industries. Employees, sub contractors and the employees of subs have the highest likelihood of becoming criminals on your jobsite. We hold that background checks and frequent drug testing make the greatest impact on reducing the potential thieves on your jobsite. As an additional security layer we recommend that you have “education” sessions with any new subs and employees so that they are aware of your 24/7 jobsite surveillance.
Read more about Reducing Employee-Driven Job Site Theft >>
6) Protecting Your Highway Job Site on Holidays and Weekends
Your highway jobsite is the most vulnerable during long holidays and weekends – typically at the break of dawn when law enforcement is least likely to be suspicious of jobsite activity. Remember to keep your skid steers OFF of trailers at this time, and be sure that all your vehicles are defensively parked. If possible, heighten your surveillance security at this time.
Read 9 Ways to Stop Construction Theft During Holidays and Vacations
7) Heighten Security During Equipment/Supply Drop Off
Thieves love it when they find equipment or materials loaded on trailers and ready to drive off with. Remember that during times of drop off and pick up your equipment and materials make excellent theft targets, especially to the insider thieves on your site. Ideally your pick-up and drop-off points fall within your video surveillance zones. This can put your GC in full control of he-said she-said conflicts between suppliers and subs.
8) Effective Security Lighting Strategy
Effective security lighting enables outsiders to identify faces at 100 feet. With proper illumination security lighting does not cast a glare to outsiders, nor does it create “pools” of shadows that allow thieves to park trucks or otherwise stage their crimes. Darkness makes thieves more confident – take this away with bright white security lighting.
Read 5 Security Lighting Tips For Your Construction Site >>
9) Establish an End of Day Security “Lockdown” Routine
An end of day security routine includes things like locking all access points, ensuring that all materials and equipment are locked down and that all conex boxes are secured. This must happen at the end of each day as often times your employee thieves make the site ready for their theft by leaving locks open or keys in or near the ignition of machinery. This routine is best enforced by the person you make solely responsible for jobsite loss prevention.
Read Job Site Security: Establish Your End-of-Day Routine >>
10) Post Adequate Security Signage
Highway jobsite security signage “advertises” that your jobsite is a poor target for theft. Large white or orange signs must communicate the layers of security that exist so that potential thieves, both jobsite insiders and outsiders, will see that you take security very seriously. Consider writing your signage in multiple languages.
11) Effective Highway Construction Site Security Fencing
Fences provide both physical and psychological crime deterrence benefit to your highway jobsite. Adequate fencing makes climbing difficult, includes barbed wire (especially in urban areas) and has minimal access points. Further, we recommend that employees park outside of the fencing, making quick, impulsive theft of small equipment and tools more difficult. Fences only delay intrusion though, so you will need further layers of security to stop theft on your highway construction site.
By layering the tips we outline above you can stop highway jobsite theft. This puts more profits in your pockets and reduces more than just the dollars lost to replacement. The hidden costs of highway jobsite theft include man hours for material and equipment replacement, increased insurance costs and the paper-work cost of handling police and insurance claims. Stop loss today by following our tips.
For more information on Pro-Vigil’s proactive crime stopping surveillance contact us today >>
One Response to “Highway Construction Site Security: 11 Ways to Stop Road Jobsite Theft”
October 12th, 2009 at 10:01 am
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