Thefts in builders and construction sites in the United States have turned out to be a major concern over the past couple of years. Thefts of construction equipment are on the rise, and the losses incurred are significantly high. Some of the stolen equipment, for instance, cost as much as $150,000.

A report by the National Insurance Crime Bureau in the country, in 2007, presented that this country suffers thefts and losses on their construction sites, the amount of such loss being more than $1 billion per year. Certainly, this is a huge figure, and requires craft skilled labors to learn more effective ways to prevent such thefts.

CCTV systems are a prerequisite but they aren’t the only things that can help you. Here are some on-site security measures that you can consider for your builder and construction sites, to ensure that all equipment are in place.

Protection of your equipment is crucial, right? So get telematics technology in association with GPS (Global Positioning System) to create a tracking action activated on the construction equipment. Telematics basically uses telecommunications and information technology in an integrated manner.

This means that whenever you are not on the site, you can receive alerts through texts or other forms, in case any equipment is being tried to be shifted from its place.

With Geo-fencing, you can develop a virtual boundary to your construction site. During the off-working hours, any movement within the site will be easily notified to you, and hence you can prevent the theft from happening.

Security cameras are one of the best ways to prevent thefts on your sites. With advanced technology now, you can not only fit the cameras on site, but also with the help of Wi-Fi or other mobile communication systems, you can get all the images and videos captured by the cameras right in front of you through a web platform.

The best part is that you can keep recording through such cameras for a long period of time. Hence, while you are not on-site, the cameras will constantly give you a complete view of what’s happening in there. In fact, cameras are a major deterrent to thefts too.

A well-planned, well-developed access control system can effectively prevent theft activities on your construction sites.

These systems work more effectively when digital technology and software are used to overcome the weaknesses of mechanical locks, or keys or the inefficiencies of security guards. With a highly secured design, the access control will help you to restrict access to the site, by any unauthorized individual.

Measures such as activation of alarms on unauthorized access, constant monitoring on the status of the entrances and exits, and management of visitors can be implemented with these systems. Thus, when you are off-working hours, your construction site and equipment still remain protected from unauthorized access.

This is another high-tech tracking system, based on the use of radio frequency identification technology (RFID).

This works by issuing RFID tags on both the workers of the site, as well as all the equipment. The technology tracks on the movement of these tags. Thus, when you are not on site, any movement of the tags which are issued on the equipment, would send a signal accordingly. These tags are powered with electromagnetic waves that are generated by the RFID, with the signals being transmitted to the readers.
This is also a helpful method for the purpose of effective inventory management.

Drones – if you’ve not used them yet, you’ve probably seen them in action. The unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), already proven to be useful for various investigation and other purposes, and can be used in surveillance too.

Drones are a very recent technology but proving to be highly effective for the purpose of surveillance on construction sites. The drone vehicles can have cameras fitted with them, also having night vision modes, motion sensors, and alarm systems installed.

When work is not ongoing on the site, the drone surveillance can help you keep a track on everything that is happening on site. Also, in case of any unusual activity, the alarms would take off and alert you.

Some of the other tricks that you can follow include:

•      Make use of scaffoldings and keep them erected only while all are present at work. During off hours, pull it down to prevent entry of anyone.
•      Keep all equipment locked in. For larger sized or heavier equipment, you can use heavier chains to lock them with pillars, or other strong supports.
•   Keep security lights on, during night to scare off unauthorized individuals. Also, keep it declared that the place is under vigilance, which will prevent the thieves to enter.

On site security in construction sites helps you make the entire job simpler. You know that there is nothing to worry about and everything is safe, even during the night. This will help you get the project completed faster and without any hiccups. The question is, have you invested in the right security measures yet?

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