Construction sites are often targets for theft of machinery, equipment, tools and materials. Protect your assets and reduce property theft on your site by following these crime prevention recommendations:

Identify your assets and property
Develop an identification numbering system to inventory and track all assets kept on your site. Prominently display your company logo on all equipment. Employees should be strongly encouraged or required to have their personal property engraved with their driver’s license number.

Surveillance
Have your crime prevention coordinator contact neighbors around the job site, including residents and businesses, asking for their support in maintaining a safe and secure site. Emphasize the concern for personal safety as well as property security.

Get control of your keys
Key control is essential on a site. Issue keys to as few people as possible. Your crime prevention coordinator should maintain a log of issued keys, including the type of key issued, to whom, on what date and for what purpose. Secure unissued keys, keep spare keys to a minimum and don’t hide keys on the job site. Remove key control numbers from padlocks. To prevent unauthorized duplication, keys can be “plugged” with a rivet through the bow to prevent alignment needed for machine duplication.

Lock or guard gates
Minimize the number of access gates to your site. Be aware of unfamiliar vehicles on or approaching your site. If possible and practical to do so, employ uniformed guards during work hours to check vehicles entering and leaving the job site. Lock gates at night and on weekends.

Secure tools and equipment
Store tools and equipment securely in storage sheds. When vehicular equipment is not in use, remove the ignition keys and lock the cabs. Use metal shields on equipment windows to reduce vandalism. Lock oil and gas tank caps. Machines can be disabled with hidden ignition cutout switches.

Permanently mark construction equipment
Using a steel punch or etching tool, permanently mark serial numbers in at least two obvious locations and one hidden location on your equipment. Call 9-1-1 to report loss of equipment immediately following a theft.

Keep your site well lit
Lighting is an effective deterrent to theft and vandalism. Illuminate areas where office trailers, equipment storage trailers, materials and equipment are stored. Illuminate to a minimum of one foot-candle at ground level and visible from the most heavily traveled road bordering the site. Lighting systems triggered by a motion detector or a passive infrared sensor are recommended, since they give the impression an intrusion has been detected and may also warn neighbors of potential intruders.

Fencing on the job site
Ideally, the entire job site should be enclosed in sturdy fencing. If it isn’t practical to enclose the entire site, enclose areas around trailers and material storage. If possible, limit gates to one or two to optimize access control. Chain link fencing topped by multiple strands of barbed wire is recommended, as it allows for surveillance by security patrols, police and neighbors. Special attention should be given to the fencing of areas used to store hazardous materials, poisons, solvents, explosives, flammables, etc. It is recommended that employees park their personal vehicles outside the construction fence or have a designated parking area within the fence.

Security companies and guard dogs
Since local police may not be available to make regular patrols of sites due to staffing levels or emergency priorities, consider the services of a bonded and insured security company that can provide onsite guards or staff who can make periodic patrols. If you have a security officer onsite, notify police so patrol officers are aware of the guard’s presence, and report their status as armed or non-armed.

General security recommendations

• Enlist the support of employees in minimizing theft and vandalism. Report all vandalism and theft to police. Make sure there is a complete record of model and serial numbers of all equipment, and have that information available when the responding officer arrives.
• If possible, remove graffiti from the job site as soon as possible. Graffiti often spawns or encourages further graffiti.
• Prominently display “No Trespassing” signs on fencing or the perimeter of your job site. Such signs discourage unauthorized intrusion and aid in the prosecution of apprehended trespassers. “No Trespassing” signs and other warnings of danger can help protect the company from liability for possible injuries to trespassers or visitors. “No Trespassing” and warning signs should be easy to read and large enough to be seen from a distance.