Beyond the actual lost cost of materials, there are also the delays in progress and the hours cost as a result of this to factor in. The real number and what it means to you and the industry even higher.
It’s not just outside thieves that construction managers have to worry about, there has and will always be the concern of employees stealing tools and materials, and whilst outside theft has several options for beefing up security (wireless alarm systems and lighting to name a couple we’ll get to in this article) monitoring your employees can really only be handled by managers and CCTV for construction sites. And if we’re being realistic, managers can’t be everywhere at all times.
CCTV cameras can also be used in case of accidents, health and safety disputes and general HR issues as well. So, there are quite a few side benefits.
So, getting to the point, what can you do to make your construction site more secure.
LIGHTING
Across the board lighting is one of the main preventors of crime. Period. The well known stat that streetlights reduce crime rates by 21% (police.uk) applies to all areas. It’s simple, criminals know they’re more likely to be spotted, recognised and effectively recorded if the area is lit up. Whilst CCTV cameras may be able to film incredible night vision, not every casual criminal will be aware of how fare the technology has come, but lighting is impossible to miss as a deterrent, as such it should always be part of securing a construction site.
USING CONSTRUCTION SITE CCTV TO SECURE YOUR PROPERTY
CCTV Cameras, and even dummy cameras can be hugely effective at prevention when it comes to construction site security.
Having cameras in visible well-lit areas will be off-putting to criminals, mix that with any sort of active deterrent, like sirens, a monitored system with a PA and very few criminals will persist once spotted. On average even a monitored set up tends to come in at 75% cheaper than having physical guards on site.
Low power environments can make large systems tricky however, stand alone cameras are often susceptible to jamming, and for a big enough hall it’s well worth investing in what is relatively inexpensive equipment for the criminals. Of course, a sim reliant camera is still better than no camera. Rapid deployment CCTV cameras can be a solution, but are usually relatively expensive as options and run on 72 hours of battery power at a time.
But, this is where Alarm Systems specifically designed for low voltage environments come in.
SMART ALARM SYSTEMS FOR CONSTRUCTION SITES
Smart Alarm Systems with location notifications, or an addressable alarm system can be a huge boost when securing larger sites. And with the advent of lower power, wireless addressable alarm systems such as Ajax, securing a construction site this way is a considerably easier task than it used to be.
The Ajax system has options for range extenders and power units designed to run the hub on generators or 12v batteries. The sensors are already designed to work outside and on in-built battery power that can last for years. The fact that these systems can be taken from site to site in future also makes them a great investment.
With Ajax being so easy to install, the potential savings are huge as it can be set up by anyone in minutes. It doesn’t need a router to operate and can operate from a sim card, so is ideal for even remote builds.
HAVE ONE ENTRANCE
Having limited entrances reduces the amount of areas that you’ll need to cover, sure there will always be a higher grade of criminal who will find a way in, but if they have a choice between an easy robbery or a difficult one, then we can predict the outcome pretty efficiently. And of course, make sure, if possible, the entrance is in the most public position.
SECURE YOUR MATERIALS
Some of you may think this goes without saying, but you’d be amazed at the amount of materials that are stolen simply because they were left out, unprotected. This goes doubly for tools. Make sure you have policies in place (and enforced) when it comes to securing your assets. Insurance is good, it is after all a life saver should the worst happen, but prevention is always better than treating the issues after the fact.
SIDE BENEFITS OF CONSTRUCTION SITE CCTV.
Studies have shown that having CCTV in place resulted in workers being far more likely to follow safety protocol. Especially when the footage is actually reviewed regularly.
Need help constructing the ideal system for your site? Simply give us a call and we’ll help you figure out exactly what you need to make sure your set up is safe and secure on 0113 233 7070.