Ontario construction sites have never been a greater target for crime. Depending on which report you read, construction sites nationwide face a bill of $500 million to $1 billion a year in stolen equipment. When you factor in lost productivity and man hours due to this theft, the situation is becoming dire for this vital industry.
While our focus in this blog will be on how to prepare construction sites for the challenges of winter, the problem isn’t isolated to construction sites. Any store or depot that contains building materials has become a priority target for criminals. Earlier this year, a brazen theft from a Guelph, Ontario Home Hardware store went viral as an individual in a stolen pickup truck rammed through the gates of the store and made off with over $10,000 worth of lumber.
Winter is traditionally a challenging period for Ontario construction site security. As the days grow darker and temperatures drop, criminals thrive in dark and deserted work sites, stealing valuable construction materials and heavy machinery. Now is the time to prepare your construction site for winter. Here are five simple steps to take to improve your Construction Site Security in Ontario.
Crime Prevention by Environmental Design
Criminals prefer easy targets. They want to identify their target before getting out quickly with stolen goods. The easiest way to prevent this happening is to make your construction site hostile to crime. This can involve improvements in your lighting to remove dark areas, proper fencing with minimal entry points, and the addition of a permanent security guard (more on this later).
Lock Up Valuables
Construction sites can be chaotic places where hundreds of individuals pass through each day. In an environment such as this, it’s easy for valuable tools to “grow legs” and walk off site. Consider creating a system where valuable tools are kept under lock and key, only accessible to those who need to use them. When the individual is using the tool, they must sign for it and care for it. If a tool goes missing, you’ll know who last accessed it. This step also ensures valuables are locked up overnight, preventing any easy thefts.
Engrave Your Tools
When a bicycle is stolen, police will look to identify it via a serial number or other unique marking. The same can apply to your expensive equipment. Add your business name, or a unique code, to each tool and removable part. This easily identifiable marking will reduce the selling-on price of your property, while also making them less attractive to steal.
Leverage Technology for Construction Site Security
Construction sites have never had more technology options available to boost their security coverage. Cheap and reliable security cameras are available now with motion sensors and live viewing options through dedicated smartphone apps. At Blackbird Security, we can assist with advice on placement and installation to ensure your CCTV camera setup has no gaps in coverage.
Work with Canada’s Best Construction Site Security Company
Blackbird Security offers a number of dedicated services designed to improve your Ontario Construction site security. Our uniformed security guards are perfect for manning access points, conducting roving patrols and providing a frontline visible presence. Our mobile patrol service involves security guards patrolling your site on a randomized schedule using advanced TrackTik technology for live data and reporting.
Find Out More
Learn more about Blackbird Security’s industry leading construction site security options now. If you’re interested in partnering with Canada’s best security company, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us to request a quote.
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