The Messenger

With many construction projects being sidelined and priorities being reassessed all the time due to the COVID-19 pandemic, your company needs to protect its work sites even more than ever. They may be idle for a period of time, have unexpected supply chain issues, and face uncertain staffing situations. Here are a few key upgrades to make to ensure your site is safe.

1. Hire Site Security

When your own staff can't be on the site, make sure someone else can be. Site security is vital to protect job sites with intermittent shutdown periods and expensive assets stored on site.

A trained security officer will look for signs of trouble that automated systems may miss, including ensuring that lights and locks are all operable, that alarms haven't been tampered with, and that hidden spots in your fencing are secured.

2. Keep Detailed Inventory

Good inventory practices help deter theft and spot it quickly. Potential thieves, employees, and non-employees will know that missing items from your inventory will not easily go unnoticed. This is a deterrent to anyone thinking of taking anything, and it helps create an environment where workers are less casual about how they use company tools and materials.

In the event that you do have any loss, good inventory helps find and rectify it before it gets worse. If shrinkage in valuable materials goes unnoticed, you'll likely continue to have shrinkage until it becomes large enough to be noticed and tracked. Head this off by using an inventory system for both equipment and supplies, clearly and indelibly identifying company tools, and logging the use of all items.

3. Encourage Worker Awareness

Your team is a great asset for site security. Talk with the crew about being aware of who is on the site around them as well as the need to approach unknown individuals to confirm that they are authorized. Work with security staff to help crew members identify signs of break-ins, learn what constitutes (and how to respond to) suspicious activity, and how to properly secure equipment and access points.

4. Increase Automated Security

Automated security options work well in concert with the expertise and awareness of individuals. A monitored CCTV camera provides 24/7 eyes on high-value areas. Digital access control can alert you to unexpected visitors or tampering with locks. And motion sensor lights help provide a quick response to nighttime intruders or activity.

Construction sites, though, can be a challenge for automated security for many reasons. The ever-changing nature of the job site and its temporary setup makes permanent security measures difficult. And because the site is exposed not only to the elements but also to construction debris, it is hard on equipment. Your best bet is to work with a security company that specializes in construction site safety.

5. Enforce Access Control

Many construction sites are easily accessible and filled with people during workdays. But you may want to implement better control over who is on your site and when.

Access control could be as simple as requiring visible badges to be worn by all crew members and authorized vendors. Or you might use modern technology to create an access card or fob that not only grants access only when you want it but also ensures you know who is on the site at all times.

These are changing times, and businesses must be able to change with them. No matter whether your construction business is booming or you have to restructure your projects, good security will protect your investment and your customers’ properties.

Now is a good time to meet with a security expert to evaluate ways to improve your own procedures. Security Services Northwest, Inc., is here to help. Call today to make an appointment and learn more about what we can do for you.