An Ounce of Prevention

Protecting construction job sites from theft

by Rachael Kvapil

n his poem “Mending Wall,” Robert Frost offers solid advice: “Good fences make good neighbors.”

As construction season ramps up, this advice particularly applies to job sites around the state where valuable tools, equipment, and vehicles are kept for the duration of the project. Theft from construction sites is an unfortunate problem that can be curtailed with a few key strategies—frequently starting with a good fence.

Securing a job site takes some forethought. Randee Johnson, president and safety consultant for Safe Logic Alaska, LLC, says contractors should begin thinking about security early in the pre-construction phase. Safe Logic Alaska conducts onsite assessments with clients, physically visiting job sites where they can view the location, assess the surrounding vehicle and pedestrian traffic, and research the crime rate in the area. Then they work with the project manager to identify the liability risk, identify ways to keep the job site safe, and estimate the cost of security measures.

“Contractors that don’t plan for security ahead of time face big challenges after a theft has occurred,” says Johnson. “Assessing job site security pre-construction allows the contractor to budget for items like fencing, security cameras, or connexes.”

Dax Lauwers, client executive for Marsh McLennan Agency, encourages contractors to assess their construction sites and identify items someone may want to steal. By imagining ways a thief might accomplish this, contractors can implement preventative solutions.

Dax Lauwers, client executive for Marsh McLennan Agency, suggests clients try to put themselves in the shoes of the bad actor and start analyzing their site from the outside in. He says the idea is to think about items of value that someone might steal and how they would do it. Lauwers suggests starting with the following questions: How easy is it to access the job site? Is the job site fenced? Is there a mobile security patrol? Are there video cameras? Is the job site lit up? Can you see through the fence? Are high-value items locked up? Are they in view or out of sight? Along with assessing the actual job site, contractors also need to examine the activities in the surrounding area.

“Job sites can attract nuisances where individuals may try to camp out or even start a fire,” says Lauwers. “Many of the controls you put in place to mitigate theft can also mitigate property damage such as fire and vandalism.”

Johnson also suggests expanding that analytical viewpoint to include employees traveling to and from the area. If there is a potential for employees to face harassment or violence, she suggests implementing a buddy system or even hiring a third-party
security team.

It’s no surprise that the most-stolen items from construction sites are the ones that are easily carried by hand or lifted onto a trailer or into a truck. Items like hand tools, power tools, and generators are popular targets since they don’t require much effort to haul away and are easy to resell online or at a pawn shop. Additionally, materials such as lumber, copper, and aluminum are frequently taken because the price and scarcity of these materials have increased their value. Often thieves exchange copper and aluminum at scrap metal yards for money.

“High-value items that are also low weight are at a particular risk for theft,” says Lauwers. “Also, anything easily sellable around a job site.”

This doesn’t mean that large items are invulnerable. Johnson says she has seen a rise in thefts in tool trailers, work vehicles, connexes, and even heavy equipment. She recently learned that someone stole $100,000 in specialized computer equipment from an excavator.

Though smaller items are generally the target of theft, vehicles and larger machines are sometimes stolen as well. Immediately filing a police report and submitting the report to the company’s insurance are often requirements for maintaining coverage.

Though stealing large items is more complicated, Johnson says a thief that is resourceful enough and knowledgeable about the job site activity can take anything large or small.

“This usually happens if the thief has inside information or can watch the job site for a long period,” says Johnson.

Johnson suggests taking an inventory of tools, equipment, and materials that come into the job site, labeling them, and, if possible, locking them up when not in use. Long-term options include asset-tracking platforms that use ID tagging, equipment trackers, and barcode scanning. Though these measures won’t guarantee that items won’t be stolen, labeling and tagging in conjunction with a list of serial and VIN numbers will make them more identifiable, should someone steal them.

Johnson says there is also a list of things workers should NOT do if they experience a robbery firsthand. She says any worker threatened with violence by someone trying to steal a car or piece of equipment should just let the thief take the item. Defending the job site in this scenario is a safety issue and not worth the potential loss of life.

“If you do happen upon a job site theft in progress, don’t intervene,” says Johnson. “Don’t chase them down or fight them for the item. Instead, get to a safe location and, if possible, take photos and videos from a distance.”

Once a theft is discovered, Lauwers says to immediately file a police report and contact the company’s insurance broker.

“Both the police report and prompt notification to the insurance carrier are often insurance requirements for available coverage,” says Lauwers.

Though not every job site is a target for theft, taking precautions now is better than scrambling to protect an area after a theft has occurred. Johnson says some job sites exist for months before something happens, or some go entire seasons without a problem. When a theft does occur, she says it usually hits in waves and correlates with similar thefts at nearby construction areas. That is when she says contractors should take extra precautions to lock down the job site and hide things from view, if they aren’t already doing so.