Why Construction Site Security is so Crucial?

What is the security risk exposure on your construction sites? How many instances of loss or theft do you incur every year? How much do those instances cost you? What do you do to ensure construction site security?

If you’re a project owner, General Contractor (GC), or Construction Manager (CM), then these are critical questions to ask. With every instance of theft or vandalization, there are not only the up-front costs to consider but also the lost time or lost productivity that can result.

Wondering what the stakes are with respect to construction site security? Let’s set the stage:

• It is estimated that losses stemming from theft on construction sites total approximately $1 billion per annum, in the United States alone.

• The average cost per instance of theft is $30,000, with only one in four items being recovered.

• There were more than 11,000 incidents reported in 2021, amounting to greater than 32 per day.

These losses are dealt with at the hands of both thieves that might be employed on construction sites as well as pedestrian traffic that may garner unwanted access to sites after hours.

Construction sites are often targeted due to the expensive nature of much of the equipment being used on-site, as seen above. Many construction sites also make low-risk, high-reward opportunities, being that many modern construction sites remain unsecured.

To make the situation worse, the cost to GCs and CMs is not just replacing the stolen equipment. It is also the lost productivity and time resulting from missing equipment, time spent on police reports and insurance claims, as well as the cost of renting or financing equipment to fill temporary needs and mitigate the risk of project delays.

“Having a robust construction site security program to protect your sites can help you mitigate losses while also creating a positive ROI on the project. Find out more below”.

Can a Construction Site be Completely Secured?

Completely securing a construction site from any threat of loss or damage might be an unrealistic goal. However, there are several steps that can be taken to keep workers accountable and dramatically reduce the risk of unwanted access to a project site.

Security guards are a staple within the construction sector. Though they are seldom used as a sole security mechanism, they make a powerful addition to many construction site security programs and can often serve additional purposes beyond site monitoring and patrol.

Some of the primary risks that security guards protect construction sites from include theft of materials, damage to the project or property, stealing of designs or ideas, protecting labor, and keeping things organized.

Best applications for on-site security personnel:

• Smaller project sites with fewer possible points of entry, and less perimeter to patrol.

• High-crime areas and locations that might require a greater amount of deterrence, being that physical bodies are often seen as more intimidating than silent (or possibly unseen) deterrence mechanisms.

• Projects in busy urban settings. If there are hundreds (or thousands) of people within close proximity of your job site daily, then a physical deterrence mechanism can be instrumental in preventing unwanted site access.

The team at 360 Protective Solutions evaluates and provides custom post orders for every site. Additionally, with each location, we offer real-time reporting technology at no additional cost to our clients. These reports consist of written reports and pictures all GPS tracked, date and time stamped. All of this information is provided giving our clients peace of mind.

(347) 450-2021