SECURE THE SITE

REDUCING CONSTRUCTION SITE BREAK-INS

- DAMIEN MARTIN

Safety on construction sites is paramount during the workday, and after hours, security is just as important. By their nature, construction sites have vulnerabilities. They’re open-air; anyone passing by can see what’s lying about. There are a lot of valuable materials and machinery, and not all of them can be stored away for the night. Construction site break-ins are a major headache. They cost money in lost items. They cost time, which can cost even more money. And they can cause insurance rates to skyrocket. Construction site break-ins cost companies hundreds of millions of dollars every year, but there are steps to take that can limit the damage.

MATERIALS

Thieves steal as much as $1 billion worth of copper every year, and construction sites are a major target. It’s a valuable material, and when thieves rip out copper wire that’s already been hung in buildings, they also undo a great deal of hard work that has to be made up. The last couple of years have seen huge spikes in lumber prices, contributing to a rash of construction site break-ins since thieves know they can find valuable materials lying around.