How Security Fences Reduce Your Job Site Expenses

According to the National Equipment Register, construction Jobsite theft is costing as much as  $1 billion annually. The most popular hours of theft occur when construction sites close for the weekend between 6 pm on Friday and 6 am Monday morning. These losses can be greatly reduced by introducing some simple security measures such as installing security fences. Here we look at how security and temporary fence rentals can help reduce your job site expenses not only due to theft but by also increasing onsite safety.

Avoiding Multi-Level Replacement Costs

While many outsiders might imagine thieves focus on equipment and tools, you know they also have their eye on materials. Copper is a hot commodity that is often targeted by thieves. However, they aren’t just looking for spools of copper. They will go to some extreme measures to get their hands on this construction site gold including stealing it from appliances and equipment components and tearing it from walls. Because of this you are not only looking to replace missing items, but also repairing damage to finished walls, floors, and newly installed appliances.

All of this takes time to repair, which is not covered by insurance. The result is double the time to complete work, lost money towards overtime in wages as well as seeing your insurance premiums rise. Security fences can protect against unlawful entry and make it difficult for thieves to case the site for the ideal areas to target.

Reduced Opportunity

Even the least experienced thief will see an unprotected job site as an opportunity. They can’t resist the idea of helping themselves to a long list of items from materials to equipment. However, if you make their jobs harder, they will walk by your job site and look elsewhere. Theft is often a crime of opportunity where a poorly lit site and limited security offer an invitation. Lighting, a security fence and keeping things out of sight are the best way to reduce the risk for theft. However, lighting can be quite expensive, therefore fencing alone can provide protection while saving on utility costs.

Improved Safety

Injuries cost an average of $214 billion a year while nonfatal injuries accounted for over $456 billion according to the Centers for Disease Control.  The most common accidents leading to fatality include:

• Falls
• Struck by Object
• Electrocutions
• Caught-in/between

While fences aren’t the simple answer to stopping accidents, they can certainly help. Fences can be used for the following purposes on job sites:

• Keep dangerous equipment off-limits to unauthorized workers
• Clearly mark dangerous areas where there is a risk for falls, being crushed, being run over, etc.
• Directing traffic throughout a job site by setting perimeters on-site roads
• Directing local traffic away from the job site to avoid unauthorized vehicles from entering the site

When you restrict areas on your job site using security fences you can reduce the risk for accidents. This in turn reduces costs for insurance, lost time, lawsuits, and more.

Controlled Access

As with above, using fences as a directional tool helps you control access to the site. Having one point of entry and exit reduces access making it more difficult for thieves to enter. However, this is a cost-saving as it also reduces security points and paying people to man the points of entry.

How to Use Security Fences Effectively

Since opportunity and mistakes tend to lead to the cost of thefts and accidents, using your security fences effectively is important. You need to reduce the opportunity for thieves while reducing the risk for people entering dangerous areas of the job site. This is most effectively done by:

• Clear Entry Points: The larger the worksite, the more clearly defined all entry points should be. Using security fences to lead delivery trucks and workers throughout the site allows you to control where people can and can’t go, including general entry.
• Height: Fence heights of at least 6′ to 8′ tall make it exceedingly difficult for thieves to enter, but more importantly exit with your property in hand.
• Privacy: Using privacy screens makes it hard for anyone to see what property is available to steal. You not only reduce the odds of thieves easily casing your site, but also reduce the number of passers-by hanging around to watch your team at work. This can help reduce the risk of accidents.
• Barbed Wire: This isn’t a must, but it sure can act as a strong reminder that thieves are unwelcome. Most thieves aren’t willing to risk getting hurt and will find another property to rob.

While construction sites will always be a target for thieves, proper security fences can greatly reduce costs associated with both theft and accidents.