1) Get Early Warning - Monitor Construction Site Theft in Your Area

Thieves and vandals aren't likely to send you an early warning note to let you know they'll be stopping by. If you're lucky though you CAN still get early warning... so long as your local area news has decent coverage of construction site theft.

I recommend: Google offers a free “web band” scanner service called Google Alerts that monitors the news. All you have to do is tell them what terms to look for and give them your email address.

So, to get alerts about local construction site theft here are some suggestions for search terms to scan:

[your city] construction theft
[your city] construction vandalism
[your city] job site theft
[your city] job site vandalism
[your state] construction theft
[your state] construction vandalism
[your state] job site theft
[your state] job site vandalism

You might want to add another layer of monitoring by adding your county name into the mix as well. If you monitor Google alerts for at least those 8 terms you will keep abreast of all the construction theft and vandalism happening in your region.

2) Check Your Construction Site Security Lighting

Lighting reduces construction site crime because it not only discourages prowlers but offers any neighbors or passers by and your monitoring service to see any suspicious activity.

I recommend: 1) Intruders Take Advantage of Glare
There are numerous reports of intruders knowingly taking advantage of the glare thrown by poorly positioned security lights. Direct light onto the areas you’re trying to protect rather than out into the eyes of potential observers.

2) Bright White Light is Best
Bright white light provides good color differentiation making people easier to identify and license plates easier to read. Bright white lights are also more expensive to keep lit. The difference in visibility is worth the money though. As a general rule of thumb observers should be able to easily identify a face at 30 feet.

3) Protect Your Power Source
Thieves can and will cut power lines. Ideally power lines stay at a height of 24 feet or higher. Further, electric meter boxes can be targets as well so if your site has one, be sure to protect it well or find some other power source. Ideally you’ll have a generator or some other independent source of power for your construction security lighting.

More construction security lighting advice.

3) Create Security Questioning Tactics for Your Construction Site

Daytime security is an often-overlooked aspect of construction security. To keep unauthorized "visitors" off your site some security experts recommend that everyone be required to wear a standard uniform. This is good to some extent, but nothing - and I mean nothing - beats the good old QUESTION as a line of defense.

I recommend: A strong line of questioning:
The question “Do you work here?” is too easy, and it’s a yes/no question. Train your on-site staff to get a little bit more invasive with people they don’t recognize.

Further, it’s important that they move from the general to the more specific. This helps to root out those who have invaded your job site “under cover.”

So instead of “Do you work here?” Train your crew to ask a series of questions along these lines:

1) “Who do you work for here?
2) “What do you do for that sub contractor?”
3) “When did you and your sub come on the site?”

The third question could - and should - be even more specific than that. But be sure to ask questions that only that subcontractor’s crew would know, as it’s likely that the person posing as an authorized visitor will know a thing or two about the profession he claims.

If the person you’re questioning hesitates, tries to change the subject, provides bizarre answers or gets overly defensive the questioner may have reason to contact authorities. If the person provides quick, simple and assured answers then this person belongs on the site.

Read more about construction security questioning.

Inspiration for this section came from Security Info Watch.

4) Create a Pre-Job Checklist That Improves Your Job Site Security

Keeping your job site secure starts long before you install your fence and other security measures. This checklist will help you reduce job site loss for your next project and give you an increased peace of mind.

I recommend: 1) Identify who will be responsible for security on your site
Determine who will be held accountable for job loss on your site. Discuss with them their experience in job site security in the past and what measures they’ve found success with. Show them that you’re taking an active interest in reducing loss on this next project and help them to implement concepts from this list.

2) Create and implement your loss reduction plan
This includes stuff like an inventory management system, badges and uniforms for all employees and a mandatory sign-in form when anyone steps foot on your job site. Consider things like a gift certificate reward for the best security tip of the month. Work this out with your security manager and be sure he understands what your expectations are for the next project.

3) Gather contacts - police, fire and neighbors
Dig out the phone book or search online to find the numbers of the local police and fire departments, as well as the local neighborhood association if there is one. You’re going to want good working relationships with these folks for the duration of your project so it’s a good idea to make contact early and ask if there are any special security precautions you should make. Be sure to drop off your business card with any and all folks you visit with, along with the business card of the person in charge of security.

Read all 8 Pre-Job Construction Security tips.

5) Get the Most from Your Security Fence!

Your temporary chain link fence can and should be your first line of defense in your construction site security program. Not only does it aid in keeping your tools and materials in, but it keeps potential lawsuits from curious trespassers out. Of course it's important to remember that, according to the Chain Link Fence Manufacturers Institute, "a fence system will only delay or reduce intrusion." That said, here are a few questions you can ask your fence company or the person in charge of security for your construction site that will help you determine just how effectively your fencing will delay or reduce intrusion.

I recommend: 1) How high is your fence?
The higher the fence the harder it is to climb. Further, high fences can serve as a psychological deterrent. Temporary fencing typically comes in 6 and 8 foot heights. You’re more secure going with the 8 foot heights in most situations, if only because it’s better deterrent for the “impulse” vandals and trespassers.

2) Does your fence have barbed wire?
Barbed wire at the top of a chain link fence makes climbing much more difficult and uncomfortable. It’s even more effective when attached to a bracket tilted at 45 degrees, but this is not common on temporary fencing we’ve seen. Barbed wire is another excellent psychological deterrent, though it won’t stop determined thieves.

3) How big is the mesh on your fence?
The smaller the mesh the harder it is to climb or cut. 2 inch mesh is common on temporary security fencing but you’d be better with 1 inch mesh or even 3/8″ if available.

4) How wide is your clear zone?
Have you cleared brush, trash and storage away from the fence? Ideally you’ve got at least 5 clear feet on both sides of the fence to aid outside observers and reduce the ability to break through the fence undetected or even climb over by standing on debris.

5) How many gates in your fence?
The more gates you have the easier your perimeter is to breach. Minimize the number of gates through the perimeter if possible.

6) How big are your gates?
Narrower gates are better, but make sure they’re at least 20′ wide to allow access for emergency vehicles. Further, gates should be operational by one person.

Read How Secure is Your Construction Security Fence? 11 Questions to Ask

6) Analyze Your Job Site's Security Needs

In an ideal world, planning for job site security happens long before the job starts. Pre-job site analysis for theft and vandalism risks helps you minimize the chance that your site will be a target. This article offers a number of suggestions to help you assess risk and prepare the defense of your next job site.

I recommend: 1) Is the job controversial?
If your job has political implications then you may consider heightened security for your project. Whether you’re working on a non-union project in union territory or building on previously-protected or significant land, your project could be the target of attacks by vandalism. Talk to the folks funding the project and do some web searches on the group’s name. Consider chatting with locals to get a feel for their opinion if you’re suspicious. Controversy could require increased security, and budgeting for it now could save you a bundle down the road.

2) Is there a history of crime in the area?
Talking to neighbors and police about crime in the area gives you more insight into how many layers of security you’ll need. Maybe a fence will be enough. Maybe you’ll need a fence and live monitoring. Run some checks through search engines too, using terms like [crime in YOUR LOCATION] or [theft in YOUR LOCATION]. Industry experts think that 85% of job site theft is an inside job. Make sure you’re able to keep the other %15 out!

3) Visit the site at night
A quick visit to the site one night after dark can speak volumes about potential vulnerabilities that you’d never see in the day time. Get out of your truck and walk the site and consider it from all angles. You’ll start to see where you’re going to need lights and where fences could be compromised easily by thieves in the shadows.

4) Identify site safety zones based on visibility from the road
While on that night visit you can work to identifying “safety zones” that are highly visible from the road. If you’re careful in laying out your job site you’ll may be able to concentrate vehicles, equipment, materials and tools in these areas so that everything remains well lit and highly visible from the road.

Read How to Analyze Your Job Site’s Security Needs BEFORE the Job Begins.