Protect Your Tools on the Job Site

Construction sites are busy places, with a lot of people coming and going – including contractors, sub-contractors and clients. It may be difficult to spot intruders. Thieves are also smart, finding creative ways to extract and remove items from the site.

And it’s not just the small tools that are at risk. Bigger tools and machinery are also stolen on a regular basis.

Gates and fences may not provide enough protection to stop theft. The most determined thief will always find a way. Here are some tips that can help you reduce your risk.

• Don’t leave your tools lying around on-site, even during the day. Bring them with you while you work or keep them in a locked, secure location.
• Go through your tools and equipment and engrave your name and/or company name on them with a Dremel tool.
• Make your stuff less appealing – scuff it up and paint it in your company colors.
• At the end of every workday, figure out what you can take with you off the job site.
• If the tool or machine is hard to move, you can secure it up with chains and locks.
• You could also consider investing in a larger jobsite box or trailer for your equipment, and blocking the door by parking heavy machinery in front of it.
• Don’t bring your high value tools and materials to the job site until the day you plan to use them.
• Make an inventory of your tools and machinery.

Catalogue the makes and models of your items and take pictures. This inventory will help police identify your items if they are stolen, and it’s also a useful record if you have to make an insurance claim.

If you have a theft…

• Figure out what’s been stolen and cross-reference with your inventory.
• Report all your stolen items to the police, even the smaller ones.
• You can then use this information and the police report to file a claim on your insurance.

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