Running a construction site involves a lot of spinning plates that are constantly on the go. One of the biggest challenges is the security impact of always having plant machinery on site. Whether you are purchasing plant or using a respectable plant hire company in the UK to provide you with the machinery and equipment as and when you need it, you must consider how to keep these items secure.

Plant machinery is expensive, delicate, and provide you with the much-needed tools you need to get the job done safely and effectively. Putting in measures that help to reduce plant machinery theft, is therefore an essential part of your role as site manager.

What are the different things you can do to keep your construction site safe and to ensure plant machinery is kept safe from harm and potential theft?

Improve site security

The first thing that you should do is to evaluate site security. Maintaining the security of the site is important both day and night, whether your construction project is running 24/7 or just during the daylight hours. It is essential to have proper locks and chain-link fencing to cordon off the site where necessary, to install CCTV to act as a deterrent and to catch any thefts in the act. Limiting site access and access privileges, as in which contractors have keys etc. will also help to improve security. 

Better site lighting

Improving the lighting on site will act as a further deterrent to potential criminals. Strong lighting, either covering the entire site or key areas of potential vulnerability along the perimeter of the site, will help to ward off criminals. Lighting is one of the easiest and cost-effective ways to boost the security of your construction site at night. 

Delivery and machinery tracking

For any deliveries, but especially plant hire deliveries, having access to up-to-the-minute tracking through GPS location monitors and the like, ensure that you can always keep an eye on equipment, machinery, and materials, as they are delivered and whilst they are on site. Telematic systems have improved the location or a wide range of equipment, enhancing security of plant vehicles, no matter how large. 

Understand your site and equipment

Tracking what is on site and when, including an accurate inventory, will increase security on site and ensure that you understand what should be on site and if anything is missing. With plant hire companies these days, apps are offered that allow you to manage your daily use of hired plant machinery, ensuring that you always know where a piece of equipment is on site, how it is performing, and track your schedules. 

As you can see, there are a few different measures that you can implement on your sites to increase security and to make it difficult for plant machinery to be stolen. Whether this is on site security and lighting protocols or utilising the technological advancement and expertise of a plant hire company you are working with, you can increase security standards site-wide. Your choice of plant hire company goes a long way to determining how successful you are on site, especially when it comes to tracking deliveries and ensuring plant machinery is kept safe during your contracted use.