Are you tired of having materials stolen from your construction sites? Do you wonder what your employees are doing when you’re not around? There are more than 10,000 pieces of heavy equipment stolen each year, costing the construction industry almost $1 billion.
If you think that your construction site is at risk for theft, you might want to invest in business surveillance equipment. You can install remote, monitored video security that will protect your construction site, scrap metal yard, recycling facility, or storage lot.
In this article, we’ll go through the main benefits of installing security camera systems for business locations. We’ll also help you find a secure, reputable company that can help you get started.
1. Safer Work Sites
If you’ve ever had an accident or theft onsite, you know that it’s hard to piece together what happened. Witnesses can forget, or they can also refuse to answer questions. They might not want to report what actually occurred.
Even if you’ve got a low-risk site like a recycling center, mistakes can still occur. When you install business surveillance equipment, it’s much larger than your typical indoor camera. You’ve got cameras that can see 360 degrees mounted on top of 25-foot poles. You also have offsite monitoring, security guards who can call the police in the event of suspicious activity.
Surprisingly, the rate of employee theft is high. About 30% of all commercial bankruptcies are caused by employee fraud. If you’ve got a business, you might not realize right away that you’re being defrauded. But when inventory time comes, you’ve got to go back and try to figure out what happened.
2. Fewer Lawsuits
Another benefit of surveillance cameras is that you are less vulnerable to lawsuits. Again, employees can lie about accidents and injuries. On the off chance that you have a disgruntled employee, it’s important to be able to prove that there was no onsite accident.
Onsite, temporary security cameras are also much cheaper than hiring an in-person security guard. They run about half the cost and the security tapes can be reviewed if there is an incident. Some insurance companies require security tape in order to validate or reject insurance claims.
Construction is just behind health care in the number of lawsuits they have to deal with every year. Having a lawsuit leveled at your firm by an employee can be financially ruinous. What’s worrisome is that more than 40% of construction firms faced some form of litigation in the past year. Video surveillance benefits your firm and can help you minimize the risk of costly court cases.
3. Employee Monitoring
While we all want to trust our employees, it’s safe to say that when the cat’s away, the mice will play. We’ve all been there, taking too many breaks when the supervisor isn’t onsite. In addition to theft, employees who don’t work when they’re supposed to be a major drain on any company’s resources.
Having onsite security cameras will make them reconsider their actions. When you talk to us about installing business surveillance cameras, ask us about our solar-powered models. They’re going to continue recording even during a power outage and can be used to scan for poor employee behavior. You hate to fire anyone, but if they’re on the clock and not working, it’s bad for your bottom line.
You don’t have to announce to your employees that you’re installing security hardware. Just install it and keep an eye on questionable employees. You might be surprised to find that people you thought were reliable are wasting time on the job. Every year, “idle workers” cost American businesses more than $100 billion.
4. Lower Insurance Costs
If you want your insurance company to reduce your rates, invest in security camera systems for your business. Companies with 24/7 security, monitored offsite, can ask for lower insurance rates. Before you install cameras, ask your insurance company if they require you to install a certain type of camera to get the discount.
Basically, you’ll have to choose between NVR and DVR cameras. NVR offers a higher video quality and is run over ethernet cables. DVR cameras are analog but may be a better fit for some construction sites. In the event of a theft or accident, you will probably want a higher-quality video for evidence.
Talk to your installer before you commit to a camera installation. They can help you decide which kind of camera is best for your business. They’ll also be able to talk to you about costs and the price of labor for the installation. Considering that you’ll be able to reduce your insurance costs, remote surveillance could be a great choice for your construction site.
5. More Accurate Record Keeping
This goes along with lowering rates of employee theft and idleness. One of the benefits of surveillance cameras is that you can keep track of when your employees come and go. You can compare your security camera records with the times employees clock in and out to make sure that they’re adhering to their break times.
You can also use surveillance cameras to make sure that there are no extra people coming to and from your property. If you manage an apartment complex or storage facility, you want to keep a good eye on who is onsite. If there is a problem, you should be able to say when and where the person trespassed. With high-resolution NVR cameras, you can also track their license plates.
In crowded construction sites, it’s vital to keep track of dozens or even hundreds of workers. Business cameras protect your business and also protect the employees onsite. You might be surprised by how much money you can save with the simple addition of surveillance cameras.
6. Make Better Decisions
Employee rivalries can cost you time and money. Having a neutral third party recording all activities will help you determine who’s right – and who should be fired.
We also have the technology available to track heavy equipment with GPS. On the off chance that a theft looks legitimate, we’ll be able to track your heavy equipment in real time. You can then make the decision to prosecute that employee without having to question any of their co-workers.
Nobody wants to think that employees could lie or that major theft could occur, but they do and it does. Having offsite video surveillance allows you to sit back and focus on the job. We take the burden off of your supervisors and allow them to focus on sourcing the proper materials and completing the job in a good time frame.
You can also collect evidence in the event of a theft or break-in. Having clear video footage will make it easier for the police to conduct their investigation. We’ll make sure that you get the right surveillance system for your needs. You never know when an incident could happen, and you need to have your cameras at the ready.
What Kind of Cameras Should I Invest In?
First off, you’re going to need a camera system that has clear night vision. The peak hours for theft are 6 pm to 6 am, and you need to make sure that you can see any intruders clearly.
You also want to make sure that you get a camera that sees 360 degrees. People tend to think that cameras have blind spots and may try to steal your equipment out from under your nose. Having a full-vision camera means that you can spot thieves and turn them in quickly.
The most common types of theft on construction sites are heavy equipment and tools. If you have a business surveillance setup, you know that you’re not going to lose any heavy equipment. You can also monitor access to tools and areas of your construction site. Nobody should be able to trespass, even employees.
You should always make sure that only qualified employees have access to your keys, office, files, and safes. Taking the lead in theft prevention could put you ahead of your local competitors and attract more clients.
I’m a Store Owner. Can I Get Remote Business Surveillance?
If you’ve had problems with retail theft in the past, you should definitely look into remote business surveillance. There are options for cameras that plug into onsite electrical, run on a generator, or that are run by solar power. You can monitor your parking lot and entrances during your off hours, providing you with security when you’re at home.
Instead of waiting to discover a theft or suspicious activity, you can get a phone call from our security monitors right away. We will work with you to figure out the best remote surveillance options. You might not realize that you have a problem with theft until you can see your site 24/7. Owning a store, scrap metal yard, or storage lot is such a big investment that it’s vital to protect it.
We work with businesses of any size to protect their property. Before you get started on a large construction project, contact us to get an estimate and we’ll talk about the kind of equipment you need.
