Don't Be an Easy Target

Rick Raef

Rick Raef is a heavy construction safety consultant for Willis Group Holdings, San Francisco, a global insurance broker. Raef has been with Willis since 1996, during which time he developed a crisis management program called, "Character Based Crisis Management: A Contractor's Survival Guide." He is currently the editor of WCSN-The Willis Construction Safety Network, an electronic safety bulletin distributed to contractors in the United States and Australia. You can contact Rick Raef at raef_ri@willis.com.

  

September 8, 2005 — As the world watches the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, our thoughts and prayers go out to our many contractor friends and others in the Gulf Coast region who are struggling with unimaginable conditions in the wake of what may be the nation's largest natural disaster. We are also keeping an eye on the effects this disaster is having on other aspects of our lives, such as the price of gasoline and diesel already pushing beyond $3 per gallon in many parts of the country.

 

Given the current reality, our contractors, who have always been a target of sorts for fuel thieves, may have a greater chance of becoming victimized these days. Therefore, it might be worth paying a closer look than usual at protecting your yard and equipment and securing fuel storage. Here are some practical tips to limit your losses:

 

·         For rolling stock on remote job sites, plan to end the week with nearly empty tanks and refuel early Monday morning rather then refuel late Friday night during normal maintenance shifts.

 

·         Make use of locking fuel caps.

 

·         Park equipment where it is visible.

 

·         For jobs maintaining a key board or lock box at the job site office, have someone assigned to take the keys home over the weekend.

 

·         Consider early contact with law enforcement to brief them on what steps have been taken for theft prevention. Exchange contact information for off-hour response.

 

·         Remove oxy-acetylene torch sets so thieves won't have easy access to cutting equipment.

 

·         Take reasonable precautions to disable any vehicles or equipment that thieves may use in the yard to gain further access to storage boxes or fuel facilities.

 

·         When reasonable, open circuits to kill the power to fuel pumps.

 

·         Consider postponing any scheduled refueling of the main yard fuel tank until after the holiday.

 

As with any commodity shortage, contractors still remain targets in another way: Small tools and equipment that may be easily stolen can be turned into cash; therefore, thieves may not only be after our fuel, but also may target just about anything that isn't nailed down that can be sold quickly. It goes without saying that the basics still apply when it comes to the protection of the yard, shop, and tools (both large and small). Here are a few additional things to watch out for:

 

·         Unfortunately, the majority of construction theft is internal. Keep an eye out for tools and equipment that were left outside "by mistake" or doors that looked locked but really weren't.

 

·         Watch for people who may be wearing hardhats and construction attire who for some reason seem out of place.

 

·         Be on alert for persons — both known and unknown — who may be asking questions that might seem out of the ordinary.

 

·         Change the locks on gates, tool, and fuel storage units at the last minute. There is a good chance that copies of keys for existing locks have already been made.

 

·         Watch for other contractor employees who may show casual interest in your premises or equipment. Private and some contractor vehicles (yes, even sometimes our own vehicles) with empty fuel cans or plastic containers in the back might be worthy of a second look.

 

·         Empty cross bed fuel tanks offer the same opportunity.

 

·         Look for unknown or unfamiliar vehicles that tend to park close or inside the yard. Make an effort to connect a person with the vehicle. Don't be bashful — ask for ID, registration, and get bold — and take a couple of pictures.

 

·         Make sure those walking by know you are taking special interest in anything that seems out of place.

 

·         K rail stacked on units of plywood seems to work as long as someone doesn't leave the keys in the forklift or boom truck.

 

·         We like cameras and silent alert systems. Hungry guard dogs are also always a nice touch. To be honest, we know contractors who have had both good and bad luck with security guards.

 

·         Want to surprise your special someone with spur-of-the moment dinner plans? We hear pizza shared on a pickup tailgate parked near the yard goes especially well on a starry, summer night.

 

We know many contractors do a good job and put a lot of work into preventing theft at their job sites and yards. Good for them. However, the expected sharp rise in fuel prices adds a new dimension to the construction theft story that may well plague the industry for some time.