Five Ways Security Cameras Protect Your Construction Site
Security breaches are one of the most prominent risks construction sites face. In fact, insurers estimate that the theft of construction site equipment in the US alone costs the industry around $400 million every year.
Not only do construction sites cover a large area but they’re also highly visible and often have multiple entrances and exit points, which makes them particularly difficult to protect. Add to that the high value of the equipment that’s often kept on-site and it’s not hard to see why they’re so often targeted by career criminals and opportunistic thieves alike.
However, it’s not only security breaches that you have to worry about. Construction sites are subject to other numerous risks and threats, many of which can be equally difficult to protect against. So what’s the solution?
Practical measures such as ongoing training and comprehensive risk assessments have an important part to play. However, high-quality security camera systems can also be hugely beneficial and have applications that go well beyond protecting the security of your site.
Five Ways Security Cameras Protect Your Construction Site
- Prevent crime
Given the ever-present risk of crime, particularly theft and vandalism, many construction companies are now deciding to switch away from on-site security guards and are instead choosing to use security cameras to monitor their sites around the clock. Those security cameras are monitored remotely by security professionals who can alert the police immediately if there’s a security breach.
As well as a rapid response from police, many CCTV systems also include a series of active deterrence measures to engage potential suspects before they can commit a crime. For example, security camera systems can be equipped with audible alarms and high-visibility strobe lights, which are usually sufficient to deter opportunistic thieves or vandals.
If a threat ignores those obvious warnings, then voice recordings can be used to inform them that they are being watched and tell them to leave the property or local law enforcement will be dispatched.
- Provide evidence in a criminal case
If an individual is successful in vandalizing or stealing from your construction site, a security camera system can help law enforcement to catch the perpetrator and provide vital evidence in a criminal case. In fact, in many cases, the footage from a security camera may be the only strong evidence in this type of criminal case.
If there is an incident on your property, the video can be retrieved from all the cameras on your site and it can be packaged up and sent to the site owner and the police along with a full report.
- Defend personal injury lawsuits
Just as a security camera system can provide an irrefutable record of events in a criminal case, it can also prove to be invaluable in a personal injury lawsuit. Regardless of the safety measures you put in place, construction sites are inherently dangerous to workers, site visitors, pedestrians, and even children who wander onto the site accidentally.
Trips and falls, falling objects, back injuries, repetitive motion injuries, and accidents involving vehicles are just a few examples of the nearly 200,000 construction site accidents in the US every year.
Of course, in an ideal world, your construction site will remain accident-free, but it does make sense to be prepared for the worst. By capturing the daily on-site occurrences on camera, you create a record of the events surrounding an accident that could be used as evidence in a civil case.
For example, if a worker is injured while breaching safety protocols or a member of the public claims to have suffered an injury when no accident took place, your security footage could protect you from a costly compensation claim.
- Allow remote site management
In the past, in order to get an accurate understanding of the progress of a construction project, project managers would have to rely on information from their subordinates or physically visit the site themselves.
With security camera systems, project managers can see exactly what’s happening on-site at any time. They can check that materials have been delivered and see what jobs workers are doing and how long they are taking without leaving the office. The result is less travel time, lower costs, and enhanced project visibility.
- Improve worker safety
Along with security, safety is one of the biggest risks that construction site managers face. Having constant visibility of the site via security camera systems can allow construction managers to see whether safety protocols are being followed, what areas present a particular risk, and where safety needs to be improved.
For example, security camera footage could show workers performing tasks without wearing the necessary personal protective equipment, such as gloves and safety goggles. It may also reveal incidents of workers horsing around or even disputes and aggressive behavior. As well as monitoring compliance with the company’s safety program, it can also be used to document any violation of the relevant safety protocols.
Site-Wide Peace of Mind
Although managed security camera systems deliver undoubted benefits in terms of site security, there are also many other ways they can be used to safeguard your construction site. For many project managers, they are now considered to be an essential tool, helping to mitigate risk and protect assets on modern construction projects.
