Tool Vaults Give Competitive Edge

Every day an amazing A�1million disappears from the construction industry. How? Disturbingly through theft and vandalism.

From November to April, there are many more chances for the less scrupulous. With early evenings and sickness taking its toll on staff reliability, opportunity knocks. It’s not cheap to keep buying equipment. And life isn’t cheap at the moment. It’s quite easy to understand that tools lying loose on the ground, or unsecured can tempt someone short on cash.

While site security is the responsibility of the site supervisors, taking responsibility for your own tools at some point has to come down to you. Hiring a tool vault or site box gives your business a boost; it’s a first, simple step against theft.

While site security should make sure that they know who is onsite at all times, you should make sure that you wear identification. Do your bit! Site lockers, site boxes, tool vaults and cars ought to be checked on a regular basis. To keep the site safe, it’s better for private cars and vans to be parked offsite. To remain above suspicion, don’t take yours onsite without expressed permission.

By keeping the access to the well-lit site to a minimum – with only a couple of entrances and exits – site security can keep an eye on comings and goings. Fence the site with mesh, not boards, which will encourage the local residents to join the fight against crime – because they can see the site clearly.

What options are there for keeping tools and kit safe? It’s not reasonable to lug everything back and forth every day. A solidly locked site box or tool vault gives you the option of keeping all of your equipment safely on site, so you can get to work quickly in the morning, without having to haul it all in from your car or van. Aside from the convenience of keeping everything in one place, site boxes also help you organise your tools sensibly, making it easier for you to find one when you need it.

Keep a note of all your tools’ serial numbers, so that if something does go missing, you are able to give the police as much information as possible. Make your equipment unique: a marked tool is going be much less appealing and it’s easier both to identify and describe if it disappears.

With so many people on site, honest mistakes and forgotten ‘borrows’ can get confusing. You’re less likely to find yourself wondering who’s got your hammer if you’ve marked it clearly. Etch it, brand it, tattoo it – whatever works for you, but it has to be permanent.

Across the country there are schemes that support and protect your business and your kit. By digitally recording data about stolen plant and equipment, systems can cross-check against found property… and hopefully return it to its rightful owner. Get advice from your tool vault hire company about a scheme in your area.