Having a trained surveillance professional monitor your construction site’s mobile video security system can eliminate many day-to-day problems you might experience.
A lot can go wrong on a construction site because there are so many variables at play. You have multiple employees working on different aspects of the project, all of which have the potential to make a mistake or fail to complete their duties, for example. External factors could also create issues during your project because theft and vandalism are ever-present problems.
One solution is using a monitored surveillance service to keep watch over your construction site 24 hours per day, seven days per week. The idea is that your service provider installs motion-activated security cameras in strategic locations throughout the job site, then has a trained guard watch to identify issues that occur in the middle of the night.
The cameras will pick up on any daylight issues that occur, too, and that means you can go back and watch the footage to determine the cause of the problem. You can also keep an eye on these feeds during the day from your own mobile or desktop devices. The result is a safer and more efficient workplace for you and your staff.
Here’s a look at some ways a monitored surveillance system can improve outcomes on your construction site.
Reduce theft and vandalism
Theft is an incredibly massive problem for construction companies all over the world. The National Crime Information Bureau’s estimates suggest that up to $1 billion worth of construction equipment and tools are stolen annually in the United States alone. Only about 20% of these items are recovered.
Even if your construction firm has insurance, this theft significantly slows your progress on jobs because your workers won’t have what they need to complete their tasks. You could be left waiting days for new equipment to arrive and months for the insurance process to return your money, causing problems for your bottom line.
These thefts come from both external and internal sources, but monitored surveillance limits occurrences:
- Employees who know they’re being watched are less likely to attempt to steal.
- It’s also easier to recover stolen materials if you can clearly see who took them.
- The same goes for thieves who enter your job site at night and attempt to steal items or vandalize the buildings or equipment.
- A monitored surveillance system has someone watching the feeds at night.
- That individual can call the police immediately, preventing the theft or vandalism from taking place.
Having eyes on the job site is an excellent deterrent and can even assist as law enforcement apprehends the perpetrators and keeps your project moving.
Identify productivity issues
Another issue that could knock your construction projects off track is poor employee performance. Workers who aren’t putting in the effort on the job site could cause everything to fall behind, costing you and the company money in the process. In many cases, this poor performance comes down to laziness and time-wasting, especially when your employees don’t have supervision to keep them on task.
Installing surveillance equipment on the job site is a great way to alleviate this concern by making it easier to hold your workers accountable. If a job takes much longer than it should, you can use this technology to watch over your employees to see who’s working hard and who could use some improvement.
Remember, employees who aren’t pulling their weight on the job site aren’t only costing the company money on this job, but could lead to fewer jobs in the future if your firm doesn’t meet their clients’ demands. This disappointment could mean losing contracts on other jobs, which hurts every single member of the team. Monitoring your workers through surveillance cameras makes it easier to identify the causes of productivity issues and address them before they knock the project off track.
Prevent accidents and liability concerns
Monitored surveillance is a critical safety tool because it puts a spotlight on potential hazards around the job site. Things like poorly built scaffolding or old, rickety ladders could cause injuries in the construction yard, and your company could be held liable if someone is injured.
The same goes for employees who are misusing equipment or aren’t wearing the necessary safety gear while working on the job site. At the very least, an accident could delay your project – even if no one is injured – so it’s best to avoid this situation altogether. Your monitored surveillance systems work in two ways here:
- It allows you and your security officer to see what’s happening on your construction site.
- It provides video proof of what happened after the fact.
This information is crucial because it makes it easier for you to address workplace issues before an accident or provide helpful information afterward. The result is fewer delays to your projects because of accidents and less chance of the construction company being liable when issues arise.
Installing a monitored surveillance system
The great thing about a monitored video surveillance system is that multiple options are available for your construction site. You can have these cameras work off a generator, an on-site power supply, or even solar energy, depending on your location. These cameras are also a fraction of the cost of a permanent security guard while providing greater access to your employees and equipment.
Mobile Video Guard provides full-service construction site security through our monitored video surveillance offerings. We will install motion-activated video cameras in strategic locations around your job sites, providing real-time monitoring to protect your projects against theft, vandalism, accidents, and productivity issues. Contact our team today to request a quote.
