Why Construction Sites Require Both Static Signs and Active Guards
Overview: Static safety signs and active security guards help promote safety among construction workers and stop criminals from engaging in destructive behavior. That makes them must-haves on any construction site.
Recent reports indicate that American companies lose between $300 million and $1 billion annually to construction equipment theft. Trespassing, vandalism, arson, and even assaults are among the other common security threats that put construction sites at risk. They routinely cause construction companies to lose hundreds of millions of additional dollars every year.
Unfortunately, eliminating all these threats is virtually impossible. With well over 900,000 construction companies (1) operating throughout the U.S., there will always be at least a few forced to deal with security issues on sites.
However, companies can reduce the risk of these issues by utilizing static signs and active guards on sites. Learn more about static signs and active guards, and discover what each brings to the table below.
What Are Static Signs?
Static signs on construction sites are fixed, non-electronic signs that remain in the same locations at all times, displaying important messages to construction workers and others who visit sites. They’re designed to provide people with directions, rules, warnings, and other vital information to help them stay safe and minimize the chances of accidents and other potentially dangerous incidents.
While surveying a site, you might see static construction safety signs that say things like:
Shop Construction Safety Signs:
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| Open Hole | Overhead Crane | Construction Zone | Climb Carefully |
The Benefits of Using Static Signs on Construction Sites
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 5,200 fatal work-related injuries (3) occur each year, and about 20% take place within the construction industry. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) works to prevent injuries and deaths on construction sites by requiring companies to post safety signs.
Safety signs on construction sites can greatly benefit companies and their employees. Let’s take a look at a few of the most significant benefits of using them.
Provide Constant Communication to Construction Workers
Your company may not need to remind construction workers to watch for the dangers posed by overhead cranes or the potential pitfalls of climbing ladders. But these workers are sometimes so busy that it’s easy for them to overlook the issues that these obstacles can pose.
Rather than relying on supervisors to follow construction workers around, reminding them to be careful, you can depend on signage to convey these messages.
You should still have key safety conversations with your workers (4) to ensure they understand the importance of vigilance in protecting your sites, but signs can do much of the heavy lifting.
Inform Workers of the Rules on Construction Sites
Your workers will need to follow many of the same rules on almost all of your construction sites. For instance, they will most likely have to wear hard hats and other protective gear.
However, certain rules may only apply to specific sites. For example, workers will be required to adhere to regulations governing work in the vicinity of cranes on sites where they are present. Static signs can provide information on these rules, helping workers understand the steps they must take to keep themselves and others safe.
Ensure Complete Compliance With OSHA Regulations
OSHA tracks all accidents (5) recorded on construction sites each year and aims to develop regulations to keep workers on them safe. As the owner of a construction company, part of your job is to educate yourself on OSHA regulations and comply with them to avoid fines and other penalties.
Crane safety signs are required to comply with OSHA’s rules. It’s also an effective way to show that your company takes OSHA’s guidance seriously.
What Are Active Guards?
Active guards are security personnel that construction companies bring on board to patrol their sites and maintain safety. Companies can choose from guards that deliver either unarmed or armed security services (6).
While OSHA doesn’t mandate security guards for construction sites, some experts argue that it should. Active guards can play an essential role in keeping these sites safe and secure by limiting criminal activity.
Shop Site Security Guard Signs:
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| Security Patrol | Armed Guard | Security Notice | Security Watch |
The Benefits of Hiring Active Guards for Construction Sites
More than 100,000 U.S. companies (7) specialize in providing security services. Many can provide what your construction company needs to improve site safety. However, it’s ultimately up to you to decide whether to invest in these services.
Some companies opt not to hire guards for their construction sites due to the cost. In doing so, they miss out on the many advantages of having guards on their sites. Let’s check out the benefits of hiring them.
Control Access to Construction Sites
Allowing unauthorized personnel to access your construction sites is one of the worst mistakes you can make. People could damage expensive construction equipment, steal costly materials, and even sustain serious injuries (8) that you could be on the hook for, depending on the circumstances.
Hiring active guards to control who can access your construction sites can prevent these problems. It can also free your construction workers and supervisors to focus on their jobs, rather than having to look over their shoulders constantly to thwart threats.
Respond to Emergencies on Construction Sites
Even if your company is proactive about keeping unauthorized parties off the premises, there is always a slight chance that emergencies could occur. An employee could ignore the rules posted on static signs, or someone from outside your company could drive onto your site in an attempt to damage property or even hurt one of your workers.
Outside of monitoring your site for signs of trouble, active guards can respond to emergencies quickly and help formulate plans on the fly to prevent situations from worsening. Additionally, they can communicate with local authorities and advise them of what’s happening on your site to obtain more assistance from first responders as needed.
Provide Peace of Mind to Construction Company Owners and Employees
Peace of mind is hard to come by on construction sites. Construction company owners and their employees are constantly striving to meet deadlines while maintaining quality, which can lead to stress.
Hiring active guards won’t erase this stress altogether, but it can provide construction company owners and employees with some peace of mind. You can spend more time working on the tasks on hand instead of constantly worrying about all the issues that could present themselves.
Tips to Help You Find the Right Security Guards for Your Construction Site
After hearing about the benefits of hiring security guards for your construction site, are you ready to do it? Keep the following tips in mind to hire the right people to safeguard your site.
Determine Your Specific Security Needs for a Construction Site
What exactly will security guards need to do while working on a construction site? Generating an answer to this question is paramount. It will help you decide whether to hire armed or unarmed guards and which services to ask them to provide.
Search for a Reputable Security Company in Your Area
Once you know which types of security guards and services your construction company needs, you can begin looking for a security company to assist you. Be on the lookout for a local company that services construction companies in your community. Make sure they have the experience and expertise it takes to keep construction companies safe.
Remember Your Budget When Hiring Security Guards
Share your budget with a security company when planning your construction site. You can alter the number of guards you hire and/or the types of services you invest in based on your bottom line.
Incorporate the Proper Mix of Static Signs and Active Guards Into Your Construction Sites
Hanging static OSHA safety signs (9) throughout a construction site and having active security guards patrol it are crucial steps you must take before you begin work on the site. They could be the difference between a construction project going off without a hitch and one experiencing problem after problem.
Read through some of the other articles published on our blog to get more information on maintaining safety on your construction sites.
RESOURCES:
- Associated General Contractors of America: https://www.agc.org/learn/construction-data
- Construction Safety Signs: https://www.compliancesigns.com/c/construction-safety-signs
- Texas Department of Insurance: https://www.tdi.texas.gov/tips/safety/oshafatal4.html
- Effective Safety Conversations: https://www.compliancesigns.com/blog/follow-these-5-steps-for-effective-safety-conversations/
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration: https://www.osha.gov/data/commonstats
- Comprehensive Security Services, Inc: https://comprehensivesecurity.net/armed-security-services/
- IBIS World: https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/number-of-businesses/security-services/1487/
- Top causes of back injuries in construction: https://www.compliancesigns.com/blog/top-causes-of-back-injuries-in-construction/
- What to know about OSHA safety signs: https://www.compliancesigns.com/blog/resources/what-to-know-about-osha-safety-signs/