Security and theft prevention are essential in any type of equipment. Around one billion dollars in heavy equipment are lost annually due to theft, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). The definition of heavy equipment theft covers not only obvious crimes like equipment replacement or. It also includes downtime labor costs, project delay penalties, and even the value of the equipment lost over the course of law enforcement or adjuster investigation.

Preventative Measures

• Make sure to install lighting around the areas that have heavy equipment on site. This will discourage any illegal tampering or activity done to the equipment. Continue to monitor the lighting so that it stays in place and effective.
• Clearly display on each piece of heavy equipment the legal registration, discouraging anyone looking to steal the equipment. Adding a decal warning can also work to prevent theft.
• Keep track of which pieces of heavy equipment are in use and which have not been used in a while. Ensure that the equipment not in use is not easy mobile.

Physical Security

• Be aware that sites containing heavy equipment should be properly fenced, optimally with a chain link fence. These fences should also have gates for easy access; however, the gates need a padlock for extra security measures as well.
• Keep in mind that thieves will not always be stopped with a gate and padlock! Adding barbed wire atop the fencing, which should be 8 feet tall at the very least, gives the site even more security.
• Consider planting a GPS tracker on the more expensive equipment. Also, evaluate the equipment for any valuable, vulnerable parts such as batteries or exposed wires.
• Be aware of the physical security’s condition of the sites and heavy equipment. Routinely check the fencing for weaknesses or tampering.

These security measures are made even more effective if the heavy equipment is diligently kept track of on site. A detailed inventory should be kept at all times of each piece of equipment used on a site. This will assist legal investigation or police action in their problem resolution if any theft were to occur. Such an inventory should include photos of each piece of equipment, their paint color, record year, model number, modifications, manufacturer, and serial number.

Heavy equipment can be registered at the database www.ner.net which is a national archive that helps legal actions concerning such equipment.