Tools, vehicles and imports might be your livelihood. So like goods or livestock, you need to keep your business equipment safe from thieves, the weather, and getting lost.
Store and Protect from the Weather
Most tools and equipment aren’t weatherproof. Even heavy-duty things like diggers and tractors need some form of protection, or they will rust and wear out earlier than they need to. Garages help with weather damage, and you could even build a garage to deter thieves. But for the most part, an industrial or farm shed is enough for standard equipment. At the least, they will keep the rain and most of the wind off, and you can always add gates for some extra security. Smaller pieces of equipment like pneumatic drills would benefit from being stored in waterproof lockers.
Always Maintain Equipment Properly
Maintenance is vital for protecting equipment of all kinds. Even things that are clean for us need to be cleaned. Poor maintenance of powerful equipment is dangerous and will only lead to an injury, early replacement or costly repair. And these will be a drain on both time and resources. For the most part, maintenance requires only that you clean things after each use and change out wearable pieces, like drill bits. Inspection is also essential. Ensure your employees inspect equipment before using it. This is especially important for PPE and life-saving gear.
Keep Your Business Equipment Safe with GPS
Theft of expensive industrial equipment such as diggers is prevalent. And less than 10% is recovered when stolen. If you don’t take steps to secure your machinery, you have next to no chance of getting it back. Of course, your insurance will pay for new stuff. Still, your premiums will increase as a result, and it will cause project delays and logistical nightmares. While you can take steps to secure things like in garages, you can never be 100% sure something won’t be stolen. But you can install GPS Lojacks to alert you when something is moved and locate it.
Use Smart Technology in a Variety of Ways
Of course, you can also add to your protection repertoire with relatively cheap smart technology. More than changing the lights, smart tech comes with various security features. For example, you can install CCTV you can control and monitor directly from your smartphone. Additionally, smart locks can be fitted to cabinets, lockers, and offices. They will alert you if someone tries to open them. These options cost a small amount to install. Yet, they can significantly reduce the chances of something being stolen from your premises.
Always Provide Adequate Training
Something being broken increases if someone hasn’t been trained to use it properly. Therefore the onus is on you or your agency to ensure any employees know how to handle equipment such as drills, power washers or even cleaning equipment inside your store. In addition, it is a legal requirement that your staff hold licenses and permits for certain things like vehicles, diggers and some heavy machinery. The cost of poor training could mean broken equipment that needs replacing, at the very least. In the wost, a tragic accident may happen.
Summary
For some businesses, equipment and tools are a major expense. So you need to keep them safe and secure with smart security, proper storage out of bad weather and GPS tracking.
