Mines can often be controversial in their local areas, with local residents torn between supporting mines due to their positive impact on the economy and opposing mining due to occupational hazards and environmental impact. However, whether you support the industry or not, aggregation plays an important role in our economy.
There are thousands of aggregate-producing companies in the United States, providing employment for over 100,000 people. In fact, in 2017 the aggregate industry mined and sold 2.12 billion metric tons of crushed rock, sand, and gravel which was valued at $20.9 billion. The majority of aggregate is used by the construction industry as it is the main ingredient in concrete and asphalt.
With all of those assets and personnel tied up in your aggregate company, it’s important to have your property under 24/7 surveillance for an array of reasons like employee safety, reduced crime risk, and improved quality control.
Benefits of Security Cameras for the Aggregate Industry
Due to their size and complexity, aggregate facilities present several challenges for maintaining a safe work environment, in addition to reducing theft, vandalism, and other potential liabilities. If you manage a facility, odds are you’re already facing these types of obstacles. Some of the most important, and most difficult, jobs as a supervisor for an aggregate facility is maintaining employee safety, avoiding liability, and protecting your assets. These jobs can be achieved through management review and various security measures — most importantly, security cameras.
With a robust security system, you can have eyes on all angles of your facility around the clock. Surveillance cameras have truly come a long way in the last few years, giving you crystal clear quality video (up to 4K) of any location on your company property — which is important for a number of reasons.
Ensure safety protocols are being followed – If your facility is concerned with high turnover rates and doesn’t have the staff to support it, this could create an environment with a reduced emphasis on safety. Increased overtime, 24/7 operations, and/or inexperienced workers create a higher risk of serious injuries or even fatalities — which are more common in industrial companies.
Employees are more likely to follow company safety practices when they know that they are being monitored. While you could hire staff in order to monitor employees, security cameras are a more efficient option. On top of that, you’ll have access to video footage in the event of any workplace accidents. Video proof is the best way to reduce your exposure to workers’ compensation claims and other workplace lawsuits.
Industry Example – One of our mobile security cameras captured a bulldozer picking up a large boulder. The driver was struggling to get the boulder into the blade (or scoop), but he wasn’t going to give up. Once he finally got the boulder into the scoop, he raised the scoop and started to move. He quickly discovered that the load was too heavy when the scoop fell to the ground, causing the rear of the bulldozer to raise an equivalent distance in order to drop the blade carrying the boulder. Consequently, the boulder slipped out of the scoop, causing the bulldozer to plummet to the ground from over eight feet in the air. This shattered the glass in the driver’s cabin, broke the axle, and sent a giant tire wobbling from a massive dust cloud — right towards one of our mobile security cameras that was installed high up on a pole.
Improved quality control – Using security cameras to monitor day-to-day operations at your facility is a great way to discover potential issues with current processes and procedures.
Not only can you make sure all of your employees are making good use of their company time, but you can also identify personnel who may need additional training. Properly installed and maintained security cameras never take a day off. When supervisors can’t be present, this 24/7 monitoring creates the opportunity to capture real footage that can be reviewed with employees or to provide aid in training classes to facilitate overall improvement. On top of that, video observation allows operations managers to spot any unsafe practices and proactively make necessary changes before any injury or liability takes place.
Equipment failures – It’s important to know that mechanical breakdowns aren’t always covered by commercial property insurance. Equipment failures are common in the aggregate industry, but it isn’t always easy to determine who is at fault. If your employee wasn’t following established company safety protocols during an equipment malfunction, they could be liable for the considerable cost it may take to repair the equipment.
Avoiding Theft – Theft is more common in the aggregate industry than you may think. While securing your assets from outside thieves is a concern, it’s important to know that statistically, employees cause 90% of all significant losses due to theft. This is why you need proof of operations and quantities in all facets of your business — and security cameras are the only way.
Theft from an aggregate site could include stolen equipment, tools, or materials. Thieves can be intelligent, sometimes employees will even steal project materials that have already been built into a project, which causes damage to other items and costs additional work to repair the damages.
If your aggregate company uses suppliers or subcontractors, it is not uncommon for suppliers to invoice materials that weren’t delivered or to overcharge for materials. It is also common for subcontractors to invoice work they haven’t done or charge more than the agreed price for their services. If you’ve got security footage and the original contract, you won’t end up overpaying for goods or services that you didn’t receive.
Another common theft or misconception is when employees use company assets for their own personal gain. Whether this means they used company equipment to work on their own property or provide work for someone else and reimbursed directly through the client, using company assets is theft and should be accounted for with the proper use of security cameras.
If you aren’t being proactive in combating employee theft or outside theft, the true cost can be much higher than you anticipate. When theft occurs, you must not only consider the direct cost of replacing the item as the actual cost is much more. The cost may also include:
-The cost to replace the item/materials.
-Additional transport costs to get the replacement items, materials, and equipment to the site.
-Other project delays caused by waiting for the replacement equipment and materials to arrive at the original site.
-The cost of having items, materials, or equipment unavailable. Consider staff who can’t work when their tools are either stolen or at another job site.
-The cost of employees having to return to a job site at an additional cost to install the replacement items.
-Damages caused by thieves to equipment or facilities.
-Management time in order to replace items, complete the original job, and investigate the theft.
How to be proactive
It’s important to always be vigilant to ensure protocols are being followed, and ensure checks are in place that will detect when fraud, theft, or unsafe work practices occur. Since you can’t be in two places (or ten places) at once, the best way to deter and capture potential thieves and fraudsters is by equipping high-quality security cameras anywhere something can be stolen or misused.
While doing simple material reconciliations is a simple way to detect stock losses early, it’s also important to double-check that all work and materials have been invoiced to the client, in order to detect excessive wastage.
In addition to being vigilant with materials and invoicing, it’s also important to note that you also need to keep tabs on people in trusted positions. While this is a great way to get to know your employees and managers, it’s also a great way to spot warning signs of potential future problems.
Furthermore, it’s important to make sure that all established employee checks and protocols are being properly carried out. Management needs to be vigilant on project sites where theft is possible. High value and high risk items need to be properly secured when not in use. Most of these processes can be facilitated by a properly installed and configured security camera system, but how do you install security cameras at a remote location where you may only have a power connection, but no access to ethernet? That’s where Camera Security Now’s WASP Box, or Wireless All-in-one Security Package, comes in.
Mobile Security Cameras for the Aggregate and Construction Industries
A popular option for facilities like asphalt plants, gravel pits, other aggregate industry companies, and construction sites, the Wireless All-in-one Security Package, or WASP BOX, provides 24/7 monitoring of these facilities without the need for a direct ethernet (internet) connection. Powered only by a single electrical outlet, this mobile security solution allows you to transmit live video footage to a nearby NVR — and even allows you to display this footage in real-time on any connected device via a wireless access point mounted on the box.
Unlike fixed surveillance, mobile or temporary surveillance is portable. While you can view all of your temporary security cameras on a mobile device, in this case “mobile security” refers to the ability to bring the monitoring devices along with you wherever you need them.
These mobile solutions are perfect for construction or utility sites if you are renovating your office, your property, or operate an event in a remote location and need to keep a watchful eye on your assets.
The ability to view all of your cameras — and your entire facility — on a single connected device at up to 4K quality is your best option if you run an extensive facility and often need to be in two places at once.
Wireless All-in-one Security Packages from Camera Security Now
Are you looking for advice concerning a mobile or temporary security solution? The WASP Box was designed by Camera Security Now at our Ohio headquarters. These custom boxes were invented to be able to handle any project and are rugged enough to withstand outdoor placement. Constructed by a company with decades of experience in the industry, our WASP Boxes have been tested in a variety of environments from construction sites to community festivals — and everything in between.
Do you need help selecting a WASP Box configuration? Contact us now for a free consultation. Our dedicated and highly qualified surveillance technicians can help you select the best solution for your unique necessity. These technicians can conduct a site survey in order to steer you towards which solution works best for you and explain why.
One of our technicians, led by Johnny Beagle, will assist you every step of the way. We will start by giving you a free site survey, which helps us understand the best possible solution for you. Next, one of our technicians will walk you through what kind of cameras would work best for your WASP Box. Whether you’re a small company or a large corporation, our WASP Boxes can accomplish your mobile security needs.
To contact Johnny and Camera Security Now directly over the phone, call 800-440-1662 or fill out a fast, easy online quote form.
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