Protecting Equipment from Vandalism & Theft

While vandalism has long been a concern for PROs, equipment theft is an increasing problem in the industry. Across the United States, heavy equipment theft from workplaces is a growing challenge.

That’s why we’ve gathered some tips on how to protect your equipment from both vandalism and theft.

Tip-overs

One of the most glaring examples of vandalism to portable restrooms is tip-overs. There are a few ways to protect against this. Try staking down your units, chaining them to fences or solid structures, or placing them up against walls or buildings. These steps should prevent a practical joke from turning into a messy and costly ordeal. For more tips on tip-overs, click here.

Strategic Placement

Be careful where you place equipment. Don’t leave things that can be stolen lying around, or with open access to the public, or in blind spots.

Cameras

Invest in a few security or game cameras. Nowadays, these are a lot cheaper than they used to be. Set them up in vital locations so you can see who’s coming and going.

Law Enforcement

If you’re concerned about the location, you can ask to see if local law enforcement will patrol the area.

Warning Signs

Post signs that warn would-be vandals and thieves about the consequences of their actions. Whatever the penalty is according to your local laws – whether that’s fines or jail time – make it clear that these acts will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Locks

Locks are available for everything from units to paper towel and toilet paper holders. Get steering wheel locks for your trucks — yes, they get stolen, too. If fencing off your units or other equipment, lock the fence securely.

Insurance

Don’t wait for vandalism or theft to occur; be proactive and get good insurance. At the very least, you’ll want general liability and auto insurance to cover your units, equipment, and trucks. Consider paying more for theft insurance for all of these items. You might end up wishing you had it down the line. For tips on saving money on insurance, read our article here.

Note: You can also offer optional insurance to your customers to give them an extra incentive to return everything in the condition they received it.

Contract Clauses

Many PROs put vandalism and theft clauses into the contracts they sign with their clients. Again, this acts as an incentive for the client to deter these behaviors. Others charge large fees for the replacement of damaged or stolen equipment, which is a big motivator for the client to not let anything bad happen. Whatever you choose, always make sure your contracts lay out the liability for vandalism and theft.

For further reading, check out our article on how to deal with equipment theft. And if you’ve been unfortunate enough to have equipment or units damaged, we’ve got an article about recovering the costs here.

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