Combat Heavy Equipment Theft with Proper Policy and Precautions

Now that spring time is upon us warmer weather is on the horizon - this also means construction season. As temperatures begin to rise, so do occururences of heavy equipment theft.

Businesses engaged in construction, road maintenance and agriculture are alll subject to loss because of stolen equipment. Heavy equipment used in these industries is vulnerable because it is valuable, cases are hard to investigate, it is difficult to recover, easy to steal and relatively easy to re-sell after theft.

To prevent equipment theft, be sure to register all your company's machines (not hand tools) on the National Eqipment Register, which provides a large database of eqipment ownership and theft reports in addition to providing theft prevention advice and reference materials. Also be sure your insurance policies are current and that your most valuable eqipment is scheduled. Often times your equipment list will become dated, so make sure you are analyzing the list every year.

Most commonly stolen equipment:

- Tractors
- Skid Steer Loaders
- Backhole Loaders
- Excavators
- Dozers

The following insurance companies offer incentives for companies that register their equipment:

1. CNA
2. Travelers
3. Allianz
4. Chubb
5. ACE
6. Hartford
7. Great American

For more information please contact me directly or visist the National Equipment Register website.

Hot Work

When you view the term "hot work" some people may think of a contractor working in the middle of the summer or a manufacturer working in a refinery, but the term is derived from a job description. A hot work consists of jobs like welding, cutting, grinding and the use of torches in areas that are not designed for such activities. Many serious fires in business and industry every year are attributed to hot work. Therefore, it is important for every company to have a hot work procedure that will minimize the chance of such a fire.

What are the hazards of hot work?:

1. Flame contact with combustible material
2. Sparks settling in combustible material, often falling through a hole in the floor or wall
3. Heat transmitted through pipes, ducts, or conduit to a remote combustible material
4. Ignition of flammable vapor or dust in the air

Hot Work Precautions:

- All fixed fire protection systems must be in operation
- A Hot Work Premit must be completed and a trained fire watch assigned
- All flammable and combustible material must be kept at least 35 feet away from the job area.
- Combustible material that can not be moved must be protected with fire proof tarps or shields
- Wall and floor openings must be plugged with fire proof material
- Use shields to protect others from weld flash
- Enclosed equipment that contained flammable or combustible material must be cleaned and purged
- If necessary, a Confined Space Entry Permit must be secured

Hot Work Procedures:

1. A Hot Work Permit must be completed and signed for all work involved.

2. The Hot Work Permit must be signed by a supervisor after precautions are taken (permit duration should only be 8 hours)

3. The Hot Work Permit must be displayed at the job site

4. A Fire Watch must be at the job site until 1/2 an hour after the job completion

5. Expired Hot Work Permits are retained for records

SAMPLE HOT WORK PERMIT

Another key component of a hot work procedure is having a fire watcher on duty. A fire watcher is a worker that is trained and assigned to stay in the area of hot work to look for evidence of a fire.

The duties of a fire watcher are:

- Have fire extinguishing equipment available
- Watch for hazardous conditions and stop hot work in the event of a potential fire development
- Continually check areas where a fire could start
- Keep fire proof tarps and shields in place
- Remain in attendence until 1/2 an hour after the job is complete