Job Site Security

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George Stolz

George Stolz

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Location
Windsor, CO NEC: 2017
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Hospital Master Electrician
Do you believe a lighting a job site at night improves security by casting a light on people on the job site at night, or is it better to shut the lights off and force thieves to bring their own? Have you heard reports of people being spotted by the job site lighting, or being spotted using flashlights on dark job sites?
 
I am of the light it up bright school of thought.

Even if not inside, light up the perimeter.



Besides ..... unless you have a night sight you will need some light to make the shot. :cool:
 
I think someone on a job site using a flash light after hours attracts much more attention than someone walking around a well lit site after hours.

I have never thought night lights for security were a good idea. I don't believe that they are effective and they waste energy. I guess the only good thing is that they make work for electricians when they are installed.
 
George Stolz said:
Do you believe a lighting a job site at night improves security by casting a light on people on the job site at night, or is it better to shut the lights off and force thieves to bring their own? Have you heard reports of people being spotted by the job site lighting, or being spotted using flashlights on dark job sites?
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My Dad used to say that a lock will stop an honest man but it's hard to stop a real thief.

I would say it's about the same for lights. Not much gets in the way of real thieves. I have seen materials stolen from jobs where there were security guards ( I think they were in on it).

Anything you can do is better than nothing and yet everything you can do may not be enough.
 
iwire said:
When you have to park your vehicle in a lot do you feel better leaving it in the dark or under a light?
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People protection is different from property protection. The lights at the lot protect me when I am coming and going to my vehicle.

I see lights at unoccupied buildings and construction sites making it easier for the bad guys than where there are no lights.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
I see lights at unoccupied buildings and construction sites making it easier for the bad guys than where there are no lights.
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We probably need to post this question on the Thieves forum and see how they feel about it.

Around here I think the police would rather an area be lighted but maybe they feel that makes it safer for them.
 
I agree with the lights to go to and fro, but it's a waste for unoccupied areas. My brother is in the security camera business, IR cameras have been shown to be better in that they can be triggered to alert someone without revealing their presence so that authorities can be called in to catch them in the act. When you have cameras and lights on, the thieves take out one or the other and if nobody is watching at that instance, it goes unnoticed for too long. Lately thieves have been stealing the cameras too! He has a video of the guy coming right up to the camera, smiling at the lens, then it goes dark. Sure, they know what he looks like, he looks like a million other scruffy bums. big deal.

He just sent me this one too. Notice that the lights are on...
http://www.news10.net/story/news/lo...-bakery-surveillance-cameras-stolen/20983679/
 
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Jraef said:
I agree with the lights to go to and fro, but it's a waste for unoccupied areas. My brother is in the security camera business, IR cameras have been shown to be better in that they can be triggered to alert someone without revealing their presence so that authorities can be called in to catch them in the act. When you have cameras and lights on, the thieves take out one or the other and if nobody is watching at that instance, it goes unnoticed for too long. Lately thieves have been stealing the cameras too! He has a video of the guy coming right up to the camera, smiling at the lens, then it goes dark. Sure, they know what he looks like, he looks like a million other scruffy bums. big deal.

He just sent me this one too. Notice that the lights are on...
http://www.news10.net/story/news/lo...-bakery-surveillance-cameras-stolen/20983679/
Click to expand...

Generally owners/GC's dont want to pay for a guard, but want the site lit. The middle ground is verified or virtual guard tours,but is almost always more expensive when its a short term deployment. The cameras can be set up to send images of motion detection to a monitoring company. They have a predetermined schedule of when someone is supposed to be there and also use common sense sometimes. Of course weather can really screw with this when its external cameras. Internally, verified video is the ultimate in non human presence security(dogs excluded). The cameras can even transmit the still images via cellular.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
I think someone on a job site using a flash light after hours attracts much more attention than someone walking around a well lit site after hours.

I have never thought night lights for security were a good idea. I don't believe that they are effective and they waste energy. I guess the only good thing is that they make work for electricians when they are installed.
Click to expand...

I agree with Don. The security lites give the impression of safety. I would got with motion sensors and LED flood lights, PAR type.
 
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