Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
Waste management experts BusinessWaste.co.uk are warning business owners of the need to protect their commercial waste as thefts of skips and roll-on roll-offs (RoRos) are on the rise due to the price of steel and aluminium.
The waste management company advise that in some cases, businesses may be liable for the theft from their premises as contracts can stipulate that while skips and RoRos are on site, they are the responsibility of the business hiring them.
To minimise this risk, they advise merchants secure their business premises, and ensure they have gates and fencing so thieves can’t enter without an identification check, and to add bollards that will make it difficult to approach in a vehicle without drawing attention.
They also advise to add CCTV and signs as these work as a deterrent for criminals looking for an easy opportunity.
When it comes to securing the RoRo or skip itself, there are various security products that can act as locks to stop anyone from being able to remove the containers. Alongside this, trackers can be added to ensure that any stolen containers have a better chance of being recovered.
Lastly, they suggest training staff to always check the identity and credentials of anyone coming into your premises.
Mark Hall, waste management expert at BusinessWaste.co.uk, comments “We’ve been really shocked to discover the spate of skip and RoRo thefts, and see it affect some of our customers. In the past, we’ve been familiar with people stealing from skips or other waste containers, but it’s a new trend to see the whole thing being stolen.
“Unfortunately, these come with a huge price tag due to the size of the container and the materials used to make them, so thefts can have a big impact on waste companies and business owners. As a business, we’re looking into solutions to this growing issue and are making sure that we’re armed with any available equipment and advice to ensure we can prevent losses to the businesses we work with.”
They advise merchants to speak with an expert to understand what best suits their needs.
