![]() Is there theft on your construction project? Would you know if there was theft? Do you know the true cost of theft on your project? Case Study: One of my projects was in a remote area of a foreign country in joint venture with another contractor who was the lead partner. The project required about twenty thousand cubic metres of concrete, which was produced from our concrete mixing plant on site. The plant used cement which we transported, using two of our own cement tankers, from a cement factory six hours drive from the site. The project was constantly delayed due to a shortage of cement. There was a monthly joint venture meeting at which we went through the cost report. In the second month, I noticed we were losing money on concrete materials, and when I queried this, I was told the client had instructed us to use additional cement, the costs of which we would be claiming from the client. The next month the loss on concrete had increased, again I queried this, only to be told when we submitted the variation for the additional cement we would recover the loss. I asked if we were reconciling the cement on the project and was informed this hadn’t happened, but the project management team would attend to it. More months went past and the loss on concrete materials got worse. When next I visited the site, due to the infrequency of flights, I had to spend several days there, so had time to do the concrete material reconciliation myself. When we calculated how much cement we should have used, and compared it with the quantity we had actually paid for, we discovered there was more than half a million dollars of cement unaccounted for. On investigation we found that when our drivers returned to the site with a load of cement they made a detour, stopping off and discharging the cement from one of the tanker’s compartments, which they then sold. In fact, a third of every load of cement was being stolen from the truck en-route to the site. Not only was there the direct cost of the stolen cement, the project also always had insufficient cement due to every truck only delivering two thirds of what they should have, and the trucks taking a couple of hours longer on each return journey because of the detour to unload cement. By implementing suitable controls we were able to prevent further theft of cement, but obviously we were never going to recover the losses we had already incurred. The many forms of theft Theft and fraud take many guises in construction. It is often difficult to control as we depend on many people, subcontractors and suppliers. Project sites are often spread out and unsecured. Some forms of theft on construction include:
The true cost of theft When we have theft we often only consider the direct cost of replacing the item. But the cost is often more than this. The cost may include:
What we can do We need to be ever vigilant and ensure that there are checks in place that will detect when fraud or theft have occurred. Not only will this be a deterrent to potential fraudsters and thieves but it will enable steps to be implemented to prevent more theft. Doing simple material reconciliations on projects is a simple way of detecting stock losses, but it is also useful as a double check that all work and materials have been invoiced to the client. It also serves to detect excessive wastage. We have to place some people in trusted positions but it is important to realise that people’s circumstances change and we cannot know what financial stresses they may be experiencing in their lives, or what temptations they are unable to resist. It’s therefore important to ensure that where necessary there are 2 stage checks in place. In addition by knowing your employees and regularly talking to them you may be able to see the warning signs of potential problems. Staff need to be vigilant and understand how important it is to have checks in place and ensure that these checks and controls are diligently carried out. On project sites where theft is a possibility extra security measures may have to be installed such as cameras, fencing and security guards. High value and high risk items may need to be secured when not in use. Like this article – please comment, like and share it. Questions What is the worst theft or fraud you have uncovered on your project? What was the cost? How did you discover the theft? Is theft generally a problem on your projects? To read more about the author’s books and find out where you can purchase them visit the pages on this website by clicking the links below: 'Successful Construction Project Management: The Practical Guide' 'Building a Successful Construction Company: The Practical Guide' Order your books from Amazon now 'Construction Book reviews' To read more about the author visit the page 'Paul Netscher' Want to contact Paul Netscher please enter your details on 'Contacts' Find out how Paul Netscher can help you © 2015 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author. construction management construction project management
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Archives
January 2021
CategoriesCopyright 2016 - The attached articles cannot be reproduced for commercial purposes without the consent of the author.
The opinions expressed in the attached articles are those of the writer. It should be noted that projects are varied and different laws and restrictions apply which depend on the location of the contractor and the project. It's important that the reader uses the supplied information taking cognisance of their particular circumstances. The writer assumes no responsibility or liability for any loss of any kind arising from the reader using the information or advice contained herein. "I have what I consider some of the best books on construction management."
Books are available from: Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk takealot.com kalahari.com Amazon.in Amazon.de Amazon.fr Amazon.it Amazon.com.au Powell's Fishpond uread bokus Amazon.ca Amazon.es Other retail stores Available in paperback or on Kindle "28 YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE, DEVELOPING SUCCESSFUL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS AND BUILDING SUCCESSFUL CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES"
|