Theft of personal tools at worksite
DMD007
4 Posts
Hello, All!
Does anyone have a policy about theft of personal property at work? I've been asked to write a guideline/policy for the Plumbing, Heating and Cooling division of our business. Employees in that division are licensed in the Plumbing and/or HVAC trades. As technicians, they are required to have the right hand tools on the work site with them. We do give them an annual tool allowance to assist them in supplementing their tools. Tools range a great deal in price (and quality)... a screwdriver might be $30.00 but a leak detector for a central air conditioner unit might be $400.00. Before they start, they are given a list of required hand tools. In addition, there are some tools that the 'shop' owns that the techs can use too. If they use something from the shop, they sign it out.
The subject of theft of tools came up this week. Our techniciams take our company vehicle (assigned to them) to the work site. On new construction, it isn't uncommon for other trades to be working at the same time our folks are there - with the doors of the work vans wide open. Our techs are also on call 24 hours so they take the company vehicles home with them.
If their tools are stolen out of our company vehicle, our insurance covers up to $2500.00 - with a $1,000.00 deductible. Our insurance company indicated that most home owners policies would cover their tools as personal property. Our techs are not very happy about that - they think the company should cover the loss of their tools. The GM indicated that they need to be responsible - shut the van doors, lock it if the van is out of their site, etc.
Does anyone have a policy about theft of personal property at work? The policy I'm writing will clarify the need to have their own hand tools and that they are responsible for company owned property that is assigned to them - tools, cell phones, etc.
Thank you!
Comments
Hey, we don't have a written policy, but we do ask that employees mark personal tools and equipment with their name and provide us with digital photographs. We also ask for serial numbers of expensive electornic/mechanical items for our database of employee-owned equipment (created at the suggestion of our insurance vendor).
We suggest to employees that any unattended personal tools and equipment be placed in their lockers (they supply the locks) or locked in their vehicles out of sight. Larger items can be attached to a workbench, etc. via a cable-lock system.
Theft of company cell phones should be under a separate policy from tools and equipment since salespeople and others may have them and because there is a security consideration.
Perhaps you can reimburse employees for business calls made on their personal cell phones rather than issuing company cell phones. This eliminates a lot of potential problems for illegal use that could result in liability.
Also state that the company is not responsible for loss or damage of personal cell phones, even if used for company business.