3 Simple Ways to Avoid Costs for Lost Tanks

Has your business ever been a victim of stolen or lost tanks? Unpatrolled and poorly secured job sites attract criminals, but that’s not the only cost associated with tanks on a job site.

Take this example into account. You rent tanks for a particular job site, but someone else needs them, so they get moved to another site. When it’s time to return them, you don’t know where they are. Eventually, you get charged by the gas/cylinder supplier, and costs are racked up into the $10 thousands. Now, your site is at a standstill.

Luckily, there are things you can do to keep your tanks secure; even in the case of theft or asset mismanagement.

Three Simple Ways to Avoid Costs for Lost Tanks:

1. Add Trackable Tags OR Add Identifiers and Take Photos

Tag for tanks and other important assets

If you don’t use a software, you could add labels, engrave numbers, or place numbers/codes on owned tanks. Make sure you mark tanks with a specific indicator for that jobsite and one that is difficult to remove. Next, take plenty of photos. If tanks come up missing, authorities or crew members will have a little more information to know what to look for.

2. Never Move Tanks Unless They’ve Been Signed Out

Found em!

Crews should never move tanks unless they’ve been checked out by an individual. This holds a crew member accountable for any lost cylinders, should they come up missing. A good asset tracking software will allow crew members to scan a barcode placed on the tank, and it will even upload a photo of the equipment to the app upon scanning. When they scan the asset, that asset automatically gets assigned to that individual. This means no paperwork and no headaches.

Plus, if the worker isn’t certified to check out the piece of equipment or they try to use it, you’ll get an alert.

If you don’t use a software, make sure someone is in charge of tracking all of the tanks on every site. No tanks should move unless they’ve been signed out. If your crew uses multiple leased tanks on multiple sites, you’ll need to know which ones belong to which distributor, so they’re returned to their appropriate place at the end of the project.

3. Add Flashing or Noise Making Sensors to Tanks and Entrances

Tag placed on tank

Some tool-tracking softwares work with flashing or noise-making RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) or Bluetooth tags placed on assets.

These can be identified by readers or beacons placed at the site entrance.

“Passive” tracking technology is especially important for assets that frequently get moved or lost, like gas tanks, and it allows the crew to quickly find what they’re looking for by identifying the assets’ last known location.

Specific tanks can easily be identified with tags

When you’re looking for specific tanks out of a group, the sensors will flash and show you the particular tank in an instant.

As a precaution, add these tags to your tanks and other important equipment and place a reader at the jobsite entrance. If anything is moved during or after hours, you’ll get an alert that tells you:

1. When it left
2. Who left with it
3. If this person is certified to move it

If you’re ready to streamline your tool management program with a real-time asset and material management software, request a quick demo of AllTrak Cloud today.