Fuel security 101: our top tips to protect your fuel in 2024
It’s a brand new year, which means it’s the perfect time to review the current state of your operations and look to see if there are any opportunities for improvement as we move further into 2024. Your fuel security is an excellent place to start, especially if you’ve had reason to be concerned about it in the past. That’s exactly where we can help here at TankSafe – with more than 20 years of experience behind us, we have extensive levels of expertise in helping businesses just like yours protect themselves from the worst impacts of fuel theft.
So if you’re looking for some new ideas on how best to protect your fuel in 2024, here are the first things we’d recommend!
Choose your safe location carefully
This is particularly important if you’re concerned about outside threats to your fuel (i.e. from intruders as opposed to your staff). It may be an issue that you’re able to address quickly as well, without necessarily requiring extra spending or investment.
Many thieves often rely on Google Maps to find satellite images of fuel tanks. It’s therefore a good idea to park yours behind a garage or shed, and away from roads if you can. That makes it both more difficult to spot from outside, and often more difficult to access if anyone ever does make it onto your premises.
After all, every extra second that a prospective thief spends on your property is another second that they’re risking being caught, and so most of them aren’t going to want to take a while searching for the fuel on your premises – especially if there are no concrete guarantees they’ll be able to reach it if they do.
Maximise visibility around your fuel
This is a good area to focus on if you’re especially concerned about internal threats to your fuel – i.e. if you’re worried that fuel theft might be being committed by employees, generally by ‘skimming’ a small amount off the top of a full tank. This is more common than some business owners think – in fact, 99% of all fuel theft is down to skimming.
While some may see it as an unofficial perk of the job, most people know full well they shouldn’t be doing it, whether they want to admit that to themselves or not. Lighting up the place with outdoor security lighting, and constantly monitoring it with CCTV, makes it a lot harder for employees to casually help themselves to fuel. Most will know that it’s the kind of thing that would put their jobs (and even their careers) on the line, so once it becomes a lot more difficult to get away with, they simply won’t take the risk.
Incidentally, in case you need it, we’ve put together a brief guide on what to do if you suspect an employee of fuel theft. One of the most important points: make sure to get an HR rep involved before you take any formal actions!
Fit an alarm
This is an obvious point to mention, but we’d be remiss not to cover it. For any fuel tanks in remote locations, specialised alarms can be fitted to sound (or otherwise alert you) when the fuel in the tank drops below a certain level. Equally, if your fuel is carried on a fleet of HGVs, you may choose not to alarm the tank itself, but the gates of the compound or parking area where they’re kept. Or, of course, you can always do both. Whatever you think is safest!
Fit a fuel theft lock
This is by far the most effective fuel theft prevention measure, and it’s the one we specialise in here at TankSafe, with a solid range of fuel theft devices that encompass both TankSafe Optimum and TankSafe Shield.
And of course, they’re highly effective against internal and external threats alike. Even if someone has had the tenacity to make their way onto your premises, and they’ve not been deterred by numerous security measures, fuel theft devices still provide the perfect protection. That’s especially true of our TankSafe Optimum, which uses a patented design to effectively prevent 100% of fuel theft.
You can read more about how TankSafe Optimum works, or don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team here at TankSafe if you have any further questions about the best ways to protect your fuel in 2024. Give us a quick on 01253 400 401, and we’ll be happy to help however we can!