Loss of tools issued to employees
andrew
some costing over GBP500. These tools are issued and signed for by the
worker on the understanding they are for his personal use at work. Giving
the workers the benefit of the doubt that it is only negligence that is
causing these losses is there any fair and lawful recourse an employer can
take against the employee other than a formal complaint , ultimately
leading to dismissal.
Having been a self employed worker providing my own tools for 35 years I can
say I have never lost a power tool on site by leaving it there
inadvertently.
AJH
Owain
> We have an ongoing problem at work of tools going missing, some minor but
> some costing over GBP500. These tools are issued and signed for by the
> worker on the understanding they are for his personal use at work. Giving
> the workers the benefit of the doubt that it is only negligence that is
> causing these losses is there any fair and lawful recourse an employer can
> take against the employee other than a formal complaint , ultimately
> leading to dismissal.
IANAL. I think disciplinary action for failing to take proper care of
the employer's property is the only way to go - you can't charge the
employee for the lost tools.
Other security measures may be useful, such as restricting access
between the work area and any locker room where tools could be
concealed before being removed from site, security marking tools, or
using tools with an internal anti-theft system where periodic
reactivation is required with an authorised owner key is required
otherwise the tool locks up.
If you can, require employees to sign the tool back in at the end of
the day before leaving site and if they do not do so call them in for
immediate interview. If they say they have lost the tool then treat as
carelessness and start disciplinary proceedings (which might include
immediate suspension from site - if your contract of employment allows
suspension without pay then a few days without wages offsets the
financial gain by nicking tools) and if they say it has been stolen
from them ask them if they are making an allegation against a
colleague. If they are then that MAY be justification to search bags
of other employees before leaving[1], and the police should certainly
be called and the employee in question interviewed by them.
All lost tools should be reported to the police and the manufacturer
as stolen, this may help prevent or detect their subsequent sale.
Owain
[1] If these are power tools then using a metal detector wand over
bags might be sufficient, employees can be asked to remove metal
drinks flasks etc. In some sites walk-through metal detector at the
staff entrance might be appropriate, and take steps to ensure that
staff in materials inwards points can't get unsupervised access to
locker rooms or work areas.
Denis McMahon
> We have an ongoing problem at work of tools going missing, some minor but
> some costing over GBP500.
Maybe start looking for these on ebay?
Rgds
Debis McMahon
steve robinson
Andrew , tool theft has been a major problem from sites for many
years now ,employees will never take the same care as you with issued
tools
What i have done with my kit is mark it with smart water and
engraved the company name on the side of the cases , all tools are
signed in and out
Dr Zoidberg
> On 4 Dec, 20:30, andrew wrote:
>> We have an ongoing problem at work of tools going missing, some minor but
>> some costing over GBP500. These tools are issued and signed for by the
>> worker on the understanding they are for his personal use at work. Giving
>> the workers the benefit of the doubt that it is only negligence that is
>> causing these losses is there any fair and lawful recourse an employer can
>> take against the employee other than a formal complaint , ultimately
>> leading to dismissal.
>
> IANAL. I think disciplinary action for failing to take proper care of
> the employer's property is the only way to go - you can't charge the
> employee for the lost tools.
>
Anyone can make an occasional mistake and misplace something but when
it's happening regularly then it can easily become a disciplinary matter.
I suspect once this starts happening then other employees will become
much more careful.
--
Alex
"I laugh in the face of danger, then I hide until it goes away"
NT
wrote:
Practical measures:
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Tool_Theft
NT
John Stumbles
> Practical measures:
> http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Tool_Theft
"Use a 'no tools left on vehicle at night' sign."
FFS: the only time I've had tools stolen out of my van was during the day-
time (parked in a supermarket car park, inn broad daylight, not a
particularly seedy area of town or anything).
Now I have signs on the doors that tools are permanently marked with
owner's ID (and they are). Does presuppose literacy on the part of the
scrote but what can you do?
--
John Stumbles