Advances in technology have led to a dramatic reduction in the cost of CCTV systems. For security solutions within the workplace, the installation of such a system is very often a wise choice, not only to ensure the safety of your business and premises but also that of your employees.

7 Considerations for workplace CCTV

For any company considering whether or not such a system might be a valid addition to their space, then the following aspects will need to be taken into account:

1. What areas of your premises would benefit from surveillance?

CCTV provides many benefits. The most obvious include increasing staff safety and a deterrent against theft. But there are many other reasons such a system can prove advantageous. For example, knowing how customers move through a retail store gives a real insight into browsing habits, and advanced features such as facial recognition for gender and age can help with marketing profiles.

2. How large is the area you want to cover?

With different types of cameras and systems available, it’s necessary to determine the area you want monitoring before beginning to research different options. For the largest of areas it can be most cost-effective to utilise cameras that have a wide range of view that can move and zoom in on particular activity if needed. That way you can monitor extended areas with fewer cameras, and therefore keep costs to a minimum. Conversely, smaller areas might only need static cameras to give good visuals.

The size of area to be surveyed will also determine the type of network needed. Most business locations work perfectly well with a LAN network, but the largest will require a different kind, known as a WAN.

3. What do you actually want to track?

Do you want to monitor and record potential theft? Or perhaps you simply want to increase workplace security for your staff. The former will likely require security cameras that can record at high frame rates, thus ensuring the best images of fast-moving objects (cars) and people.

However, if you want to determine potential safety hazards then high-resolution images are a must.

Determining these needs is essential to ensure that the captured CCTV images meet your needs and are what you expect.

4. What about scalability?

Having provisions to add more CCTV cameras at a later date is something worth thinking about. Most systems can only support a limited number of cameras. If there’s a possibility of extending coverage in the future it’s better to consider this at the start, rather than facing a lengthy and potentially expensive upgrade further down the line.

5. Do you have a current alarm system?

It makes a lot of sense to have a concurrently running CCTV and alarm system, as both then become far more effective. For instance, motion detected by CCTV can be programmed to trigger the alarm and vice versa.

It’ll also be necessary to ensure that an existing alarm system will be compatible and work in conjunction with your new CCTV system.

6. What about legal issues?

CCTV systems are legal, but there are many issues regarding surveillance and privacy that need to be ensured. It’ll be necessary to inform employees about the system, signs might need to be displayed, and it’s the responsibility of the business owner to let employees know exactly what data is being recorded and stored.

7. Budget

Even though we’ve left this until last, the cost of a workplace CCTV system is probably one of the most important aspects of all. This is where taking expert advice can be incredibly cost-effective, not to mention helping navigate through all the other considerations already listed.

Perth-based Crown Security are experts in the supply and installation of commercial security systems. They work with businesses to understand their needs and advise on the solution that both fits your budget and meets expectations. For more information give their friendly team a call on 08 9400 6000.