CCTV installation at your property can be a fantastic way to add an additional layer of security to your home or business. There are many benefits to using CCTV on your property or premises. It is easy to use and cost-effective, whilst this security measure is effective in preventing crime, as well as providing you with 24/7 visuals of your premises.
With the added benefit of smartphones and mobile devices, many CCTV systems also allow you to view imagery whilst you’re out and about or on the move, meaning that they can provide additional peace of mind when you are away.
However, before you embark on CCTV installation in Essex, there are a few key points you need to be aware of to ensure that you are carrying it out responsibly and not breaking any data protection laws.
The expert team at All Security Solutions will be looking at the top ways you can ensure that your CCTV installation is carried out correctly and responsibly.
Before installation of CCTV
Before you call in the experts to start installing your CCTV system, it is important to think about the legal aspects and requirements of your installation. Any reputable security company will go through this with you, but ideally, you should also do your own research as well. Always remember, video footage of people is classed as their data – therefore from a data protection perspective you need to be clued up.
Some people can view CCTV as having an impact on their privacy. Therefore if you run a business that employs staff, you should speak to them before you go ahead with any installation to ensure that they feel comfortable with it and they are aware of what is being installed. Some employees may feel that it is being installed to monitor them and their work – however, if you are purely installing the system for security measures, explain to them the reasoning behind this. Ultimately, it would be wrong to monitor your staff and discipline them if you catch something on CCTV, but it was not installed for monitoring purposes.
Does your CCTV system need sound?
Another aspect which could affect how your employees feel about CCTV is whether or not you are capturing audio with the video. Think about whether a sound is required for your purposes, and if it is not, choose a system without audio.
Where can I set up my CCTV cameras?
It is important to note that security cameras should not be set up in any areas which are classed as private (for example, changing rooms or toilets).
Communication
If you are an employer, ensure that you efficiently communicate with your team the reasons why CCTV is being installed, and provide documents which outline the purpose as part of your business’ policies. In order to abide by the data protection law, you must ensure that you are transparent and honest with how you manage people’s data, including any video footage you capture of them.
Finally, it’s important to ensure that all footage you capture is kept safe and ensure that it cannot be leaked anywhere – again this could be a breach of the data protection laws if it got into the wrong hands.
The team at All Security Solutions are able to support you throughout your CCTV installation in Essex, including guiding you through best practices to ensure you do not break any data protection laws.
