CCTV Monitoring – The Complete Guide
We all know the importance of CCTV, also known as Closed-Circuit Television, and its beneficial role within a businesses’ security system. But did you know that CCTV monitoring can up-level site security and lead to improved overall business efficiencies?
Whether you’re learning about CCTV monitoring for the first time, or are wanting to find out if it’s the right solution for you, we’ve created the complete guide to CCTV monitoring so that you’re armed with all the information you need. From what it is and how it works through to why it’s used and the responsive actions it can facilitate.
What is CCTV Monitoring?
The concept of CCTV monitoring is relatively simple because it is just that… monitoring of a CCTV system. Conducted by a professional third-party monitoring company, otherwise known as an ARC (Alarm Receiving Centre), they will connect to a site’s security and CCTV system and look over and monitor the system for any triggers or alarms. If any were to occur, the monitoring company would be automatically notified and will carry out the necessary tasks to firstly, confirm whether or not it is a false alarm or trigger (potentially caused by a fault, employee error or a wild animal), and secondly to action an appropriate response to the trigger, such as contacting the emergency services if it was thought to be an intruder.
How does CCTV monitoring work?
The logistics and inner workings of CCTV monitoring all revolve around the ARC. An ARC is an extremely secure monitoring station, manned by highly trained monitoring operatives 24/7, 365 days a year. An ARC has the ability to monitor all types of alarm systems, including CCTV, for suspicious activity, trespassing, accidents, intruders, fire and more.
Triggers can be determined by the end-user and can be site-specific. Once the CCTV system has been triggered, it will send an instant notification to the ARC and the monitoring operatives on the account. The monitoring operatives are able to quickly and effectively decipher the triggers and filter false alarms from emergencies that require immediate action to protect the safety and security of the site. Below are the steps that are carried out:
- A site’s CCTV system is triggered.
- The CCTV system sends a signal to the ARC.
- The monitoring operatives will receive notification of the system trigger and effectively analyse the situation. They do this by considering all factors and even by connecting to the systems CCTV cameras to view the footage that set off the trigger.
- By viewing the footage, the monitoring operatives are likely to be able to confirm whether or not it was a false alarm. If this is not possible, and the trigger took place during working hours, then they will contact the nominated site keyholder and confirm it to be false or not.
- If the trigger took place out of working hours and/or CCTV footage shows an emergency incident, then the monitoring operatives will take the most appropriate response. This can include calling the emergency services.
Why is CCTV monitoring used?
CCTV monitoring holds a whole host of benefits, both for the security of the site, the safety of employees and visitors, as well as improving the everyday operations of the site. There are three main uses of CCTV monitoring: Security, Fire Safety, Health & Safety and False Alarms.
Security
Improved security is the main use of CCTV monitoring and the one most people associate it with. The CCTV system will be triggered by unusual activity caught on the cameras, such as an intrusion or activity during out of hours.
Fire Safety
Fire safety is another use of CCTV monitoring. The monitoring operatives can identify when a fire has broken out, therefore catching it early and carrying out the necessary responses, such as contacting the fire brigade.
Health & Safety
CCTV monitoring can also be used to improve and monitor the health and safety of a site, especially within sites where there is lots of machinery, risk of potential accidents and situations with employees working alone. Monitoring operatives can therefore identify potential health and safety risks before an accident occurs and inform the site, as well as action an emergency response if there has been a major accident or casualty.
False Alarms
False alarms are common within CCTV systems, especially with cameras situated outside. Wild animals, trees and even the weather can trigger an alarm notification, which is not only annoying but can be costing a site valuable time and money on sorting it out. False alarms can also put a lot of pressure on the emergency services and waste valuable time. In fact, BAFE reported that false alarms accounted for 42% of all incidents attended by the Fire Rescue Services in 2020.
CCTV monitoring, therefore, has many uses and is often classed as an integral part of a site’s security and safety. Because of the vast potential and capabilities of CCTV monitoring, as outlined above, these then transcend into multiple benefits that strengthen the cause for its use.
What are the benefits of CCTV Monitoring?
Enhanced protection
Having a team of monitoring operatives constantly monitoring a site’s CCTV system gives enhanced protection from anything untoward. Whether that be a security breach, vandalism, trespassing, suspicious behaviour, fire or an accident, CCTV monitoring allows the incident to be identified and acted upon, no matter the time of day, therefore providing enhanced protection for a site and its employees and visitors.
Frees up valuable in-house resources
When CCTV monitoring is in place, it frees up valuable resources in-house. This could be in the form of an onsite security team, out-of-hours security personnel or a nominated key holder that is on call if a CCTV trigger were activated. With CCTV monitoring in place, it not only removes responsibility away from employees to a dedicated third-party team but also frees up those employees allowing them to spend their time on other tasks.
Incidents acted upon earlier
Having an ARC in place to monitor a CCTV system means any camera activation or trigger is acted upon immediately. The system will send an automatic notification to the ARC and monitoring team, meaning there will be no delay in identifying what caused the trigger and acting upon it quickly with the most appropriate response.
No need for physical onsite security team
With CCTV monitoring in place, there is no need for a physical security team to be onsite, especially during out of hours. This is because the monitoring operatives are carrying out the same job remotely.
Cost-effective
Having CCTV monitoring in place can prove to be very cost-effective. Savings can be achieved by eliminating physical, onsite security personnel and through acting on incidents earlier, leading to reduced damage costs and even deterring theft from being carried out. If health and safety issues are prevented, this can also reduce any potential insurance pay-outs, as well as the money lost from the disruption and downtime from false alarms.
Fast & effective response
Because monitoring operatives are highly trained in their field, they are able to carry out the motions of responding to triggers much quicker than a site employee or other personnel. They can think and make decisions quickly, whilst remaining calm. Incidents are therefore likely to be resolved much quicker and effectively, which can also improve the overall site efficiency.
Improves likelihood of catching criminals
With the fast response rates of the monitoring operatives, paired with the ability to access a site’s CCTV footage, means the likelihood of stopping criminals in their tracks, catching them and bringing them to justice is improved.
Reduces false alarms
We’ve already mentioned reducing false alarms, but it is a major benefit of CCTV monitoring that will have add-on benefits to a site’s costs, efficiency and productivity. The dedicated monitoring operatives are able to identify false alarms in a matter of minutes and reset the system remotely, without needing to disrupt the day-to-day runnings of a site.
Helps identify faults
The use of CCTV monitoring can also help identify any faults or weaknesses in the system. Not only does this allow any issues to be fixed promptly, but it also means the site’s security or safety won’t be compromised.
Helps identify vulnerable areas
There may be areas of a site that are particularly vulnerable and are not as secure as they should be. With a dedicated team monitoring the site through its CCTV cameras 24/7, they will be able to work with the site and highlight any areas they feel might need increased security measures.
Peace of mind – 24/7 support
Peace of mind shouldn’t be overlooked. It is a major benefit of having CCTV monitoring in place and eliminates any worry that a site may be vulnerable, especially during closures, out of working hours or national holidays. CCTV monitoring allows for 24/7 site monitoring, 365 days a year.
Reporting on all issues
A professional CCTV monitoring company can deliver in-depth, tailored reporting for each site. They will be able to provide incident reports which will help with understanding a site’s operations and logistics in more detail.
Limits disruption to employees
Emergencies and incidents can be stressful and sometimes chaotic for employees, leading to major disruption and distress. With remote monitoring operatives taking care of the issues, it allows for employees to carry out their tasks with minimal disruption, especially in relation to false alarms.
Improve health & safety
Monitoring health and safety issues not only reduces the likelihood of them arising but also enhances a fast response if anything were to occur, as well as improves employee wellbeing knowing that their safety is being looked out for.
Potentially reduce insurance premiums
Lastly, having CCTV monitoring in place can reduce a site’s insurance premiums! This is because it will be classed as a lower risk due to the increased level of safety and security monitoring adds.
Who can monitor and view CCTV footage?
You should choose a professional CCTV monitoring company to monitor a site’s CCTV footage. Choosing a company with an NSI Gold association guarantees that they have undergone stringent audits and are operating at the highest level of industry standards.
When CCTV monitoring is taking place, only the employed monitoring operatives will be viewing the footage. RMS’ ARC is highly secure and monitoring operatives are hand-picked and trained to an outstanding level.
When it comes to viewing CCTV footage, there are some rules and regulations surrounding it. Although only chosen individuals can monitor a site’s CCTV, by law, anyone can request to view footage in which they appear. This includes site visitors and employees. However, one is not allowed access to CCTV footage of another individual. The request to view CCTV footage should be made to the site’s data officer.
The police are also allowed access to a site’s CCTV footage upon request. This is because it could help them with ongoing investigations and incidents.
What responses can be actioned through CCTV monitoring?
Monitoring operatives have the ability to action various responses to incidents they have identified through the CCTV system. These all vary in severity and each can be escalated further to a more advanced stage depending on the incident at hand. When setting up a CCTV monitoring contract, the monitoring company is likely to be able to offer bespoke responses for each site. For instance, a site may wish to have the denominated keyholder contacted before any further action is taken, whereas in comparison another site might want to go straight to an emergency response if required.
Below are the most common types of responses carried out by CCTV monitoring companies:
Contact key holder
Contacting the nominated key holder of the site, such as a site manager, is a common response to a CCTV trigger. It is often the first point of call made by the monitoring operatives and is used to confirm whether or not the trigger is a false alarm. If the incident proves to be a confirmed emergency through the CCTV footage, then the operatives may escalate the response to an emergency response, due to the need for urgency, and then contact the keyholder to inform them of the situation.
Audio challenge
An audio challenge is when the monitoring operatives issue an audio message through the CCTV cameras external speakers. The message could be pre-recorded or a live message from the operatives if the CCTV system has this capability. This type of response is usually used for intruders, trespassers or criminals carrying out vandalism. The message can inform the individual that they are being recorded on CCTV and to leave the site immediately. The purpose of this type of response is to deter any crime from taking place and stop criminals in their tracks.
Private guarding service/rapid response team
Some CCTV monitoring companies can provide a private guarding or their own rapid response team to visit the site. They will ward off any suspicious persons, deter crime and confirm if the site remains secure or not.
Police response
With CCTV monitoring in place, it allows for the monitoring operatives to quickly action a police response, if they feel it is appropriate to the situation. This means valuable police time is never wasted and they can spend their time on incidents that really need their help. Monitoring operatives also have the ability to quickly and efficiently make the call and action the response, due to not being emotionally connected to the site, meaning they can act rationally and calmly under pressure.
Ambulance
It may be that an accident has occurred on-site or a break-in has turned violent. In these incidents, it may be that an ambulance and medical assistance is needed on the site. With CCTV monitoring in place, the monitoring operatives can provide an ambulance response. Much like with other emergency responses, they are able to do this quickly and calmly, providing the very best outcome for the individuals involved.
Fire Brigade
If the monitoring operatives have identified a fire breaking out, they are able to action the response of the fire brigade. A confirmed sighting of the fire via the site’s CCTV cameras means that the fire brigade won’t be wasting their time on a false alarm and the fire on site will be dealt with immediately and effectively, limiting damage to the site.
Activate other systems e.g. access control
Depending on the various systems on-site and their setup, CCTV monitoring may allow for the monitoring operatives to respond to an incident by activating the site’s other security or fire safety systems. For instance, if an intruder was confirmed to have broken into a site, the access control system could be initiated to block all escape routes for the intruder until the police arrive.
There are therefore many capabilities of CCTV monitoring and it can be used in various ways and in conjunction with other systems to improve the level of security and safety of a site to both the premises, employees and visitors.
Working with RMS
When working with RMS, each site will receive a completely bespoke approach and responses can be tailored to its individual needs. Fully NSI Gold accredited and operating to BS5979 Category II Standards, we pride ourselves on our honest, transparent and excellent customer service.
If you’re looking to start a new CCTV monitoring contract or want to move an existing one, get in touch.