Setting up CCTV on Your Construction Site

CCTV systems are essential for protecting your construction site from thieves, vandals and other trespassers, but will only be worth the investment if they are positioned correctly, installed by an expert and regularly maintained.

Read more to understand how and why CCTV systems should be set up properly for maximum effectiveness.

Site layout

In order to be as effective as possible, a CCTV camera must be set up in a way that captures as much of the construction site as possible, so that any potential threat is detected immediately. You will normally find that a camera which is positioned higher up can capture a wider area, whilst also being harder to sabotage by would-be criminals.

An expert security service provider will be able to help with this, ensuring placement is appropriate so as to avoid any obstructions and blind spots.

Sunlight

Many site operators fail to take into consideration the effect that sunlight can have on the efficiency of their CCTV systems. In fact, natural light can cause screen ‘glare’, which may ultimately reduce the image quality captured by your cameras, therefore making it harder to view details within the footage and images. This is easily preventable by clever positioning, which ensures the sun falls behind the camera rather than in front of it.

Cables

Not only do exposed cables look rather unsightly, but they also present a possible safety hazard, since site workers could trip over them. Moreover, cables can potentially be severed by criminals, which has been known to happen. Wireless CCTV systems now exist to overcome such issues and can be monitored offsite 24 hours per day for total peace of mind.

Maintenance

In order to remain as effective as possible, your CCTV systems need to be regularly updated and maintained. As such, when setting up cameras, it is advisable that they are placed in areas which are easily accessible to maintenance engineers tasked with carrying out repair work where necessary.

Privacy issues

Many construction sites border or overlook residential areas or even government buildings, so it’s important to keep privacy at the forefront of your mind when having your CCTV cameras set up. Privacy concerns can be avoided by clever camera positioning, trying best to circumvent residential areas and private property where possible.

This is particularly important given the new GDPR regulations, which hold that people have a right to know they are being filmed by a CCTV camera. However, overcoming this issue can often be done with simple signage placement.

Forward planning

Just because your camera captures the perfect, unobstructed view when initially installed, does not mean it will be like that forever, particularly on an ever-changing construction site. As such, forward planning is recommended, taking into account how the project will physically progress as time goes on will be important for the maintenance of CCTV

Choosing a location with progress in mind will help to avoid the unnecessary cost and hassle of camera reinstallation at a later date.

Professional security installers

Perhaps the most significant factor when setting up your CCTV system is to ensure that they are installed by a construction site security professional. Always check accreditations, which are a sure-fire sign of quality and trust, as well as asking relevant questions, such as the number of similar projects they have successfully completed.