Health and safety compliance is one of the major challenges faced by construction site managers, particularly since sites are typically rife with potential hazards. As such, conducting regular risk assessments and ensuring that the right systems are in place to help address any threats to health and safety is a vital first step, followed by overall monitoring, which is used to ensure that standards are being continuously adhered to.
Construction site CCTV has many benefits – not only is it cost-effective, modern and flexible, but it also provides a fantastic way to observe and analyse what is happening on site, including any hazards. We discuss how you can effectively monitor health and safety standards through CCTV.
Spot hazards in real-time
Site managers have a duty to know what is taking place on their site, which is particularly important in the case of an emergency. Construction sites, by their very nature, are full of potential hazards, whether it be working from height on scaffolding, falling objects or malfunctioning tools and machinery – workers, site visitors and members of the public alike may be in danger if standards aren’t met.
CCTV can provide remarkably detailed footage, allowing you to quickly identify any problems in real-time and immediately address the issue before it becomes serious. Hi-tech wireless video detection also allows you to monitor a site 24/7 for dangers and other threats, such as trespassers with no authorised access, without having to be physically present on the construction site.
For managers with several sites to oversee at any given time, having a system in place which allows you to centrally monitor what is going on across a multitude of sites is highly beneficial.
Use footage as evidence
Besides being a great way to continuously supervise site safety, the footage captured by CCTV can also be used to dispute claims or provide evidence of health and safety misconduct and vulnerabilities, as footage can be viewed at a later date. Modern systems allows users to play back each frame, pause, zoom in, and more, meaning a detailed analysis can be carried out in order to find out what caused the problem.
Furthermore, recordings can help support accident reports, or during legal disputes, which can arise when injuries have taken place on the construction site. It can also be used as a means to discipline those responsible, or to train future site workers as to what kind of behaviour or negligence is deemed unacceptable.
By identifying what has gone wrong and addressing it quickly, site managers are helping to prevent future incidents from occurring, while supporting a healthier, safer work environment.
Important points to consider
When monitoring health and safety through CCTV, there are some important legal points to take into consideration. When operating CCTV, UK data protection laws must be properly adhered to, particularly with the new introduction of GDPR.
As CCTV footage falls under the category of personal data, it means that workers must be aware that they could be being filmed, and that the operator can collect and process the footage.
It is also extremely important to choose the right kind of CCTV equipment, as different types have different capabilities, with the latest technology often being the most effective. Above all, the cameras must only be installed by a licensed security professional, who will ensure they are placed in the correct position, with good lighting, and so forth, as placing the systems in the wrong areas can mean the difference between effective and ineffective footage capturing.