Video surveillance in the workplace protects both the company and its employees. This means that quality video surveillance system standards should be at the top of your list.

Video surveillance can do a lot of the legwork in preventing workplace incidents before they begin. They can also help you monitor activity and take care of any illegal happenings within your company. For that reason, a CCTV camera is a fundamental tool that keeps your property secure, along with maintaining the well-fare of your company’s employees and operations. It promotes the safety of the space and reduces crime rates.

To read more about how security standards help organizations to manage their security requirements, click here.

BS 8418: Ensuring the Integrity of Installed CCTV Systems

Detector-activated CCTV systems are an effective tool in the prevention and detection of crime, which provides visually confirmed images of incidents as they progress. They can provide value-added features such as their use being part of a safety management process when not performing the security function. 

When a detector senses activity the system transmits the images to a Remote Video Response Centre (RVRC) where they can be evaluated by an operator. These images can be viewed and a request can be made to an emergency response if there is visual evidence showing unauthorized access to the secure area and/or actual criminal activity. Therefore, it is essential that the resilience and quality of the CCTV system are high and they are maintained at all times.

BS 8418 Installation and remote monitoring of detector-activated CCTV systems ensure the integrity and effectiveness of an installed CCTV system are not comprised. This standard:

• Provides detailed technical and non-technical requirements for interested parties in one document

• Is the only CCTV standard that qualifies for Police Response via the Unique Reference Number (URN) route currently used by professional installers and monitoring centers across the country

• Calls on the best practice used in other CCTV and intruder alarm related applications

• Enables the operation of a nationally recognized installer and monitoring center certification scheme

• Is aligned to be in accordance with the International Electrotechnical Committee (IEC) CCTV standards

• Recommends the design, installation, commissioning, operation, maintenance, and remote monitoring of detector-activated CCTV systems

Get everyone in your business involved in embedding a best practice culture when it comes to security. A BSI Knowledge subscription gives you instant access to the resources you need to improve your security systems. Build your own custom collection of standards, or opt for access to our GBM08 Fire, Accident & Crime Protection module and keep up-to-date with any relevant changes to your standards strategy. Request to learn more.

Other Key Security Standards Supporting Video Surveillance Systems

These standards include the systems that monitor activity in public areas, businesses, or commercial buildings for real-time or later review. 

Some record only videos, while others include sound. Video surveillance can also be used inside and outside schools and private residences as an extra security measure. Available systems offer varying levels of sophistication within a wide price range. 

BS 7958:2015 Closed Circuit Television (CCTV). Management and operation. Code of practice. BS 7958:2015 gives recommendations for the management and operation of CCTV within a controlled environment, where data that might be offered as evidence are received, stored, reviewed, or analyzed. It applies to the monitoring and management of public spaces, including automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) and traffic enforcement cameras.

BS EN 62676-3:2015 Video surveillance systems for use in security applications. Analog and digital video interfaces. BS EN 62676-3:2015 specifies physical, electrical and software interface (non-IP) specifications of analog and digital video interface in video surveillance systems (so far called CCTV) applications. 

BS EN 62676-4:2015 Video surveillance systems for use in security applications. Application guidelines. BS EN 62676-4:2015 gives recommendations and requirements for the selection, planning, installation, commissioning, maintaining, and testing of video surveillance systems (VSS) comprising of image capture device(s), interconnection(s), and image handling device(s), for use in security applications. 

BS EN 62676-1-1:2014 Video surveillance systems for use in security applications. System requirements. General. BS EN 62676-1-1:2014 specifies the minimum requirements and gives recommendations for video surveillance systems (VSS) installed for security applications. It specifies the minimum performance requirements and functional requirements to be agreed on between customer, law enforcement where applicable, and supplier in the operational requirement. 

BS EN 62676-1-2:2014 Video surveillance systems for use in security applications. System requirements. Performance requirements for video transmission. BS EN 62676-1-2:2014 introduces general requirements on video transmission. It covers the general requirements for video transmissions on performance, security, and conformance to basic IP connectivity, based on available, well-known, international standards. 

BS EN 62676-2-1:2014 Video surveillance systems for use in security applications. Video transmission protocols. General requirements. BS EN 62676-2-1:2014 introduces an IP network interface for devices in surveillance applications. It specifies a network protocol for the full interoperability of video devices. On top of the basic layers, protocols are defined to accomplish the full interoperability of video devices. 

Ensure your video surveillance systems are operating to best practices by adding these security standards to your collection today.