Whether you are an educational establishment, commercial business enterprise or hospital, safeguarding your staff, business and data is crucial. The importance of effective CCTV surveillance is unquestionable.

A key business security measure and effective deterrent for theft and vandalism, CCTV cameras positioned at the appropriate angles are crucial in keeping businesses and people safe and providing peace of mind.

Here, we discuss CCTV technology and where it should be positioned to be most effective to safeguard commercial business sites.

Prevalence

In November 2020, it was reported that the number of CCTV cameras in the UK had reached 5.2 million, with 98 percent ofthis total being operated by private businesses and homeowners.  

Not only do these figures demonstrate the awareness and intent of businesses wanting to protect their premises, it also emphasises that organisation decision makers are well aware of the countless benefits that installing a CCTV will deliver their business.

Benefits

A CCTV system delivers a host of benefits to commercial businesses, including:

• Deterring theft
• Constant protection
• Protecting lone workers
• Providing camera footage for evidence
• Health and safety/monitoring incidents on-site
• Deterring vandalism
• Assist with time management/staff timekeeping
• Giving managers visibility of the entire business site
• Monitoring staff safety
• Providing peace of mind 

Implementing CCTV camera systems, alongside a remote monitoring service, acts as a preventative measure and provides live camera feeds that alert security staff to any suspicious activity or movement.

CCTV camera positioning

It is no surprise that the positioning of CCTV requires careful planning and consideration. To reap their full security benefit, knowing the most effective places to position cameras, including the most appropriate height and angles, is vital.

At TouchStar, our pre-installation activity is as important as when we fit an organisation’s CCTV. Our team of experts will visit your site and complete an in-depth CCTV survey. This will establish your unique requirements and where best to position your CCTV to maximise your investment and fully enhance your security. Our CCTV surveys address several aspects, which include:

• Indication of typical light levels
• Surveillance zones
• Requirements for remote monitoring
• Requirements for video motion detectors
• Mains power supply assessment

Location

There are several key areas located in and around a commercial property that should be prioritised for CCTV installation:

Reception areas

An area that could potentially be overlooked, a reception is of great importance and a high-traffic location.

Reception areas often have people regularly entering and leaving during business hours and at peak times. If the reception area is street-facing, it is also likely going to be the most common area for potential vandals and trespassers to attempt to enter the premises. Not only will a CCTV camera be an effective deterrent, but it will allow customers and staff to be monitored and unrecognised visitors to be identified.

Exits and entrances

Keeping track of authorised personnel who enter and leave commercial premises can be a time-intensive task, as well as identifying and filtering out potential trespassers. CCTV positioned at entrance and exit points enables tracking of everyone entering the premises, and delivers a clear view of their faces should this be required at a later date.

CCTV positioned at exits and entrances ensures that individuals are aware they are being monitored and acts as a deterrent for theft and vandalism. However, to ensure the best quality images, care and consideration of light sources next to any doors, as well as how this light changes throughout the day, must be factored in.

Storage rooms

Most commercial business have a storage room, which could be used to house a range of items, such as confidential data, IT equipment/servers documents or products ahead of distribution. In certain circumstances, access to storage rooms is denied for specific employees.

Installing CCTV at the door to the storage room allows the restricted area and its contents to be monitored, and any unauthorised entry to be investigated.

Optimum height

While the positioning of CCTV cameras is vital, so too is achieving optimal height. The most common installation height is generally either 2.5m or 5m, however, this depends completely on the property and/or location of where the equipment is being installed.

When considering optimum height of CCTV cameras, consider:

• If they are mounted too low, they will act as a focal point, be conspicuous and attract vandals, and be accessible for thieves.
• If they are mounted too high or positioned too far away from the monitored location, this could cause pixelated imagery when zooming in, making identifying faces at a later date problematic.
• If they are mounted in too much of a disguised position to hide the camera, this could interfere with visibility/viewing angles and block lines of sight.  

Scalability

When considering investing in CCTV for your commercial operation, it is important to consider scalability. Ensure that the technology you are opting for has the capability to be scaled up and grow as your organisation develops.

At TouchStar, we utilise the very latest technologies to deliver fully scalable systems. So, you can be assured that your advanced CCTV technology can grow with your business operation as you upscale.

Not a ‘one size fits all’ approach

At TouchStar ATC, our experts believe in a completely bespoke approach to CCTV installation – after all, every business is unique and brings with it its own set of specific requirements.

We’ve been supplying bespoke security solutions to businesses across a variety of sectors for more than 30 years. Our CCTV experts are on hand and more than happy to assist you in choosing the right system to suit your organisation.

Get in touch today to find out how we can help.    

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR – LYNDEN JONES

Lynden joined Touchstar ATC (formally Feedback Data) in a sales role for Access Control in 2010.  Prior to joining the company, Lynden held both Production and Account Manager roles, gaining wide technical and commercial experience within the electronics market.  

In 2013 Lynden was promoted to Sales Director and in 2017 he took overall responsibility of the business as Managing Director.As well as running Touchstar ATC, Lynden still remains extremely active in the sales and key account management aspects of the business. When not involved in the business, Lynden is a keen performance car enthusiast.