New Commercial CCTV Systems rules and regulations.

Welcome to our second blog on commercial CCTV systems rules and regulations, it aims to deal predominantly with having CCTV installed on commercial properties and businesses. Take a look here for more details on our Commercial CCTV solutions: . Data Protection laws for businesses slightly differ from domestic, its very important you get them right or you may face a hefty fine.

How to become Data compliant with your new commercial CCTV system

One of the first things to do is nominate an individual within your company to become responsible for the operation of the  CCTV system. This person may also be the Data protection officer

Make a data protection impact assessment, this needs to detail the potential impact your CCTV cameras have on individuals privacy. It should clearly state why you are installing CCTV and why it is the best solution for you. Your CCTV system should only be used for the purpose you initially intended it for. e.g. If you intended it for crime prevention in a certain area this is all it should be used for and not for example seeing how long a member of staff has had on their break!

You will need to register your business with the information commissioners office (ICO)  and pay a data protection fee you can do this here Some organizations such as charities may not have to pay a fee but still need to register.

Implement a CCTV policy/procedure stating how your business will respond to individuals or organizations who request to see your CCTV footage.

The policy will also need to state your data retention periods in other words how long you intend to keep the CCTV footage you have recorded before you delete it.

Also think about and document how you will keep unauthorised individuals from accessing the CCTV images. Special tamper proof boxes that are designed to house CCTV processing and recording equipment such as DVRs can be purchased to keep the equipment extra secure and also protect it from theft. They features bolt holes for permanent fixing, a secure lockable hinge, air vents to keep the DVR cool and a tough front window for easy monitoring.

CCTV signs need to be clearly displayed to inform individuals you are recording them on CCTV.

For further reading:

A guide to the 12 principles of surveillance cameras code of practice can be found here:
