Monthly Archives: March 2010

Staff Watch CCTV.

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Not Big Brother

Watching over staff is not all about making sure they are doing their job. Under recent regulation it has become law that employer’s ensure that their staff are safe at work.

How can this be achieved?

IP cameras can provide a simple ,cost effective solution to ensure employers can meet their legal obligations and make sure their staff are safe at work ,especially when they are in a relatively isolated situation .

Examples of dangerous situations.

Shop workers.

security guards.

cashiers.

NHS staff.

receptionists.

The list goes on . All these people are exposed at times to public anger or frustration and this can put them in danger.

So how can they be protected?

Simple measures can be put in place to ensure they are able to communicate with the outside world should they feel exposed to danger. The panic button is an easy solution and very effective. IP cameras that are able to be Integrated to analytics can generate alarms and raise a response if required. The analytics can be programmed to generate alarms when they detect unusual movement such as a violent struggle or a person in area where they should not normally be.

The employer.

The bottom line is, the employer must care enough to protect his staff . With the advent of some very clever integrated CCTV systems, linked to audible devices that work on VOIP,  IP security solutions are  now available and these can now be linked to central stations in order to raise an alarm.

Conclusion.

Staffwatch, using IP CCTV will help to prevent attacks and ensure help can be raised if things do escalate. CCTV integrated to PA buttons and mobile pda solutions will definitely make sure staff are kept safer.

 

Integrated Access Control

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Integrated access control

Integrated Access control systems are the most effective way of controlling movement and maintaining the security within your organization whether it be one site or multiple locations.

No more key cabinets.

Companies are moving away from using the traditional method of securing your establishment i.e locks and keys. This  is fast becoming unfashionable and inconvenient as well as actually not being that secure at all. Keys are often lost or copied and for the determined individual offer only limited effectiveness.

Who is responsible.

To add to this there is also the fact that companies heavily rely on individuals to lock the building down at the end of the day. Any errors within this process means you can easily be left unprotected.

Access control.

So the solution is access control often integrated to CCTV to give you a belt and braces answer to your security issues. Everyone has heard about it but are we all aware of the huge benefits it can bring.

Control and information.

The other great thing about  integrated access control is that you will know who has been through what door at what time. In addition,  this is backed up with CCTV images to allow verification of the card data. Of course you also want to control when and where your staff can be at any one time within the building, most access control software is now equipped to allow you time zones and access rights into the  certain designated areas you define.

Securing the door.

There are different ways of controlling the locking down of the doors. Mag-locks and electronic door locks together with sheer bolts form the main way of doing this. Combine this with a door closer and when someone has successfully passed through the door it is always locked down behind them.

How do we open the door?

We fit a reader to the door. When a card or fob is addressed up to the reader it sends its unique code through the network to the controller the controller then sends a command to the door release mechanism and opens the door .The software logs each action and the  time it occurred. Sometimes on the un-secured side of the door we fit a push to release button that will allow egress without the need for a card.

Fire.

There are two different ways to exit the building in the case of fire. The first is electronically. To achieve this we are able to interface the controllers to the fire alarm system. Should the fire alarm sound, the software can release every door in the building allowing unrestricted egress. Also adjacent to each door there is a break glass and in the case of an emergency this can be broken and the door will open.

What is right for your organisation?

Well integrated access control comes in many different shapes and sizes from single door solutions to multiple doors within one building . However some of the big access control systems have been designed to incorporate a world wide solution for global organizations. Most access control sysems now also offer IP solutions, so the flexibility of integrated CCTV/ access control systems is unlimited and will bring some welcome control back to your company.

Paxton Access Control

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Recommendation.

On this site we like to talk about products we have used and are happy to recommend. Paxton access control is a product that has long been known to us and tried and tested.

NET 2

Net 2 access control manufactured by Paxton is one of the big success stories in the integrated access control market place. They manufacture readers ,controllers and software that has been designed to be able to control entry and exit to hundreds of doors and be accessible to thousands of users.

Flexible.

Net2 is designed to fit into the mainstream access control market , however it has the ability to expand to up to 10,000 users so giving it a leading edge over many of its competitors. One of the concepts employed by Paxton is that their product is expandable. From one door to many hundreds , flexibilty is crucial in gaining sales .

Access Control Software.

The software is well designed and can easily be understood by end users and engineers alike . The person charged with the administration of the system can be comfortable in the knowledge that it will always be stable and reliable.

Networked IP solution.

Multiple site solutions are no problem as the system uses TCP/IP to communicate between different locations and allows  nationwide or even worldwide solutions to some bigger corperate customers.

Control.

Access rights and time zones give a site manager complete control over who goes where and when. As an administrator he /she has the power to control all the day to day movements of both his staff , any site contractors and of course  visitors . The administrator can view real time events and has the ability to create reports should these be required.

Free software.

The software is free and can be loaded onto multiple PCs within the organization so admin rights can be shared if required.

CCTV and Biometric Integration.

Although Paxton produce their own readers they are no strangers to the concept of integration. They can integrate other manufacturers readers and biometric devices easily into their systems meaning takeovers become a relatively easy task.

Market leaders.

Taking into account all we have highlighted so far , its easy to see why Paxton are one of the market leaders in today’s integrated access control market.

For the record!

Paxton are able to integrate to intruder alarm systems , offer wireless IP solutions and connect seamlessly to IP cameras. I/O boards allow the ability to trip input and outputs over IP . Advanced reader technology can also offer hands free entry.

It all looks good!

One of the main things however that Paxton have considered is aesthetics. Access control has to fit into modern building designs and  they have achieved this with style.

Conclusion.

In conclusion Paxton have managed to capture the mainstream access control market in the UK and across Europe. This is a fantastic achievement when you consider the calibre of the competition .With new innovative ideas being presented to installers everyday .We can only see Paxton going from strength to strength.

CCTV Engineer required ?

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Installation engineer.

CCTV engineers are a breed unto themselves. They combine the skills of drilling, fixing and cable running for starters. Add to this the need to be able to wire up intricate panels and program them .They also have to fault find and commission what are  sometimes very large systems. Add to this the ability to work at height and you can see they have a to have a large and varied skill set.

More skills

However it does not stop here. The CCTV engineer must be able to have other skills such as being able to fit access control and intruder alarms and all sorts of integrated security. They have to work in extremely varied environments from scrap yards to car sale showrooms to high- tec manufacturers to garden centres, the list is endless. Simply because CCTV, Access control and intruder alarms have to be installed into just about every business environment in the country.

A rare breed!

Can they need any more skills? Well yes they need to be able to read drawings and specifications. They must carry out risk assessment and be able to deal face to face with customers. They must complete paperwork and be clean and tidy. They have to think on their feet and have the ability and training be able to operate cherry pickers. Most of all they must present a good company image at all times.

Difficult job?

If you look  into everything listed above you would be right to think that your friendly CCTV engineer is expected to be all things to all people and to some degree it is true, the best ones are quite simply the life blood of a security installer. A thought here now though. Much of the above is associated with running cables and terminating connections!

But for how long will all these skills be required?

Things though are changing and probably at the fastest pace for the last 20 years. IP solutions are beginning to dominate the market and this certainly means that the CCTV engineer needs to adapt into something quite alien to what he has been used to for the last few years.

Networks and Laptops.

Understanding of customers networks, loading and operating software and a total understanding of Internet protocol. These will soon be the new tools of the  CCTV engineer. Admittedly many products already require a laptop to set them up but this can nearly always  be done by the IT department before the product goes to site. Remote connectivity is almost rendering the commissioning process on site redundant and the engineer as we know him is being pushed to one side by the IT departments. This however is inevitable, Integrated CCTV , IP intruder alarms and access control is now the prefered option of many companies and the CCTV engineer needs to be ever more technically minded and versatile.

Conclusion.

Finally we ask will the CCTV engineer actually ever be replaced ? Well more and more functions can be carried out remotely and with customers networks being used instead of coaxial cable runs many skills are being lost or replaced by IT functions. It seems to me that the the friendly CCTV engineer must evolve quickly or sadly, very soon he could be replaced by the IT integrator.

NSI, SSAIB why they are needed within the CCTV industry.

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SSAIB, NACOSS, NSI

It does not matter what inspectorate you use, the need to audit is an unquestionable asset in the security industry today. To be fair most of the big companies are “forced” to subscribe to an auditor to be able to give the correct certification to their customers in order that the customer can comply with their insurers demands.

The dreaded visit.

It is fair to say that most company Quality assurance managers dread the impending visit by their inspector,  MD’s also tend to fuss around at the last minute trying to ensure that all their paperwork is up to date and all their internal and external audits have been completed. Staff are briefed what to say and the office and vehicles are meticulously cleaned ready to greet the unwelcome guest.

Think about it though!

Why is this necessary though? At the end of the day all the inspector will look at is to see that you do what you actually say you do in order to give your customers fair service , well installed equipment and value for money. The company should always work to these standards and seek to continuously improve on them. Whats wrong with doing what you have agreed to do when you are certificated? After all it is usually the MD or QAM who has written the proceedures your company will be following anyway.

What are the benefits of being audited?

Well, training is audited , administrative procedures to, Installation standards, stock control, security screening and so on. All of these things are a crucial to maintaining the highest standards within your company. Lets be honest would you want to let anyone into your house or business to install something as sensitive as a security system if they had not been audited on the above subjects? I would think not!

It should be easy.

It certainly should be easy. All your company and its employees have to do is follow the instructions written down in your company manual , simple! Any changes or improvements to procedures simply need to be noted and updated within the manual and adhered to. Anyone cutting corners or breaking company procedures really do need to be reprimanded and bought to book . After all you must want staff to do as they are are asked and follow the instructions laid down pretty much to the letter.

Changes within the industry.

With the rapid introduction of integrated CCTV, IP cameras and integrated access control companies and inspectorates alike must adapt to these changes. Manuals will need to be re-written and procedures changed especially bearing in mind that third party networks will form the backbone of any IP CCTV solutions in the integrated security market place. This being said it will not be insurmountable to introduce standards to ensure the end user is not short changed.

Summary.

So in summary being regulated and inspected is actually good for all involved . Security companies get the staff they deserve and the staff get the training and clear working mandate they need. Most importantly the security industry is thankfully short of cowboy installers and this of course means that the end user can be rest assured that they will get a well installed reliable security solution.