CCTV Installation Site Survey Checklist

We recommend conducting a cctv installation site survey before installing a surveillance system and documenting it for future needs and improvements.

A cctv installation site survey is made up of many building components, and this guide will help you identify them. One of the first things to define is the installation’s purpose. Other factors to consider include the physical location and the needs of the consumer, as well as examining existing security protocols and possibly implementing new ones.

The locations to monitor and why, the cameras to employ and where to place them, and the current network infrastructure are all important considerations for a successful surveillance installation

The site survey considerations will be presented in five steps in this tutorial.

PRE-ASSESSMENT

Before visiting a site, a potential supplier should conduct a pre-assessment to have a better understanding of the business and its potential challenges. As a result, a pre-assessment could include:

• Examining the company’s website to learn about its brand.
• Making it obvious what needs to be appraised, such as buildings, grounds, and parking lots.
• Identifying and ranking significant assets in crucial order.
• Investigating significant pain areas that are regularly encountered in the sector.

Framework for site surveys

The physical location and the customer’s needs are two of the building blocks of the site study when planning your surveillance system. A combined evaluation of existing security procedures and policies with the customer might help you discover opportunities for improvement. A risk assessment is required to determine surveillance needs, but it will also assist you identify what the client is attempting to prevent and/or protect.

Other site survey building components include determining the overall requirements, specific places to monitor and why, and the required degrees of security. Another key consideration is the current infrastructure, which includes existing equipment, lighting, wiring, and camera mounting circumstances.

View: CCTV Installation Services in Kenya

The cctv installation site survey assists you in identifying areas of interest, some of which the customer may have overlooked. The following are typical locations to monitor:

• Entrances
• Exits for emergencies
• Gates for cars and pedestrians
• ATM machines in cashier areas
• Lines and waiting areas
• Areas of reception
• Loading zones and delivery points
• Hallways
• Fences, perimeter zones, and windows

Camera placement and selection

It is critical to understand the client’s surveillance requirements while selecting and positioning cameras. Do you need to detect objects/people, recognize people, or identify distinct face characteristics? The level of information necessary is determined by the operational necessity.

To define recognition, this means that the image can be used to identify someone already known to the observer, even if the person’s face is not totally visible or clear – since other visual characteristics (height, body size, stride, attire, and so on) also play a role in recognition.

Read: Types of CCTV Cameras and their use

An photograph excellent enough for identification, on the other hand, must have enough information to allow positive facial identification of a previously unknown person when compared to other images or when the individual is physically present, regardless of other factors.

Infrastructure for networks

This portion of the cctv installation site survey assessment is validating existing equipment and functionality to confirm that the network does what it is supposed to do and that the system will support future needs. Check to see if the system will support advanced features like Quality of Service (QoS), Power over Ethernet (PoE), and Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs).

Certify the existing cabling as well, to guarantee that it is future-proof and has enough capacity to handle the network traffic. Use network certification tools to validate performance.

When designing a network, always utilize a star or redundant star architecture since it reduces network load on each switch, reduces stress on the server, and provides a high level of redundancy. Never utilize a daisy chain infrastructure since it is a risky configuration with potential bottleneck difficulties and low redundancy.

PoE (Power over Ethernet)

There are presently two PoE standards available:

802.3af has a maximum channel power of 15.4 W.

802.3at can deliver up to 30 W per channel.

To guarantee that a network switch provides enough PoE power, you must determine the total power consumption requirements for all the devices connected to that switch. This total wattage need must be less than the PoE power budget of the switch.

The PoE powering of a device becomes more crucial as the temperature rises. Many gadgets, depending on the amount of power supplied, can operate at various low temperature levels. It is critical to ensure that the proper midspan is used for outside cameras.

POST-ASSESSMENT

Following the completion of a site study, the security supplier should provide a detailed report and exact costings of the CCTV recommendations so that your company is fully informed before making a decision. Any advice made to your company should include camera locations and positions, as well as the scalability and future-proofing of your proposed installation.

Read: Cost of CCTV Installation in Kenya

Conclusion

Before establishing a surveillance system, a site study should be performed and documented for future needs and improvements.

One of the first things to define is the installation’s purpose. The location and the needs of the consumer are also key factors to consider, as is assessing existing security measures and implementing new ones. What regions to monitor and why, which cameras to choose and where to install them, and the present health of the network infrastructure are all important aspects in a successful surveillance installation.