When it comes to business security in Cambridgeshire and surrounding counties, CCTV surveillance is a must. CCTV surveillance cameras in the workplace allow business owners to safeguard their employees, their belongings and their business. The risk of crime is reduced. However, if a crime does take place, the business has the evidence for their insurance claim and for the criminals to be caught.
However, there are rules for CCTV in businesses. This is what we want to talk about in this blog post. By understanding the rules of CCTV in businesses you can ensure you are now breaking any UK privacy or data protection laws in your workplace.
In this blog post we share how to manage CCTV in your business the right way. We help you avoid infringing strict privacy laws that are in place to protect your employees and customers. Below is what you need to know about the rules for CCTV in businesses. We also share how to stay on the right side of them.
If you are an employer and business owner and considering installing CCTV in your business for security reasons, here is what you need to do first.
- As an employer you must register as a date controller. You need to notify to ICO and explain the reasons you have decided to install CCTV surveillance cameras into your workplace. You can then only use the footage recorded for the reasons that you have stated to the ICO. This surveillance footage can be used for no other reasons.
- All employees within your business need to be told that CCTV cameras are being installed and that they will be recorded. Visitors to your business, customers, suppliers and more will also need to be made aware. We would recommend a team meeting and email for your staff members. Signs around and inside your business notifying people that CCTV cameras are in operation would be recommended too.
- It is important that you are careful about where CCTV cameras are placed too. For example, CCTV surveillance cameras can not be installed in private areas of the workplace where people will expect complete privacy. These areas include places like toilets and changing rooms, for example.
- Individuals are allowed to request to see any CCTV footage you have that features them. However, this needs to be requested within one month. As an employer you are only required to give them access to CCTV footage that features the individual within one month. After this time CCTV footage should be deleted safely.
- As per ICO guidance, we would recommend that you have a nominated person in your business that is responsible for CCTV footage. They are then responsible for the storage of the footage, the system procedures and the reviews.
If you are considering installing CCTV cameras in your business and want to make sure you don’t break the rules for CCTV in businesses, call our team. We will happily guide you through each stage of CCTV camera installation. We will also talk about the rules around CCTV in your business and workplace. Contact us now to find out how we can secure your business.
