We get called out to a lot of sites where someone has already had a CCTV system fitted. Sometimes recently. And more often than you’d think, the cameras are in the wrong place, the recording quality is set too low to make out a face, or the system overwrites itself every 24 hours. On a couple of occasions we’ve found cameras that weren’t even recording at all just blinking away on a wall giving the impression of security without providing any.
We’re not saying this to be harsh about other installers. The honest truth is that CCTV has become so cheap to buy that a lot of people have set themselves up as installers without really understanding what a system needs to do. Fitting cameras is the easy part. Designing a system that actually protects you that’s a different thing entirely.
It starts with a proper look at the site
Before we quote for anything, we want to walk the site. Every premises is different. A manufacturing unit in Burnley has completely different risks to a school in Blackburn or a retail unit in Darwen town centre. We’re looking at where the vulnerable points are, what the lighting is like at night, where vehicles come and go, and what a camera actually needs to capture to be useful. A camera pointing at a car park entrance is only useful if it can read a number plate in the dark. Otherwise it’s decorative.
We carry out free site surveys for every new client, and we take them seriously. It’s the only way to design a system that does what it’s supposed to do.
The difference accreditation actually makes
24/7 Protection holds SSAIB accreditation, which is the main independent certification body for security installers in the UK. What that means in practice is that our installations are audited against British Standards on a regular basis not by us, but by an external body. If we’re not up to scratch, we lose the accreditation. That gives our clients something an unaccredited installer simply cannot offer: independent verification that the work has been done correctly.
It also matters to your insurer. If you make a claim following a break-in and it turns out your CCTV was installed by a company with no recognised accreditation, some insurers will push back on that. An SSAIB-certified system removes that risk.
Higher definition than you probably think you need
Most people, when they think about CCTV, picture the grainy footage that gets shown on local news appeals. That’s largely a thing of the past. We install 4K and 8K ultra-high-definition cameras that can pick out facial features and vehicle registrations from distances that would have been impossible even five years ago. We also install IP systems with video analytics meaning the camera can tell the difference between a person walking into a restricted area and a pigeon landing on the roof. Fewer false alarms, and actual alerts when something is worth your attention.
Not every site needs the top-end specification. Part of our job is helping you understand what level of system is appropriate for your risk, your budget, and your insurance requirements. We’ll always tell you straight.
We’re based here, and we’re staying here
24/7 Protection is based on Wood Street in Darwen. We cover Lancashire including Blackburn, Burnley, Preston, Chorley, Accrington, and the surrounding areas. We’re also members of LANPAC, the Lancashire Partnership Against Crime, which brings together local businesses and police to reduce crime across the county. We take that seriously it’s part of why we got into this work in the first place.
If you want a free site survey or just want to talk through what you’ve already got, give us a call on 01254 416247
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