How to use CCTV and Access Control to Monitor COVID-Secure Workplace Practices

Re-opening workplaces across the UK are being spot-checked by the Health and Safety Executive to ensure they comply with the new COVID-secure guidelines and have sufficient measures in place to manage the risks identified during their COVID-19 risk assessments. Maintaining social distancing, keeping track of footfall and supervising the wearing of face coverings are all measures that are vital in this respect. But how to monitor such measures effectively? Step in access control and CCTV. London businesses are now using these everyday security measures to ensure COVID-secure compliance. Here’s how.

Using CCTV and distancing detection to manage COVID-19 risks

Protecting employees and visitors to your premises is challenging these days. The Health and Safety Executive has been conducting spot check visits UK-wide and has identified numerous instances of non-compliance with COVID-secure guidelines, including failure to implement and monitor social distancing measures.

Enforcement notices and fines can result in the event of non-compliance, not to mention the risks to health involved. It is vital therefore to take the right steps to track and enforce the necessary distancing measures.

The good news is that your existing CCTV cameras can be adapted to work with distancing detection technology in order to monitor COVID-secure practices in the workplace. This will enable you to:

Receive real time alerts

CCTV systems can be configured to send real time alerts when people enter a building, when the number of people in a room exceeds a safe amount, and when social distancing is not being observed.

Identify tailgating

Tailgating, or piggybacking, is a highly risky security breach where an unauthorised person closely follows an authorised person into an access controlled area. CCTV cameras and distancing detection technology can be used to identify such behaviour.

Monitor facial covering compliance

Where facial coverings are a legal requirement, or there is a workplace policy requiring the wearing of facial coverings, it is possible to use CCTV and facial recognition technology to monitor compliance. Such technology can detect whether or not facial coverings are being used, sending alerts in the event of non-compliance, and/or triggering an audible warning. Such systems can also generate reports to provide details of the levels of compliance that are being achieved.

Detect non-compliance hotspots

Workplace CCTV cameras can be used to check for non-compliance hotspots several times a day, feeding back useful data that will allow you to put additional measures in place to remedy issues.

Using access control for occupancy management

There are various access control systems that include occupancy management features, allowing the number of people in any given area to be limited either by barring access, or sending an alert when a space is nearing full capacity.

Such technology can work across multiple areas of a single site, and in some cases, even across multiple sites. It can be programmed to operate on a one-in, one-out system, and in doing so will support social distancing measures. Some systems can also integrate with thermal imaging cameras for the full solution.

Management of these occupancy management systems is incredibly simple an convenient, either via an internet browser, or a smartphone app.

What to consider when using access control and CCTV London wide for COVID-secure compliance

The use of CCTV and access control and specialist distancing and occupancy management technologies are certainly effective for helping to monitor social distancing, facial covering compliance and keeping track of traffic, but in reality it is the acting upon this information that will make the systems beneficial in terms of protecting the health of building occupants, and COVID-secure compliance.

It is also vital to understand that the use of CCTV cameras for any purpose comes with data protection and privacy implications. In order to meet the requirements of the GDPR, it is essential to consider whether your use of CCTV is the most relevant way to meet the purpose identified. Clear signposting is also an absolute must.

For access control and CCTV London businesses trust the most, talk to Barry Bros Security

Barry Bros Security has been providing advice on security London wide for several decades. We offer a huge variety of CCTV systems London businesses can use to ensure their workplaces are COVID-secure, making it safer for staff to return to the workplace, and to help safeguard the health of visitors and members of the public.

To learn more about how CCTV and access control can be adapted to help make your workplace COVID-secure, you are welcome to get in touch, or call in to discuss your individual requirements in person with a member of our team at our London showroom.