What are the CCTV rules for business owners?

Trade businesses can rely on CCTV to protect their people and property. But what are the CCTV rules and regulations in the workplace? This article looks at the CCTV rules for business owners.

It is good to get familiar with the CCTV rules for businesses, as the watchful eye of the camera can provide multiple benefits.

But as a business, you must follow CCTV rules in the workplace. These are fairly strict and backed by legislation.

So, if you fail to follow CCTV rules and regulations your trade business faces fines.

Why should you consider CCTV training?

It’s a fast-growing area of the market.

Demand for residential and commercial CCTV installation is rising. The amount CCTV installers earn bears this out.

If you’re an electrician you might consider upskilling to take on CCTV work. There are also CCTV installation courses available.

CCTV is a central part of a home or business security system. You may be thinking of getting into this trade area. But starting a business and knowing the regulations are different types of information.

How to start a CCTV business

Starting a home security system business is profitable, and you’ll also be keeping your customers safe. Interested? Read on to discover how to create a foolproof business plan and how to start your CCTV journey. How to start a home security business: The first steps Once you’re sure building a CCTV

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Benefits of CCTV for business owners

Let’s look at reasons why it can pay to install CCTV on your trade premises.

CCTV at work can help to:

• Protect your staff, vehicles, plants, equipment and property

• Improve health and safety at work by monitoring activities to see where better practices can be introduced

• Improve efficiency at work, for example, see where processes can be done better, or using space more effectively on a work site

Having recordings of activities can also help settle disputes in the unlikely event they arise.

CCTV can therefore act as an impartial witness to anything that goes place. Either on a job site, your business premises, or even in your work vehicles.

Getting familiar with CCTV rules and regulations

Knowing the CCTV rules for business means understanding something about data protection law.

That's because digital images of people are treated as data.

Protecting privacy

In this case, we’re talking about the Data Protection Act 2018. It’s the UK’s version of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

There’s also the Human Rights Act 1998 to consider. A key principle of this law is our right to privacy. This includes in public spaces and where you work.

CCTV GDPR rules cover people’s personal data – which includes CCTV footage. If you record people with CCTV it must be for what is called a ‘single intended purpose’. In other words, using surveillance cameras to protect your property and assets.

You'll need to follow what are called the data protection principles. These are to use data

• Lawfully and fairly

• For the intended, specified reasons only

You must:

• Only keep the CCTV data for as long as necessary

• Handle the CCTV data in the right way, including holding it securely

Steps you need to take when installing CCTV

Let’s now look at the CCTV rules for business regarding what you tell customers and the public:

• Put up signs telling people what CCTV is being used and why

• Keep the images only for as long as your business will need them

• Share the images, if asked, by authorities like the police

• Provide images within one month to anyone who you have recorded if they request them

• Keep careful control over who views images and recordings

The National Security Inspectorate are one of the key trade associations that exist for people in companies that work with security software and hardware, such as those that install CCTV.

Like the government's website, they are another good source of information when it comes to getting familiar with CCTV rules for business owners.

CCTV rules in the workplace

Of course, it’s not just the public and customers who you might film on your CCTV. You’re likely to film employees as well.

Once again, there are strict legal rules on recording employees with CCTV.

Meeting CCTV rules in the workplace should start with you undertaking an impact assessment. In simple terms, this means deciding how you will monitor employees and whether this is justified.

You must tell employees:

• You will be monitoring them using CCTV

• Why you are doing this

• Reassure them about where you won’t be filming, for example, in toilets

You can do this by talking to them or putting your CCTV intentions in writing. Details like this can go in an employee handbook if you have one.

Installing CCTV for your business

With so many CCTV rules and regulations, it pays to take it one step at a time. If you decide to install CCTV in your trade business a good starting place is with a checklist. Such as those created by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

Getting to grips with data protection can sound a bit daunting.

Especially knowing about CCTV GDPR rules and other legal requirements. There is a lot to consider when it comes to data protection for small businesses.

Data protection for small businesses

In this digital age, the significance of data protection cannot be overstated, especially for small businesses. For small businesses, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is not just a legal obligation but a step towards establishing customer trust. In this guide, we’ll outline everything

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Letting people see your CCTV footage

The whole point behind the Data Protection Act and GDPR is to protect people’s privacy. As part of that process, you must make your CCTV footage readily available to relevant parties.

Everybody has the right to find out what information is being stored about them. That means anyone can ask to see your CCTV footage if they think it includes images of them.

Usually, you have to provide images for free. You must do this within one month of the request to view the CCTV footage.

Paying the data protection fee

The CCTV rules and regulations include a data protection fee you probably have to pay. This is because you are creating and processing data (digital images of people).

You have to pay the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for creating personal data on CCTV.

However, some trade businesses may be exempt from paying these charges. So make sure to check the latest exemption lists from the ICO.

The fees are:

• £40-£60 for most small and medium-sized businesses

• Up to £2,900 if you employ lots of people and have a high turnover

If you don’t pay any fees you owe then the ICO can fine you.

What is small business compliance and why does it matter?

Why is small business compliance necessary? Like businesses of all sizes, there are lots of reasons why compliance is necessary. In situations involving regulatory compliance, a business might be breaking the law if it doesn’t follow the rules. In many other situations, it makes sense to have small

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FAQs

What are the rules on CCTV?

If your trade business uses CCTV then you have to follow legal requirements by telling people what you are recording them.

What are CCTV GDPR rules?

Capturing images of people on CCTV means you create data that is personal to them. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is there to protect people’s personal data. CCTV GDPR rules say you must only collect personal data for a single, started purpose, for example, to protect your property from theft.

Do I have to tell people my trade business uses CCTV?

Yes, CCTV rules for businesses say you must put up signs that clearly say you use CCTV and why you do.

Do people have a right to see CCTV images my trade business captures?

They do. You must usually provide CCTV images on request for free and within one month.

Do I have to tell employees that my trade business uses CCTV?

You do. Like members of the public, employees have a legal right to know they are being filmed on CCTV. You have to tell staff you are using CCTV, where and why.