Planning, Design & Erection of
Video surveillance systems
Code of practice for Hospitality sector
(Proposed)
1. Introduction
Any business that operates
within the hospitality sector will be more than aware of how much liability
insurance can cost. There are a number of factors that affect this cost.
“Right from the time when
someone enters a business premises till the time they leave, the business is
held responsible for any kind of misshapen with them.” – This is not just a
statement, but one of the biggest risks that all businesses have. In fact, the
hotels and hospitality providers are mostly affected by this risk. If a
customer or an employee gets hurt in the business premises, the business may
have to go through the frustrating and lengthy litigation process.
While some claims can be
completely genuine, unfortunately there are going to be some fraudulent and
bogus claims. A business has to be prepared to argue their case and provide
evidence, which is where the Video Surveillance installation can be a
worthwhile investment.
Proper evidence is required to
check out the facts which can be provided by CCTV footages. This is the reason
why surveillance cameras are often installed in the premises of hotels and
hospitality providers.The installation of CCTV equipment can be a one-off cost
that acts as a powerful deterrent for opportunistic criminals.
The correct design and use of
such systems is paramount to ensure a CCTV surveillance system meets the needs
of the user, provides a tangible benefit and provides safety and security for
the wider law-abiding public.
NOTE: In
this context, the term Video Surveillance System (VSS) synonymous with CCTV.
2. Scope
This code of practice gives
recommendations for the planning, design of all Video surveillance systems.
This code of practice has been
prepared to assist in this process by taking account of the various standards
for Video surveillance systems, and presenting them in a usable framework
necessary to achieve an effective security surveillance solution.
3. Planning
3.1
Component
Now we pose a few questions that you need to keep in mind before
purchasing your security system.
1. Where in your hotel
theft is most common?
2. Which are the areas you
wish you could capture on tape?
3. Is the neighborhood
around the hotel conducive to crime and theft?
4. What kind of guests do
you receive?
5. What is your property
layout?
6. Is it a Cottage style
property?
7. Does it have a single
building which houses all its rooms and amenities or has more than one building
for different purposes?
8. Does the hotel have a
history of employee theft, guest criminal cases, or legal cases pending?
The questions above help
determine the quality and level of security that you will need. Usually, hotels
with low-risk environments require basic surveillance security and those in
danger zones have a high priority security system.
This is not always the case as
it also depends on the guests the hotel cater. Business hotels in comparison to
luxury hotels or best value hotel have a higher aptitude for security.
The main key component of video surveillance
is Camera, Storage (NVR/DVR/NAS) & image Presentation Devices. Video
analytics, ANPR etc are optional. There are two technology of Video
Surveillance system, Analog & Digital/IP. Here arethe different types Of
CCTV Cameras: Dome Camera, Bullet / Box Camera, Zoom Camera, Speed Dome/PTZ
Camera, Panoramic Camera.
Business hotels require a closed
network surveillance system which can take care of sensitive information and
give complete privacy to guests.
3.2.
Capturing user need
It is the responsibility of the
system specifier or purchaser to identify and record the purpose of the video
surveillance system. When planning CCTV systems it is important to remember
that there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution. Each site will have its own
unique needs based around numerous factors (including nature of site,
geographic location, local environment, history of issues). Similarly each end
user will likely have their own expectations regarding what the system will do
for them (e.g. deter crime, improve detection of crime, monitoring movement of
personnel).
If you are a hotel owner or a
manager, ensuring everything going right is definitely one of your major
responsibilities. Hotel room surveillance is illegal. CCTV security cameras in
hotel room are NOT allowed. Installing security cameras in hotel rooms is a
serious privacy violation.
Security cameras are legal when
being mounted or installed in public areas, such as, lobbies, elevators,
receptions, etc.
3.3 Risk
assessment
Risk assessment should be
performed to ensure the design of the system results in an installation that
adequately addresses the threats and reduces the security risks. In order to
identify the level(s) of security required (and potentially therefore the
grading of the elements of the system), an assessment of the factors which are
likely to come into play is required. In very global terms, from a security
perspective these elements are typically considered as:
Threat (Who): The
threat will typically be defined as the persons or events to be protected
against. Threats will vary greatly in termsof objectives, determination,
capability, resourcefulness,
Vulnerability (What / Where):The
vulnerability will typically be the areas of concern that require protection.
The level of vulnerability will be defined by numerous factors such as
desirability of the objects in the area, ease of access, operational hours of
the environment, exposure / secluded nature of the area.
Risk (What if?): Risk is
effectively the consequence of a successful or attempted intrusion or event.
These risks can be wide and varied and not immediately obvious. Risks and
impact levels of each identified risk will typically vary depending on the
nature of site. Risks can include:
1.
Immediate Financial Loss: Immediate value of items lost.
2.
Ongoing Financial Loss: Increased insurance premiums, time to return
to profit.
3. Personal Safety: Injuries to staff and / or members of public
involved in violent incident.
4.
Stress Related Issues: Reduced staff morale, loss of staff due
to safety concerns.
5. Non-financial loss: May include loss of intellectual property,
company data or similar.
Typically security systems
cannot change the identified threat or alter the risk, but well deployed
security measures significantly reduce the vulnerability. This in turn helps to
reduce the likelihood of risks occurring.
These services are provided in
different environments, such as swimming pools, fitness areas, dining halls,
common areas and individual rooms. Each area has its own potential risks; for
instance, guests can slip and fall near the swimming pool area if not properly
maintained or they may get injured in the fitness area. Some of the most common
causes of injury in these places are:
1. Physical Attacks: Although the premises of hotel and
hospitality providers are considered safe, in some crowded and low budget
hotels, criminals may attack guests for their money. In these situations, the
presence of outdoor surveillance cameras acts as an evidence against those
criminals.
2. Slips: Usually, the flooring is not similar in all areas of
the premises. The guests being new generally do not pay much attention towards
the uneven flooring and so they may slip and fall. Moreover, cracked flooring,
worn-out carpets and wet floors are some of the major causes of slip and fall
accidents.
3. Broken Furniture: In order to save money, some hotels do
in-house repair of furniture that broke down due to overuse. Because of its age
and some guests’ weight, the furniture may collapse and injure the guests.
3.4.
Operational requirements and agreeing with the customer
Ideally the Operational
requirements (OR) document should be raised by the end-user or their authorized
representative (such as a security consultant) and used as the basis for
specifying the required system and subsequent performance tests. Planned or
possible future expansions to the system, including addition of further
cameras, monitoring locations and integration with other systems.
3.5 Target
Capture and Image Detail
Detection, Recognition and
Identification (DRI) in video surveillance is very important terms to get image
details. DRI ranges, expressed in meters, km (or miles), can be found in the
specification table of infrared camera brochures.
The terms “Detection”,
“Recognition” and “Identification” were defined as follow:
·
Detection: ability to distinguish an object from the background
·
Recognition: ability to classify the object class (animal,
human, vehicle, …)
·
Identification: ability to describe the object in details (a man
with a hat, a Jeep …)
As a best practice, do not
assume the camera resolution is everything in regards to image quality. For a
camera to operate in a day-night environment, (the absence of light is zero
lux), the night mode must be sensitive to the infrared spectrum. It is highly
recommended to conduct tests or pilot installations before buying large
quantities of any model of camera.
A lens is a transparent optical
device with perfect or approximate axial symmetry which transmits and refracts
light, converging or diverging the transmitted light and to form images. A
simple lens consists of a single optical element. A compound lens is an array
of simple lenses (elements) with a common axis; the use of multiple elements
allows more optical aberrations to be corrected than is possible with a single
element. Lenses are typically made of glass or transparent plastic.
The practical effect of this is
that a camera may need to have a wider or narrower field of view so that the
necessary amount of detail can be seen and that in some circumstances more
cameras may be needed, either to increase the area covered with the same detail
or to allow for different levels of detail to be seen from the same view.
The measure of the fine detail
that can be seen in an image. For analog systems this is typically measured in
Television Lines or TVL. Higher TVL rating, the higher the resolution. Same way
megapixel (MP) like 1.3mp, 2mp, 4mp, 8mp etc.
Resolution-horizontal
The amount of resolvable detail in the horizontal direction in a picture. It is
usually expressed as the number of distinct vertical lines, alternately black
and white, which can be seen in a distance equal to picture height.
Resolution-horizontal - vertical
The amount of resolvable detail in the vertical direction in a picture. It is
usually expressed as the number of distinct horizontal lines, alternately black
and white, which can theoretically be seen in a picture.
The graphic below shows a
comparison of the resolutions listed if each pixel takes up the same amount of
space.
Key camera areas, include
exterior entrances and exits, parking lots, the front-desk area, the
lift, the floor corridor, the hotel lobby, cooking area, linen room,
bar, casino and swimming pool exterior area.
Account should also be made of
the difference between live operation and playback / review operation when
considering image size requirements. For example, in a live monitoring
situation, where a rapid assessment of the scene or situation may be needed, a
higher screen occupation may be required than a system which is required to be
more ‘reactive’, whereby little or no live interaction is anticipated and
recordings / events can be reviewed in slower time.
3.6
Environmental considerations
Consideration should be given to
the need for specialist equipment or installation techniques in certain
environments.
Consideration of environmental
requirements should be given to areas which may not be immediately obvious. For
example where hard disk storage systems are to be installed which may, in their
own right, raise the local temperature to an extent whereby artificial cooling
methods such as air conditioning are required to help ensure longevity of the
equipment.
3.7
Regulations and Legal Requirements relevant to CCTV
There are many legal
requirements and regulations that apply to CCTV including those listed here. It
is the responsibility of the owner, installer, maintenance company and operator
to ensure compliance with these as appropriate to their activities and location.
Consideration should also be given to other byelaws introduced by local
government. These will vary from region to region.
The following Acts of Parliament
are known to affect the majority of CCTV installations and use of CCTV but
others will apply in specific circumstances:
1.
The Human Rights Act 1993(Amendment Act, 2006)
2.
The Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA).
3.
The Right to Information Act 2005
4.
The Private Security Industry Act 2005
5.
The Clean Environment Act
1. Design
4.1. Site
Survey
A site survey should be
conducted to take into account specifics of the site along with the OR.
Locations of interest should be established and documented on the site plan.
Accordingly select camera type, quality of picture etc. The site survey should
consider lighting. Depending on circumstances day and night time surveys may be
required.
The performance of a CCTV system
is primarily dependent upon the available light level. It is important,
therefore, that the limits of light levels within which a CCTV installation is
intended to function are expressed in units of illumination (e.g. lux).
Light levels are normally
measured in lux, the SI unit of luminance. In some cases the amount of light
will be quoted in foot-candles. One foot candle is approximately ten lux. Lux
levels apply only to visible light spectrum and are not relevant to infrared
systems
Lux is measurement of the
intensity of light. It is equal to the illumination of a surface one meter away
from a single candle.
The survey should be used to
decide the positioning of all key equipment of the system along with the
necessary environmental protection requirements.
The site survey should consider
power and device interconnection together with provision of local power
supplies, routing of cables, wireless links, etc.
During the survey consideration
should be given to how the equipment will be installed and other considerations
such as accessibility, access times, need for closures whilst equipment is
being installed and accessibility for maintenance.
4.2
Equipment Selection
Equipment means Camera, Storage,
software, Viewing monitor etc. Consideration should include environmental
factors (e.g. efficient use of power, disposal of consumable items, and control
of hazardous substances).
4.2.1 Camera
and lens
A camera and lens should be
compatible and should be selected to cover the area to be viewed, taking into
account any person or object required to be identified. See section 3.5.
Selection of the correct lens
type is as important as the camera selection. A poor lens performance can
significantly detract from the overall performance of the system. For further
information refer to BS EN 62676-4 clause 6.5.
4.2.2 Sensitivity
of Light
When selecting a camera for a
particular application, consideration should be given to the type of light
source and the spectral response of the imaging device in addition to the scene
reflectance and lens. Available light level will have a major influence on the
choice of camera and typically the sensitivity of a camera measured under laboratory
conditions may not match results under natural operating environments. There
may be a trade-off between higher resolution cameras and a reduction in
sensitivities.
Wide dynamic range cameras can
help compensate for large variations of luminance across a scene and provide
acceptable exposures simultaneously in the brightest and darkest areas of the
image.
4.2.3
Field view
The width and height or area
desired to be covered by one camera. This area is determined by the focal
length of the lens on the camera and the distance the camera is mounted from
the scene.The equipment selection should ensure the field of view matches the
system’s operational requirements.
4.2.4
Illumination
A video surveillance camera
requires a certain amount of lights produced by natural or artificial
illumination. The amount of lights is defined by LUX(Lumens per Square
Meter). Depending on the choice of camera equipment and the system’s
operational requirements extra illumination may be required.
Refer to BS EN 62676-4 clause
6.9 for points to consider e.g. positioning, beam pattern, maintenance,
deterioration of light source with age, unwanted reflections, type of lighting
and switching
4.2.5
Housings and mountings
A camera and its supporting
hardware should be securely mounted. The camera mounting bracket orpole should
safely support the weight and windage of the camera and of any associated
hardware. Remember that a small amount of deflection in a pole when a camera is
fully zoomed in at a distant target will result in large degrees of movement in
the scene.
Consideration should be given to
the environmental conditions in which the equipment is intended to operate with
respect to the additional features which may be implemented into housings i.e.
heaters, wipers.
Protection against malicious
damage either though forceful impact, scratching or burning plastic windows or
dome bubbles, or spraying should be addressed by using a combination of housing
specification and physical positioning.
All equipment installed should
be suitable to withstand the prevailing environmental conditions according to
the environmental classes in BS EN 62676-1-1. This includes protection against
dust, particles, water and any special environmental conditions that may
prevail on the site (e.g. corrosive or explosive atmospheres).
4.2.6
PTZ Mechanisms
PTZ indicate Pan, Tilt &
Zoom, so a camera having this three feature is called PTZ camera or speed Dome
camera. Hotel Parking area, main gate entrance, open out door space, swimming
pool, playground, sea beach etc area should cover by speed dome camera.
The maximum required pan and
tilt rotation angles and any intermediate preset stops is required. IP66 based
enclosure should protect out door speed dome camera.
4.2.7
Powering
Consideration should be given to
the power requirements of the system. This includes:
• Local or centrally powered
(Must be UPS power)
• Mains or low voltage. (110V to
220V AC)
• Back up / Stand-by power in
the event of mains failure.
For Power over Ethernet (PoE)
consider the potential need for high power PoE supplies for certain cameras,
especially ones with in-built illuminators, heaters or motorised PTZ functions.
For PoE also consider the limiting distance factor of 90m in order to deliver
the maximum power from the power sourcing equipment (PoE injector) to the
powered device. Greater distances will adversely affect performance of the
cabling including bandwidth.
The outdoor surveillance cameras
record everything in real-time and this recording is stamped with date and
time. This becomes a proof of evidence in determining whether the claims are
genuine or fake. Sometimes, it happens that guests get injured by their own
mistakes, such as because of being drunk or careless attitude. In such cases,
the guests usually file a lawsuit against hotels and hospitality providers.
Unfortunately, most of the cases result in favor of the guests because hotels
do not have any evidence to defend themselves.
4.2.8
Video performance
Equipment and system design
should take into account the need to achieve performance levels and
characteristics as stated in the operational requirements. This should include
consideration of frame rate, resolution and quality of live and recorded images
both for human viewing and for automated video analytics.
In cases of injuries borne on
the property, CCTV ascertains whether the injury was because of misbehavior of
the guest, or an accident, or the negligence of the business organization
itself. Suppose a drunk guest was misbehaving with the decorations in the open
area of the property and then they got injured. In such a case, they may blame
the hotel authority and file a lawsuit against them. But if the hotel has CCTV
recordings collected from the CCTV outdoor surveillance cameras, they can
easily prove their innocence and huge compensation money can be saved this way.
There are some people who try to
make some quick money by filing a fake lawsuit against hotels or hospitality
providers. It is commonly known that most slip and fall cases happen near
the pool area. Over there, some guest may get injury by colliding with someone
else and may complain that the injury was a result of the hotel’s negligence
near the pool area. If outdoor surveillance cameras are installed in the
premises, then by seeing the recording, the hotel authority can easily prove
that the injury was nothing but a result of collision. But if there was no CCTV
installed then a lawsuit could have swept away thousands or even millions from
the hotel’s account.
4.2.9 LAN
Switches and Provisioning
LAN switching
requirements are covered in the necessary detail for a successful deployment.
There are several requirements for LAN switches, the primary being the ability
to support the 802.1af PoE standard for those cameras that can make use of this
feature. Also, aggregate backplane capacity as well as uplink capacity is
important. At a minimum, switches should have 1Gigbps or 10Gigbps uplink and a
32Gbps effective backplane capacity. QoS support is also important, the ability
to both trust the Layer-3 QoS markings (DSCP) and to set DSCP on ingress is
critical. Most of commercially available switches support VLANs and trunking
and these features are critical for segmenting IP video surveillance traffic
into its own domain.
Support of features like port security, 802.1x port-based
Network Access Control (NAC), Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) PortFast feature,
and PortFast Bridge Protocol Data Unit (BPDU) guard are also useful. Because
this design guide recommends marking video surveillance media streams as DSCP
value CS5, switches that are configured by default for VoIP implementations are
recommended as the media feeds will align with the default VoIP configurations.
4.2.10 IP
Addressing Requirements
If the network
manager plans on implementing some segmentation and path isolation over the
LAN/WAN by using VRF-Lite and VLANS, the IP addressing scheme may have greater
flexibility than if the video surveillance networks are routed in the global
routing table. However, the general recommendations for addressing IP video
surveillance devices are as follows:
- Allocate
an addressing scheme distinct from the end-user address space at the branch
locations.
- Allocate
network addressing so that IP cameras, servers, encoders, workstations, and any
hotel building management (BM) devices can be allocated from the address space
at the remote locations.
- Allocate
addressing to facilitate summarization of network advertisements to the core.
- Allocate
addressing so that one network advertisement can encompass the entire address
space for physical security (and building management) devices.
- Configure
a loopback address on remote routers from the physical security address space
for NTP and other management functions.
Because the IP cameras are using
static IP addresses, give careful attention to IP addressing deployed as
reallocating IP addressing is more time consuming than when all end nodes use
dynamically assigned IP addresses from a DHCP server.
4.2.11 Storage
The total storage requirement
for a digital CCTV recorder should be estimated before a system is installed,
so that hard drives of the appropriate capacity can be specified. It is vital
to ensure that sufficient capacity is available so that compromises do not have
to be made on either the image quality or retention time.
The storage requirement will
depend on factors such as whether just video, or video and audio are being
stored, frame size, required number of frames per second, number of cameras,
bit rate of video and audio streams, retention period, requirements for storage
resilience (e.g. mirroring or RAID storage), and operating system overhead.
In general, the recommendation
is to store data as close to the source as practical. This is especially true
of branch location deployments. By storing video archives locally, IP video
surveillance may be deployed to locations with traditional WAN links that would
otherwise not have enough bandwidth to transport the archives to a central
campus/data center facility. The WAN, however, may still have sufficient
bandwidth to transport or view video clips to aid in investigations or other
forensic analysis. By storing locally and only transporting the small amount of
video surveillance data that is needed centrally, video surveillance can be
network-enabled today and tied into other BMS and analytics solutions that can
benefit the business.
When using MJPEG streams, the frame size of each image plays a
key role in estimating the storage and transmission requirements. Since each
frame is unique and varies according to the image complexity, it is difficult
to provide a guide that provides fixed frame sizes. An IP camera that provides
images with low complexity will generate smaller frame sizes. Smaller frames
will require less bandwidth and storage capacity.
The following formula is used to
calculate the bandwidth requirements for MJPEG streams:
MJPEG storage = Average Frame size x Frame rate x duration
Example 1: For an
8-hour archive of a CIF video stream with 50 percent quality and 15 frames per
second, the following is the calculation:
4 KB x
15fps x 3600s
= 216,000 KB/ hour
Example 2: For a 24-hour archive of a 4CIF video stream with 100 percent
quality and 5 frames per second, the following is the calculation:
320 KB x 5fps x 3600s =
5,760,000 KB /hour
=
5,760MB /hour = 5.76GB /hour x 24 hours. = 138.24 GB
The following formula is used to
calculate the bandwidth requirements for MPEG-4 streams:
MPEG4 storage =
Bit rate (kbps) x duration
The target bit
rate is configured on the camera and is already expressed in bits per second.
Example 3: For an 8-hour video stream with
target bit rate of 768kbps, the following is the calculation:
768kbps / 8 bits/s = 96 KB
/second x 3600 s
= 345.6 MB/hour x 8
hours
There is no
standard length of time that video surveillance recordings must be maintained
in the hotel. Usually, hotel video recording tapes will be kept about 30 — 90
days. However, some regulations require that the recordings of the
hotel security cameras in the casino need to be stored for 6 months
or 1 year.
4.2.12
Image Presentation Devices
The image presentation device(s)
should be selected after taking account of the nature of the image viewing
task, the conditions in the control room or other viewing space and the need to
identify, recognize, detect or monitor. It should be considered whether
displays are also used for viewing maps, floor plans, device lists, system
status, alarm conditions, etc.When displaying images where a significant amount
of movement is present (e.g. traffic / Cab entry exit) display refresh rates
and resolutions should be matched to the image source.
Display screens have different
resolution depending on set-up and type. Display resolution should be selected
to match and complement the camera resolution and resultant video resolution.
For larger display surfaces, the
efficient display resolution can be defined according to the minimum visible
size of a pixel. The size and resolution of display screens should be
considered together with the recommended display sizes. An operator placed at a
large distance may not be able to discern the details of a small
high-resolution monitor.
CCTV cameras not only save
businesses from lawsuits but also keep the guests tension-free at all times.
The concerns of the guests regarding their expensive cars are automatically
resolved when they see the parking area is monitored by outdoor surveillance
cameras. Some businesses may not be too wealthy to appoint a security guard in
every sensitive area of their premises, so going for CCTV cameras will be a
good idea. It is a one-time investment that constraints the effort of
opportunistic criminals.
4.3
Proposal Including System Design Site Plan
Once the site survey and Operational
requirements (OR) is completed the CCTV system can be designed and a System
Design Proposal (SDP) prepared.
Where an OR is not available, as
may be the case for less complex CCTV systems, the SDP, drawn up as part of the
process of ascertaining the customer’s needs, expectations, and patterns of
usage of the premises, forms the basis of the agreement between the installing
company and the customer as regards the CCTV system to be supplied. At
appropriate stages checks should be made to ensure that the proposed
implementation will meet the customers’ operational requirements. The
operational requirement and matching test procedure is essential to assess
whether the system can meet its required purpose.
The design should take into
account the various requirement and location factors identified in the previous
stages. At this stage a site plan should be drawn up, including locations for
the various key components e.g. cameras (including field of view), and PTZ
preset positions, detectors (including range and coverage), control rooms,
power supplies, interconnections, etc.
The system design proposal
should stipulate the conditions under which any test image(s) should be used.
For example if the system will be used in both day and night conditions then
separate tests should be performed for the different light conditions.
The site plan may be drawn on
CAD, or be a hand drawn sketch with annotated pictures taken by a digital
camera as appropriate
Any change to site plans,
installation plans, system designs and/or logical architecture should be
included and attached to the final documentation and it should include change
permissions and risk/issue/logs generated during the installation process
4.4
Video transmission
Video transmission describes the
transfer of video from a capture device (camera) to a viewing device (or
software), a recording device (or software) or to a storage device using
switched networks. The networks may be hard wired or may be wireless. Networks
may combine different methods of transmission, e.g. typically described as
analogue or IP.
In the case of both wired and
wireless networks, sufficient defences should be put in place in order to
protect the end user to ensure that the video transmission system is not
vulnerable to attack from outside potentially rendering the asset unprotected,
or used as a means of penetrating another network to obtain otherwise confidential
information.
The use of IP technology is
becoming more widespread across a variety of applications and industries. The
security industry is no exception. IP can often be used to provide a
cost-effective means of installing/monitoring security systems by exploiting
existing infrastructure and enhancing and/or replacing older arrangements
If an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC)
wishes to provide remote monitoring & remote viewing of IP enabled systems,
they will have to design and implement robust network solutions
A network can be built up from
many differing types of service. One of the more common is ADSL (Broadband) but
there is also SDSL, leased lines, megastreams, kilostreams, GPRS (Cellular
network), ISDN Dialup, PSTN Dialup and quite a few other options in the form of
direct links to service providers.
4.5
Bandwidth requirements
While one single alarm system uses very small amounts of
bandwidth, monitoring several hundred or even thousands could have a dramatic
impact on the ARC links, i.e. consider open/close signals happening at more or
less the same time every day from all systems.
It is unlikely that all these signals would be sent at exactly
the same time so bandwidth is unlikely to be of major concern to the ARC for a
small number of systems. However, as you start to calculate bandwidth
requirements for CCTV you can see that you quickly begin to use up the
available bandwidth.
For alarms, you should be more concerned with hardware systems
able to process a high number of systems simultaneously. e.g, firewalls,
receivers/servers.
However, a CCTV system sending multiple data streams could
require significant bandwidth in much the same way as a DoS attack (Denial of
Service). There should be systems in place to address these concerns.
There are various benefits of installing CCTV cameras in hotel
premises. Some of them are discussed below:
- Beside rooms,
there are various facilities that hotels provide such as spa, gym,
swimming pool, etc. Presence of CCTV at these places helps to identify
intruders and management can take quick action to restrict them from
entering the place.
- CCTV cameras help
curb unwanted access like that of intruders and uncategorized customers to
hotel facilities like spa, pool or Gym etc.
- The presence of
CCTV cameras in hotel parking, corridors and entrances give a sense of
security to the guest. This has become a major selling point in hotels
today as people tend to move to hotels who enlist security as their main
priority.
- 24/7 surveillance
facilities of entry and exit areas help restrict trespassers from entering
the premises.
- CCTV when
installed in storage or maintenance rooms of hotels helps in preventing a
possible theft by employees. Employees also hesitate to do any unethical
activities when they see a CCTV camera is
installed and realizes they are being monitored.
- Presence of CCTV
cameras in hotel’s building and especially in parking area gives mental
peace and satisfaction to guests.
- There are some
unexpected activities such as slips, falls or fights that happen with
guests. In such cases, the customer files a lawsuit against the hotel and
demands alimony. To bring the truth out, management should analyse CCTV
recording and if they find that it happened because of negligence of
hotel, they should quickly resolve the matter with client. If they see
that hotel is not responsible for whatever happened, they can counter the
allegation and can use CCTV footage as evidence.
- These footage
play a key role in evading fraud lawsuits against the hotel and gather
evidence in investigations. In case of in-house charges, CCTV camera
footage help prove hotel claim or accusations against guests and in case
of criminal investigations help the police gather evidence.
- The hotel
industry is a very competitive industry. Every hotel owner implements new
technologies to gain competitive advantage and attract more and more
customers. One such latest tech practice is CCTV surveillance. The
management of hotels choose from various CCTV packages available in the
market and makes their premise safe and secure.
- There are some
guests who harm the property such as damaging furniture in common area or
the decorations and when they are fined, they deny. In such cases, CCTV
footage acts as an evidence and strengthens the hotel’s viewpoint.
Maintaining a CCTV surveillance system in your hotel is very
easy nowadays. For live viewing, you can install one without DVR and can easily
monitor everything live and if you want a recording of all the activities then
you can go for CCTV systems that come with DVR or can be attached to your
computer. With technological advancement, wireless CCTV cameras are also
available in the market and CCTV installation has become a very easy
task.
When CCTV cameras are installed in your hotel premise, you and
your guests can remain tension free and focus on the event. While installing
the cameras, the management should consider that the cameras does not invade
the privacy of guests in any manner, the only purpose of installing the cameras
should be safety and security of the guests and hotel premise.
5. Installation
5.1
Evaluation of Equipment
Where a customization of a product/software is undertaken in
order to meet specific user needs, the customization should be tested equipment
before being deployed. The customization should also be tested against the user
need defined. Equipment may be required to exchange information in order to
perform a function of some kind (for example, to move a PTZ camera to a
position based on an input from another system, or increase the record rate and
resolution of a device based on the inputs from another device). In these cases
it is recommended the successful operation of the devices be tested first
before being deployed. This is particularly recommended if the equipment is
made by different manufacturers.
5.2
Cable laying
Security camera cable is an important part of CCTV
industry. The requirements of BS 7671 (Requirements for electrical
installations, IET Wiring Regulations) should be met using the edition current
at the time of installation.
All interconnecting cables
should be fixed and supported and installed to conform to good working
practices.
As we all know wired CCTV camera
footage totally depend on the wiring system. If cabling exposed, then it can be
get tempered and you cannot get a video for a crime evidence. Each and every
cable of the camera never revealed, especially for the outdoor environment.
Covering all camera cable, also reduce the service issues.
Possible fixings and supports include:
•
Conduit: when metal (MS) is used, suitable bushes or grommets should be fixed
to each end to prevent damage to the cable. When conduit is used to carry the
cable it should terminate as close as possible to the unit to be connected.
•
PVC or metal trunking: where trunking is used to carry the cable it should
terminate as close as possible to the unit to be connected.
•
Insulated clips
•
Cable ties
•
Catenary Cables: When overhead catenary wires with loop holders or plastic
buckles are used the supporting wire should be securely attached to the
building. Self-supporting catenary cables may be used provided they are
correctly designed.
Camera cable is basically
manufactured in such a way that it should optimize video signal quality. CCTV camera
cable is composed of two sub cables that will run simultaneously for
transmitting both video and power signal, Analog Video transmitting cable
also called RJ59 Cable, one sub cable is the central solid copper conductor
core shielded by dielectric material, then further shielded by copper or
alloy braid that will transmit video signal and another is power cables
that will transmit power and both two-part is insulated by PVC having
diameter of 5.5 mm to 7.5 mm. IP Video transmitting cable called CAT6 / CAT 6A
etc.
All cables should be of a type
and size appropriate to the application and should take account of transmission
rate, electrical interference and voltage drop.
Any plastic or PVC component
used as part of the installation of cables should be suitable for the
environment in which it is installed. Externally mounted ties and clips should
be made of UV-resistant material.
Environmental conditions such as
dampness, excessive heat, risk of corrosion, mechanical or chemical damage,
should be taken into account when determining the degree of protection required
for cable runs.
Any cables used underground
should be suitable for that purpose and have adequate protection from
mechanical damage. Underground cables should provide a high level of resistance
to dampness, chemical reactions, corrosion and rodents.
5.3
Power SuppliesEquipment
Power supplies should be capable
of meeting the largest load likely to be placed upon them under normal
operating conditions. The maximum load on the power supply typically occurs
during start-up of the system following a power failure. The assessment of the
electrical current demands for design purposes should also include an extra
tolerance of 5% to 10% over capacity.
Where safety and security
considerations do not require continued operation of the CCTV system during a
mains supply failure, the public mains supply may be the sole supply for the
system.
Power supplies should be located
within a secure area, in a position safe from tampering, and should be
ventilated in accordance with manufacturers’ requirements for safe operation.
All equipment housings should be
clearly marked with the operating, or supplied, voltage, whichever is higher.
The installation and position of
additional power supplies should be considered if voltage drop across cables is
likely to reduce the voltage to equipment to an unacceptable level.
Alternatively, in some cases, it may be possible to reduce the voltage drop in
the cables by using cables with less resistance, greater conductor size or by
using more cores of a cable for the supply of power.
5.4 Camera
Equipment
In CCTV installation, the
position of the camera plays a major role. if you want to record a
good footage from CCTV camera then you need find a best place for it.Cameras
should be mounted in positions free from obstructions and, wherever possible,
not directly viewing bright light sources. The mounting position should allow
installation and maintenance to be carried out in a safe manner.
If cameras are to be mounted on
towers or brackets the following environmental considerations should be made:
§ Rigidity,
taking into account potential wind velocity, equipment type and equipment
mounting and fixing positions.
§ Electrical
interference and the possibility of damage by lightning (see BS EN 62305).
§ Dust,
airborne particles and other potential sources of corrosion or contamination.
§ Condensation
inside housings and other equipment due to changing temperatures.
Tower and bracket equipment
should be installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions and within
loading specifications.
Where movement of towers is
possible, cables and cameras should be installed with their safety and
protection against tampering taken into consideration.
The alignment and mounting of
line of sight transmission equipment (e.g. optical and microwave) is often
critical and consideration should be given to the method of alignment and to
the rigidity of the mounting.
Wired connections should,
wherever possible, be concealed. Mechanical protection of flexible cable to
movable cameras should be considered where physical damage is a possibility
e.g. metal conduit or flexible conduit.
The camera should be installed
in such a way that it is difficult for an unauthorised person to change the
field of view of the camera. This can be achieved by installing at a suitable
location and height, the use of appropriate physical mounting and possibly
further by the use of security fixings.
Consideration should be given to
the detection of loss of video signal, camera obscuring or blinding on any
connected camera. An audible and/or visual system alarm should be generated to
inform system operators that acknowledgement is needed and, if defined in the
OR, this alarm should be mapped to an output for connection to an alarm system.
5.5
Recording Equipment
The environmental conditions
under which equipment will be expected to operate should be taken into account
and environmental housings affording appropriate protection should be
specified.
Equipment should be installed to
manufacturers’ instructions. To reduce the risk of condensation a heater should
be installed within housings that may be subject to changes in temperature.
Where there exists the
possibility of penetration by solid objects, dust or water, housings that afford
appropriate environmental protection should be used. This is typically quoted
as an IP Rating. To prevent tampering, lockable enclosures should be considered
to house the control and recording equipment. A method of user name and
password to access control functions should be considered to restrict access to
authorized operators.
For all control and recording
equipment the following should be taken into consideration:-
•
Temperature.
•
Airflow of equipment (front to back, side to side, bottom to
top, etc), ensuring that the layout of equipment does not have these
intakes/outlets blocked.
•
Humidity.
•
Dust and other air contamination.
•
Vibration.
•
Electrical interference.
•
Rigidity, taking into account high wind velocity.
•
Ease of access for maintenance and service.
•
Convenience of operator use.
5.5 Display
Screens
Display screens may be desk or
wall mounted with consideration given to the ergonomics of the operator. The
display screens should be installed to minimise the effect of lighting,
particularly sunlight, which can adversely affect the viewing experience. Wall
or ceiling mounted display screens should be mounted using suitable brackets in
accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.
Consideration should be given to
the positioning of such screens to ensure they are above head height or not in
a position where people may bang their head on them.
Dos and don’ts of CCTV installation
The do’s in this section are your go-to suggestions for the
maximum utilization and best establishment of your CCTV network.
1.
Place at least two cameras at the entrance and exit gate. So,
that you can get a clear view of the people entering and exiting the hotel.
2.
Install cameras in all open areas of the hotel which is
accessible by all the guests like the pool, park, lobby, service corridor,
loading dock, service exit, and stairs. Stairs and service exit are most
commonly left out of the surveillance system as they are considered place less
visited or used by the guest. But this is where most systems fail as in most
cases these become grounds for suspicious activities.
3.
CCTV cameras are important in rooms which store safe deposit
boxes, money or sensitive information as these are the places which have the
most chances of theft. Though not regularly followed, it is advised to have hidden
cameras in these locations because in most cases criminals find a way to avoid
detection once they know where the camera is installed.
4.
CCTV security network should be developed all around the hotel
from every angle to protect the hotel from the neighborhood and unauthorized
access.
Don’ts of CCTV installation: The Don’ts majorly focuses on
measures to prevent infringement of privacy. In this network of CCTV
cameras and cyber-security, privacy has become a major concern.
1.
According to the hotel security and camera law, hotel room
surveillance is illegal. So, avoid installing cameras in rooms, you can install
them in corridors so that you know who went into the room and when.
2.
Don’t be swayed by the sales pitch, always opt for security
systems which use Category 5 or Category 6 twisted pair cables. Outdated tech
is prone to hacking, so it’s advised to have the latest.
3.
Don’t waste your budget on Pan Tilt Zoom cameras, hoping to
cover a large area with zoom. It is not true nor is it efficient.
4.
Don’t mount all your cameras on your on the ceiling or 15 feet
walls. The height of the camera prevents you from getting a good look at faces.
5.
Avoid installing cameras in angles which could capture images
inside a bathhouse, washroom, and spa or massage center on the hotel premises.
There are a lot of do’s and don’ts to hotel security but this
will give you a basic lay of the land Technology is moving leaps and bounds
every year and it’s important to keep your system updated to beat the
competition.
6. Commissioning, Handover and Documentation
Commissioning should consist of
the inspection and testing of the installed system by the installation
technician/engineers; handover requires the demonstration of the system to the
user and the subsequent acceptance of the installation by the customer along
with proper manual / handing over document.
6.1 Testing
& Commissioning
A CCTV system test plan should
be agreed and the tests should be selected to demonstrate during handover that
the CCTV system meets the agreed specifications.
This should include testing of
the following aspects of the system(s):
•
All wiring is correctly terminated.
•
Supply voltage is correct to all appropriate parts of system. Where extra low
voltage cameras are used, the voltage at each camera should be recorded.
•
Operation of all monitoring, switching and recording equipment (including time
synchronisation) is satisfactory, including playback equipment.
•
Interfaces with alarms (e.g. movement alarms, fences) are satisfactory and
triggering of alarms is correct.
•
Beam interruption detectors are aligned correctly, where used for triggering
the CCTV system.
•
Appropriate notices to indicate CCTV in operation have been provided.
•
All indicator lamps are working.
•
If a standby power supply is specified, ensuring that the system continues to
operate correctly to specification when the mains supply is disconnected.
This should also include testing
of the following aspects for each camera:
•
Camera type and lens fitted is correct for each position.
•
Operation of all automatic and / or remotely controlled camera functions (e.g.
pan, tilt, zoom, focus, electronic iris and wiper) is satisfactory.
•
Correct setting of all pan and / or tilt limits.
•
Camera movement, and field(s) of view seen through the appropriate monitor(s),
is correct and free from obstruction.
•
Operation of electronic irises and focus is satisfactory under the range of
intended light levels (night conditions may be simulated through use of
suitable neutral density filters).
•
Satisfactory operation of supplementary lighting.
•
Warning labels are in place in respect of possible sudden movement of camera
positioning equipment and in respect of any devices that could cause injury,
including damage to the eye.
There are test methods given in:
BS EN 50132-7:2012, Annex B or C
BS EN 62676-4, Annex B or C
These test methods may be used
wherever an objective evaluation is required to confirm that the required
performance can be obtained. The use of the test methods listed above is a
matter for agreement between customer and installer and is not a requirement
for every installation. Other test methods are permissible.
Commissioning should include
visual and functional testing to ensure that:
a) The system is installed in
strict accordance with the agreed specification and that the standard of
workmanship is high, and
b) The commissioning
requirements of this Code of Practice and BS EN 62676-4 or EN 50132-7 are met.
6.2Handover
At handover, the installing
company should:
•
Demonstrate all aspects of the system operation to the customer, including any
necessary safety precautions.
•
Ensure that the correct documentation (see 6.3) is given to the customer to
enable the system to be operated, adjusted and maintained.
•
Train the system user(s) in its correct operation and arrange for any necessary
future training.
•
Ensure that users know the procedure for summoning assistance in the event of
system malfunction.
Following handover the customer
should be asked to sign an acceptance document and to enter any confidential
information (e.g. passwords which restrict user access to engineer and other
reserved functions) required to make the system perform to the agreed
specification.
Access to CCTV recorded images
needs to be restricted and tightly controlled for Data Protection Act purposes.
This means staff should only have access if they need it to achieve the purpose
of the scheme. Third party access should be limited to law enforcement,
prosecution agencies, legal representatives, the media (when assisting to catch
a criminal) and people whose image has been recorded (unless it would prejudice
criminal proceedings). All requests and reasons for denial need to be
documented.
If individuals want to view
recorded images of them, they need to apply to the data controller in writing
and pay a small fee (max Rs50). The data controller must deal with the request
within 30 days – even if it is to deny their application.
6.3 Documentation
Upon completion of a CCTV
installation there should be a record for each system making up the
installation, which should include the following information where appropriate:
a)
The name and address of the protected site.
b)
The name and address of the customer.
c)
The location of each control unit and the type and location of each camera and
its associated hardware.
d)
An indication of the camera view(s), their purpose(s), and the area(s)
protected should be documented. The camera view(s) may be provided in the form
of a drawing, a hard copy printout or a video recording.
e)
The type and location of power supplies.
f)
Details of those cameras that the customer has the facility to manoeuvre or
isolate.
g)
The type and location of monitors and indicating and / or warning devices.
h)
Manufacturer’s documentation relating to equipment and its operational
settings/controls.
i)
Full instructions for the correct use of system, including details of routine
testing procedures and any necessary maintenance requirements (see 7); possible
sources of interference with the system and equipment with which the system
itself will interfere should be identified.
j)
The operation, storage and cycling of recording media.
The make and model number of all
items of equipment should be stated in the system record. The system record
(i.e. for the “as installed” system) should be agreed with the customer and a
copy provided to the customer.
The customer should be offered
drawing(s) of the CCTV installation. Where symbols are used in drawings, a key
to these symbols should always be provided to enable customers to understand
the content of the drawings.
The customer should be provided
with the record of the results of the objective test where this was agreed to
be a requirement.
All documentation referring to a
security system should be kept in a place to which access is restricted to
authorized persons.
6.4 CCTV
Signs
Your guest needs to be aware
that they are entering hotel area that is being monitored by CCTV surveillance
equipment. Signs should be placed so that they are clearly visible and legible.
The size of the sign will vary according to the circumstances of its location.
7.0 Maintenance
Effective and regular
maintenance of a CCTV surveillance system is essential to ensure that the
system remains reliable at all times. Regular maintenance by a service company,
and effective failure reporting by the user, will enable potential problems to
be identified at an early stage so that appropriate action can be taken.
A maintenance agreement should
be agreed between the service company and the user of the CCTV system and
should include the following:
•
Preventative maintenance visits - Planned servicing of a system, carried out on
a scheduled basis.
•
Corrective maintenance - Emergency servicing of a system, or part thereof,
carried out in response to the development of a fault.
• User maintenance - Basic
responsibility of the user to maintain operation of the CCTV system.
8.0 Monitoring
Monitoring requirements of a
CCTV system will vary greatly dependent on many factors, such as whether there
is a need to view live and / or recoded images, whether the monitoring be done
locally and / or remotely, the complexity of the CCTV system and the type of
response required be it a guarding, key-holder or perhaps police response.
For the data that you receive
from CCTV surveillance cameras to be of any use, the images produced need to be
as clear as possible. Frequent checks need to be made to make sure the
equipment is performing properly and if tapes are being used they need to be of
good quality. If the quality of the images deteriorates to an unacceptable
level, the equipment should not be used and should be replaced.
Images should not be retained
for longer than necessary if they aren’t required for your purpose. Retained
image integrity needs to be maintained to insure its evidential value and to
protect the rights of the people who have been filmed.
Images should be erased after
the retention period or stored in a secure place if being used for evidence.
The reason, date, crime incident number and location need to be documented when
they have been moved to another location.
Authorized employees should only
be able to monitor the information from your CCTV surveillance equipment. All
recorded image viewings should be restricted to a designated staff member who
can decide if a third party may view the recording.
8.1
Control Room
Attention should be given to the
ambient lighting within the control room and, if the room has windows, how
sunlight will affect the operators’ ability to monitor the system. This may
influence the overall control room layout or require additional window blinds.
If the CCTV system has a
requirement for live viewing, camera control, system management, or any other
human intensive tasks, a control room should be specified to house these
functions. The ‘control room’ could be a single workstation, or a large
operations center.
The operator should be presented
with a manageable number of CCTV feeds (e.g. is the operator able to suitably
view 8 cameras and perform the viewing tasks related to all of those camera
views, and their anticipated levels of activity?).
The camera view should be
presented to the operator at a size sufficient to allow them to undertake the
viewing tasks as above either routinely or by manual or automatic switching of
views. (E.g. is the operator being presented with views intended for
identification tasks, but displayed as part of a quad view, at a lower
resolution, reducing the amount of information available to the operator?).
Spot displays should be positioned
directly in front of the operator at between approximately 0.5 – 1.5m and of a
sufficient size. They should also be placed so that the operator can easily
turn their sitting position to face the displays.
8.2Incident
Response
Locally agreed procedures should
detail the action to be taken in the event of an incident. These procedures
should conform to those laid out as below:
•
Action to be taken
•
Who should respond?
•
The timescale for response
• The times at which observation
should take place
• The criteria for a successful
response
•CCTV operators should
maintain a record of all incidents in the appropriate incident log.
The overall indicator of
successful response to incidents is that the CCTV scheme fulfils its
objectives, i.e.:
• Restoration of tranquility
• Dispersal or control of the
situation
• Prevention or minimization of
injury and damage
• Reduction of crime and
disorder, to improve safety and reassure the guest
• Identification of a suspect
• Gathering relevant information
to assist in the subsequent apprehension of offenders
• Apprehension of a suspect with
evidence
• Guest safety through effective
evacuation
• Traffic flow restored
8.3
Recording quality and storage
No more images and information
should be stored than that which is strictly required for the stated purpose of
a surveillance camera system, and such images and information should be deleted
once its purpose has been discharged.
Recorded material should be
suitable for evidential use as required by the courts if it is to be admitted
as evidence; it is therefore essential that recorded material evidence
maintains total integrity and continuity at all times. Appropriate security
measures should be taken to prevent unauthorized access to, or alteration,
disclosure, destruction, accidental loss or destruction of recorded material.
Access to retained images and
information should be restricted and there must be clearly defined rules on who
can gain access and for what purpose such access is granted; the disclosure of images
and information should only take place when it is necessary for such a purpose
or for law enforcement purposes.
Data should not be released to
Hotel outside the ownership of the CCTV scheme, other than under guidelines
referring to the release of information for the purposes of identifying alleged
offenders or witnesses, in accordance with the particular CCTV control room’s
policy and procedure.
8.4
Media use, storage and disposal
Recorded material should be
stored in a secure environment, so that the integrity of the media is
maintained. This includes recorded material that has been requested by the law
enforcement agencies or contains a known incident. Controlled access to the
recorded material storage area should be strictly maintained. Data that is to
be destroyed should be destroyed under controlled operation.The register should
show the life of the media at all stages whilst in the owner’s possession; such
a register may also show itself to be useful in enabling evaluation of the CCTV
scheme.
The register should include the
following:
• Unique equipment reference
number.
• Time/date/person removing
equipment from secure storage for use.
• Time/date/person returning
equipment to secure storage after use.
• Remarks column to cover
additional points (e.g. erase/destroy/handed over to law enforcement
agencies/removed from recording machine).
• Time and date of delivery to
the law enforcement agencies, identifying the law enforcement agency officer
concerned.
• In the event of a
non-automated system of erasure of data, the time/date/person responsible for
erasure and/or destruction.
8.5 Exporting
recordings
When exporting recordings the
following procedure should be followed:
• Maintain records of the
operator(s) of the equipment. This enables the manager to establish who was
operating the equipment at any given time.
• Record without interruption,
wherever practicable. Any interruption should be logged.
References
§ BS EN 62676-4:2015 - Video surveillance systems for use in security
applications.
§ BS EN 11064-7:2006 - Ergonomic design of control centres.
§ ANSI/BICSI 005-2016 – Electronic safety and security system design and
implementation
best practices.
§ European Network and Information Security Agency – Enabling and managing
end to end
resilience.
§ IPVM cabling best practices guide, Jan 3, 2018.
§ Hotel operators’ security standards.
§ Hotels Association of India – Guidelines for Security Measures
§ Indian Association of Hotels and Restaurants
