Author: Daniel Youngs

Who is responsible for enforcing fire safety legislation?

Posted on by Daniel Youngs

In recent years, fire safety legislation has been optimised so that all responsibilities are assigned to the right people. Building owners and landlords must comply with all regulations and ensure their buildings are maintained and the occupants remain safe. The main piece of legislation for fire safety in the UK is the Fire Regulatory Safety Order. And the responsibility of enforcing this legislation usually lies with local fire and rescue authorities (FRAs), though the Health and Safety Executive holds responsibility for construction sites and for ships that are undergoing construction or repair.

Being responsible for fire safety requires business owners to provide an in-depth and transparent overview of the condition of their building, and a risk assessment detailing that all necessary steps have been taken to reduce the risk of fire. In this article, we’ll outline exactly who is responsible for fire safety in a building. We’ll also define the rights of the relevant authorities when enforcing fire safety legislation.

If you have concerns about fire safety regulation compliance, you should contact your local FRA in the first instance. Your local fire service will be able to point you in their direction.

The FRA employs inspectors, who can carry out the following to enforce the Regulatory Fire and Safety Order:

  • Enter the premises to carry out an inspection
  • Identify those that are responsible for maintaining fire safety protocol
  • Expect the compliance and assistance of the responsible person/s with the inspection
  • Evaluate compliance with all the necessary provisions specific to the Regulatory Fire and Safety order
  • Request access to any mandatory records and plans, such as documentation relating to the building’s most recent Fire Risk Assessment
  • Take material samples from premises to ascertain their safety/flammability
  • If anything is found to be unsafe, inspectors can order them to be dismantled, destroyed, or tested further.

Who is responsible for fire safety in commercial buildings?

Whoever is in control of commercial premises is responsible for fire safety. For most commercial spaces that means the responsibility lies with the employer. This means they must carry out a thorough, written Fire Risk Assessment and regularly review it.

The fire risk assessment will:

  • Identify the fire hazards
  • Identify people at risk
  • Evaluate, remove or reduce the risk

You’ll need to record your findings if you have 5 employees or more. You’ll also need to prepare an emergency plan and provide training.

You’ll need to consider:

  • Emergency routes and exits
  • Fire detection and warning systems
  • Fire fighting equipment
  • The removal or safe storage of dangerous substances
  • An emergency fire evacuation plan
  • The needs of vulnerable people, for example the elderly, young children or those with disabilities
  • Providing information to employees and other people on the premises
  • Staff fire safety training

You can complete the fire risk assessment yourself with the help of standard fire safety risk assessment guides. If you don’t have the expertise or time to complete this yourself, then you’ll need to appoint a ‘competent person’ to help, for example a professional risk assessor.

Your local fire and rescue authority may be able to give you advice, but they cannot carry out risk assessments for you.

Some commercial property leases specify that it is the duty of the landlord to be responsible for common spaces such as stairways, reception areas and fire safety systems such as alarms and fire doors. We advise landlords to speak to a specialist landlord solicitor to ensure they are aware of their responsibilities as commercial property owners.

Swift Fire & Safety is passionate about fire protection, safety, and compliance. Want to find out more about our specialist fire protection services? Contact our team of specialists today.

How to Prevent Fire in Factories and Warehouses

Posted on by Daniel Youngs

Fire safety cannot be neglected anywhere, but when it comes to factories and warehouses, your business’ main assets are at risk as well as the lives of your staff. Whether it’s your stock or machinery, even a small fire could have catastrophic effects on your revenue and productivity.

Fires start for many reasons, but some of the most common causes of fire in these spaces include electrical faults, spillages, use of hazardous stock or materials, improper use of heating equipment and arson. Kitchens and staff rooms present an increased risk.

To help you prevent fires in your warehouse or factory, in line with your duty as set out by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, we’ve put together our best fire prevention tips for you, specifically tailored to these spaces. If you’d like to learn more about fire safety for your premises, please don’t hesitate to contact our team at Swift Fire & Safety.

1. Fire Risk Assessments

Fire risk assessments should be carried out frequently for maintenance and also when any major changes occur to your premises. These will provide you with an overview of the hazards, the people at risk, the training required and the steps to take to reduce risks.

2. PAT Testing

All portable electrical equipment needs to be in good condition and suitable for use. Regular PAT testing will help you identify the potential dangers so that you can resolve them before they cause any damages.

3. Frequent Equipment Maintenance

All machinery, large or small, requires regular maintenance checks in order to spot faults and prevent fires.

4. Fire Extinguishers

Imperative to any fire safety plan, you need to have the correct extinguisher class in place, and they must be in good working order, to combat the unique hazards posed in your warehouse or factory. Staff must also have regular training, so that they feel confident in choosing the right extinguisher and know how to use them when tackling small fires.

5. Fire Alarms

Fire alarms are an extremely effective way of alerting people to a fire. Early detection protects lives. A good fire alarm system will locate the source of a fire in larger buildings and can be tailored to your building’s layout.

6. Fire Doors

Fire doors help to slow the spread of fire and smoke and protect key evacuation routes. Different resistance times are available based on your requirements.

7. Fire Signage

Photoluminescent signs highlight dangers and provide instructions concerning fire safety. This provides greater awareness for your warehouse or factory staff.

8. Fire Warden Training

You must always have a nominated, competent person in your workplace to implement fire safety. Fire warden training is the best way to give them the knowledge and skills they’ll need to carry out this role out effectively as per the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

9. Sprinkler Systems

There are a number of different sprinkler systems available depending on what best meets your needs, but all types will help to manage a blaze should the worst happen.

10. Emergency Lighting

When a fire compromises your building, emergency lighting kicks in to illuminate safe exit routes, helping to save lives.

At Swift Fire & Safety, we provide a wide range of services for factory and warehouse fire prevention. For everything from fire risk assessments to PAT testing, protect your staff and your business by contacting our professional team today.

What to do in the event of a hospital fire

Posted on by Daniel Youngs

Fire awareness training and risk assessments are an essential part of any business. Having these in place ensures that your employees know what the hazards and fire risks are within your workplace. Training teaches staff ways to reduce these risks, what to do in the event of a fire, and how to identify those that are high risk in a fire situation.

In a hospital, there are always many people who are extremely vulnerable if a fire breaks out. There are often many people there who are unable to move by themselves or people for whom smoke inhalation poses more of a health risk.

A hospital is also potentially a relatively hazardous environment. They are filled with large amounts of electrical equipment, mobile equipment and most significantly many sources of oxygen, other compressed gases and chemicals. This creates a higher fire risk than usual as well as a dangerous environment for evacuation and fire suppression.

So how do hospitals handle fire situations?

One of the most important elements of dealing with a hospital fire is communication. Staff must be fully and regularly trained on how to handle a fire situation so that they are well prepared should one break out. They attend multiple training days annually and prepare for numerous scenarios. Staff are always also aware of exactly where patients are and what their condition is. The nature of the fire alarm is also clearly communicated to all staff either before or during the alarm – whether it be a test, drill or genuine fire. This allows hospital staff to react at the appropriate level. For example, they wouldn’t evacuate an unstable patient for a simple drill. However, it’s important that drills are carried out regularly so that staff have practised their evacuation procedure thoroughly.

Alarms are ‘coded’ to indicate the area of the fire. Areas close to the fire have a different alarm sound than areas that are further away. As an example, the zone that contains the fire will usually have a continuously sounding alarm, letting staff know that they should act immediately and efficiently. Nearby zones will sound an intermittent alarm, indicating that staff should be alert and prepare for an impending evacuation.

This is where compartmentation comes in. Hospitals and most other large buildings are divided into compartments that can withstand a fire for a particular amount of time. This fire barrier gives occupants a chance to be evacuated and provides time for the emergency services to arrive and extinguish the fire.

Due to compartmentation or ‘zoning’, a hospital can have a horizontal phased evacuation. This means that those who can be evacuated, from the zone that contains the fire, or those closest, without assistance will be evacuated immediately. In a zone that contains a fire, patients who are difficult to move can be relocated to an adjacent compartment. This means patients only need to be moved a short distance if necessary, and this drastically reduces the dangers of being away from life support machinery during an emergency.

When the emergency services arrive, they will assess the situation and establish the scale of the evacuation that is needed, if indeed an evacuation is needed at all. Should fragile patients need to be evacuated due to the scale of the fire, this can be facilitated by emergency fire services.

If you are in hospital as a patient or visitor and a fire breaks out, the best thing that you can do is to stay calm and listen intently to the instructions of the hospital staff and the fire services when they arrive. Trust that these people are well prepared for this event, that they know exactly what to do and that there is a multitude of measures already in place to keep you safe.

Hospitals are well prepared in the event of a fire, how prepared is your business?

Call us at Swift Fire today to discuss your fire safety needs.

Do you know your fire safety signs?

Posted on by Daniel Youngs

Fire safety signs provide vital health and safety information in order to warn anyone that enters a building of potential hazards. They also provide instructions to ensure all staff and visitors to your premises are aware of how to avoid those hazards.

Safe Condition Signs

What are they used for?

These should be used to signpost emergency exits, escape routes and essential first aid equipment.

When should they be used?

They should be used to show where the emergency exits are and how to operate the doors on the escape routes, for example, ‘Push bar to open’.

What do they look like?

These signs can be green squares or rectangles with text as well as pictograms.

It’s really common to see the wrong signs used in buildings. It’s easy to accidentally use a green ‘Fire exit’ sign on the exterior of a fire exit door when it should be a blue ‘Fire exit keep clear’ sign. It’s worth seeking the advice of a professional when you first place your signs. That way you know it’s right and can keep it that way.

Prohibition Signs

What are they used for?

These signs are used to reinforce instructions that prohibit dangerous activities.

Where should they be used?

Inside your building to reinforce the prohibition of dangerous activities. The Health and Safety Regulations 1996 list these signs as a requirement.

What do they look like?

The signs are a red circle with a red diagonal line crossing through it. There will be a pictogram in black behind the diagonal line that indicates the nature of the prohibition. A good example is the ‘No smoking’ sign used as an example above.

Fire Equipment Signs

What are they used for?

To show the location of fire safety equipment and fire alarm activation points.

When should they be used?

Wherever the location of this equipment is not obvious or can become unclear in low light conditions. For peace of mind, we’d recommend signposting all areas where fire safety equipment is stored and all fire alarm activation points. This is worth getting right. It’s relatively low cost and you’ll be glad you spent the small amount of extra money when you’re able to identify your key areas easily in the event of a fire.

What do they look like?

The signs are a red rectangle or square with white pictures or text.

According to British Standard and ISO requirements, there are prescribed graphic design specifications for safety signs. Additionally, they are required to be visible under all material conditions, so you must always choose photoluminescent (glow in the dark) signs where it’s practical.

If you are unsure, you have the correct signage in your building, speak to us today at Swift Fire & Safety.

Why do Fire Extinguishers Require Regular Maintenance? 

Posted on by Daniel Youngs

Fire extinguishers play an essential role in the suppression of small fires in the workplace. They are one of the first lines of defence against fire and it’s the responsibility of the company owner to make sure that all their extinguishers are serviced. Of course, it’s also just common sense to check on potentially life-saving devices regularly. 

But what are some reasons that a fire extinguisher might fail? And how can we protect against them? Here’s what to look out for. 

Corrosion 

The main cylinder of the extinguisher is made from aluminium or steel. It is designed to withstand the internal forces of the pressurising gas.  Over time, the metal may start to corrode or deteriorate from stress and this will compromise the structural integrity of the cylinder and cause the extinguisher to fail. 

Your fire extinguisher service package will include regular evaluations of both the internal and external conditions of your fire extinguisher cylinder. 

Tampering  

People, especially children, are understandably curious about fire extinguishers. If your fire extinguishers are in plain sight, there’s a chance that somebody could have tampered with them. Tampering can be anything from loosening the hose, removing the headcap seal or the locking pin, moving the extinguisher away from its designated point or discharging some of its contents. Sometimes the tampering is not intentional, like when an extinguisher is moved for cleaning or used as a door stop. But these things can still render the extinguisher unfit for purpose and non-compliant with the British Standard. 

Your fire extinguishers will be checked for tampering during servicing. However, if you suspect that an extinguisher has been tampered with, you should call out your service provider to check and rectify any problems immediately, even if your service is not due. You might want to look into tamper resistant extinguisher cabinets or extinguisher covers if the problem persists. 

Hose Blockage 

The discharge hose on your fire extinguishers can become blocked by debris or insects over time. This can result in impaired function if you need to use it. The hose and connector O-rings can also deteriorate with time. 

A service from a qualified engineer will include inspection of the fire extinguisher hose and any compression O-rings will be regularly replaced.  

Leakage 

A fire extinguisher’s weight is clearly marked on each maintenance label. This is because the extinguisher’s weight is the easiest way to tell if the contents are as they should be. During a regular inspection, an engineer will weigh the extinguisher and compare it to its weight from the last inspection. If the extinguisher’s weight has dropped more than 10%, this is a clear indication of a leak, and the engineer will investigate what has caused it. 

Many extinguishers also have a pressure gauge in the valve assembly, and this will also be tested during a routine service.  

General Wear 

A fire extinguisher will experience general ‘wear and tear’ over the years, from fading labels to paint scuffs. 

This might not seem like too big of a problem, but the consequences of this damage can be much greater than you’d think. As the maintenance label on the extinguishers become faded the important information that the service technician needs become illegible. If the instruction label is damaged then a user might choose the wrong extinguisher for the type of fire, or not be able to read the instructions for use. 

Your service engineer will ensure that all the labelling on your fire equipment is clear and legible. 

Fire extinguisher servicing and maintenance is required by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. 

Talk to us at Swift Fire & Safety and we will help to inform your requirements and provide your servicing and maintenance.  

Do you need a Fire Extinguisher in your Home?

Posted on by Daniel Youngs

There are so many ways that a fire could start in your own home, from faulty electrical goods, candles, and leaving cooking appliances unattended – just to name a few.

When in an emergency situation, you absolutely must call 999, but having a fire extinguisher in your home could help you to put out a small, contained fire before it becomes out of control. Installing fire extinguishers in your home is an effective and affordable way to increase fire safety.

What are the biggest fire hazards at home?

There are various different types of fire extinguishers that can be used depending on the nature of the fire. Before choosing which kind of product you would want in your home, you may need to consider what they would most likely be used for.

1. Cooking appliances

Almost 50% of all domestic fires are caused by cooking appliances. There are many ways a fire can start in the kitchen, ranging from loose clothing & tea towels getting into contact with the hob to grease and fat igniting while you are cooking.

Fire blankets are commonly installed in kitchens and work well for putting out fires in a fryer or pan by smothering the oxygen that fuels the fire.

2. Smoking

Smoking in the home is a major fire hazard. If your cigarette has not been disposed of correctly, you risk starting a fire. Smoking indoors is a bad idea – for example, if you fall asleep before the cigarette is out, you could put yourself and others in really serious danger. The risk factors and possible life changing scenarios are endless, so if you must smoke, outdoors is best.

Even if you just vape or use e-cigarettes then there are still fire risks involved. If there are issues with the batteries, the product is faulty or you leave it charging too long, a fire can still be caused.

3. Electrical products

Electrical products that are faulty or counterfeit items that do not work properly, products being left on too long and overheating, or overloading extension leads & sockets are all prime examples of how an electrical fire could easily start.

You should always ensure that any electrical products you use have been safety checked. This can be verified by locating the British or European safety mark on the item you have purchased.

4. Candles and open flames

You should always take extra care each and every time there is any kind of naked flame in your home. Make sure you are using a fireguard if you have an open fireplace. Candles should be placed in a non-flammable container where they cannot be knocked over. Children, pets, and flammable objects should be kept far away from open flames and these should all be put out before you leave the room or go to bed.

Having a fire extinguisher in your home could make an enormous difference in an emergency and improve your fire safety. For more information please give our friendly team a call on 01733 602955 or visit our contact page.

What Needs to be PAT Tested?

Posted on by Daniel Youngs

PAT testing stands for ‘Portable Appliance Testing’ and is mandatory for every business using electrical equipment of any kind in order to reduce the risk of faults and lower the chances of a fire.

Faulty electricals are one of the most common causes of commercial fires in the UK, so it’s imperative that you know which appliances need to be tested in your workplace.
There’s no specific law that dictates that PAT testing should be carried out, but there are several regulations that cover the need for your premises to meet safety requirements – including the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.

PAT Testing 101

It’s not only portable items that require testing. Items that need testing – and the kind of testing that they will need – are decided by three different classes and seven categories.
Class 1 means it requires a full PAT testing, Class 2 means it requires a PAT insulation test and Class 3 means it doesn’t need testing at all (though charging cables may need to be). The categories of items that require testing are:

– Fixed appliances
– Stationary appliances
– IT appliances
– Moveable appliances
– Portable appliances
– Cables and chargers
– Handheld appliances

In order to help you protect your employees and comply with government regulations as a business – we’ve put together a list of the common items found in different business sectors that may require testing.

Construction

There are plenty of manual tools and materials on a construction site as well as plenty of handheld items. These should all have regular testing to ensure they are in good working order electrically. Some common construction site items that require PAT testing are:

– Power tools
– Power cables
– Charging systems
– Site kitchen appliances
– Fridges
– Ovens
– Heaters
– Lighting

Offices

Office spaces are usually filled with all kinds of electrical items and appliances. It can be a varied and eclectic mix dependent upon the industry and the personality of the business, but here are some commonly used items in offices to have PAT tested:
– Computers
– Laptop cables
– Photocopiers
– Floor standing printers
– Electric heaters
– Kettles
– Extension leads
– Microwaves
– Toasters
– Fridges

Healthcare Facilities

Again, different facilities have different appliances, but there’s often a wide range of more complex equipment. The following are just a few items to think about for care home or hospital PAT testing:

– Computers and monitors
– Televisions
– Defibrillators
– Electric beds and chairs
– Heart rate monitors
– Electric scales
– Pumps
– Hoists

For staff, patients and the general public, fire safety should be a top priority for hospitals and medical facilities. A risk assessment can help to identify any potential fire safety risks.
Warehouses

Warehouses might be predominantly used for storage, but electrical equipment is usually always present and should be PAT tested to reduce the risk of faults that could cause a fire. Some common items in warehouses for PAT testing are:

– Telephones
– Floor standing printers
– Portable tools
– Charging cables
– Extension leads
Warehouses and factories should be extra vigilant about fire safety, especially when you are working with large equipment and machinery.

Schools

There might not be as much specialist equipment as an office, but schools do contain plenty of electrical equipment and devices and accidental damage to such objects is much more likely due to the high numbers of young children daily. See the following list of examples of common items in a school that need PAT testing:

– Televisions
– Computers and monitors
– Extension leads
– Photocopiers
– Floor standing printers
– Crating appliances
– Glue guns
– Sewing machines
– Kitchen appliances
– Fridges
– Ovens
– Heaters

This is by no means an exhaustive list of items that require PAT testing, but it should give you a good idea of the kinds of things you’re looking for. Your fire safety risk assessment should include a full list of every item in your workplace that requires regular PAT testing. If you’re unsure about whether your business requires PAT testing, or if you’d like to arrange for PAT testing at your premises, simply contact our team today.

Why are nursing home call bell systems so important?

Posted on by Daniel Youngs

There is no button in a hospital or care home that is more vital to the service user than their call bell. It is imperative that this button is always in good working order, because patients heavily rely upon it, often in moments of their lives when they are at their most vulnerable. They need to be able to trust that the alarm system works and that when they need something a nurse will respond promptly. This is especially important in emergency situations. If the patient call bell is faulty, then this could cause massive risk to the health, wellbeing and even the lives of the people your facility serves.

Being admitted to a hospital or moving into a nursing home can be a frightening experience. People often find it daunting, because generally, it means that either there is something wrong with your health or you are losing your independence. People love the comfort of their own homes, and nobody wants to give that up unless they absolutely must, not for any length of time. People who have had their independence all of their lives often don’t enjoy being waited on by nurses and many express feelings of being a burden. A good, reliable call bell system coupled with friendly and responsive nurses all help to make people feel at ease during their stay. Without these things, patient transition to a hospital or care home can be made worse.

Lack of a reliable call system can lead to the person attempting to get out of bed themselves and attend to their business without the help of a nurse. This is the leading cause of service users falling in nursing homes and can have a severe impact on the health of the individual.

Patients falls might be more likely in older patients, but anyone who is unwell or injured can have a fall. Some medications or surgical procedures can lead to a person feeling drowsy. A fall can lead to broken bones and a more extended stay in hospital.

It has been reported 40% of falls in hospital happen because patients attempt to go to the toilet unassisted. In some cases, this could be because the patient call bell is not in good working order, and the patient felt they had no choice but to go to the toilet themselves.

Having a regularly maintained nurse call system is vital to ensuring a safe stay in the hospital or care home and can save lives.

When was the last time that you checked your patient call buttons are working?

At Swift Fire and Safety, we install and maintain patient call bell systems in nursing homes and hospitals across the country. Talk to us today if you feel you need an update or for all your call bell system maintenance needs.

What’s the History of Fire Safety Regulation in the UK?

Posted on by Daniel Youngs

It’s necessary for all businesses to be aware of fire safety legislation, but before getting involved in any detail, it can be useful to have an understanding of the basics. So, we’ve put together this guide for you to help you do just that.

The fire safety statutory provisions that we currently have in place in the UK have evolved from measures that have been introduced slowly over many years. The majority of fire safety legislation was introduced following a major fire or fires with high mortality rates. It is known as stable door legislation, because it was created in response to an event that has passed.
The main fire safety legislative order in the UK is called The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

This order should have come into force on the 1st April 2006, but was delayed until the 1st October 2006. It was created in response to a call to simplify and rationalise the UK fire regulations at the time. The previous UK fire safety legislation was amended and reformed using the Regulatory Reform Act 2001. The new order was designed to provide a minimum fire safety standard in non-domestic premises such as places of work.

All premises (or parts of premises) that are used for non-domestic purposes, with a few exceptions, are subjected to the Order. Usually, a person is designated as the Responsible Person for that property. Often it is the employer or the owner that holds this responsibility. The Responsible Person is required to carry out mandatory fire safety duties, which include ensuring the general fire precautions are satisfactory and carrying out a fire risk assessment. The Responsible Persons can have competent persons to assist them with performing their legal duties. If more than five persons are employed at the premises, it must be a written risk assessment.

What was the previous general fire safety legislation?

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 replaced previous fire safety legislation and any fire certificate issued under the Fire Precautions Act 1972 ceased having an effect. If a fire certificate was issued for your premises or the premises were built to building regulations under the previous regulations, then most people found they didn’t need to make too many changes to their existing fire protection measures in order to comply with the new order.

However, they still had to carry out a fire risk assessment and keep it up to date to ensure that all their fire precautions were up to date and satisfactory. It required a mind-set shift in order to take into account the wider scope of the new order. Premises were also subject to the provisions of a licence or registration in cases where the fire authority wished to review their risk assessment as part of the licensing approval process.

The new, risk-assessment based regime required those persons responsible for premises used for carrying of a trade, business or other undertakings, for profit or not (including the self-employed and also members of the public) to take action to prevent fires, and protect them against death and injury should a fire occur.
This was a similar duty to the one imposed on employers by the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997, but under the new order, the duty was extended beyond workplaces to include the majority of premises to which people have access.

To support the Order, The Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLC) published a suite of eleven new guidance documents. They gave advice on most types of premises where the duty to undertake a fire safety risk assessment under the new order applied.

To this day, using the guidance contained in the Fire Safety Advice Centre should be sufficient to meet the minimum standards that are required by United Kingdom Legislation.
If you feel overwhelmed by fire safety regulation and are unsure about whether or not you are meeting requirements, or what your responsibilities are, then do give us a call and we’ll walk you through it and let you know what we can offer to support your fire safety needs.

How Have CCTV Systems Evolved?

Posted on by Daniel Youngs

CCTV stands for closed-circuit television and was first used in World War 2 when some German scientists created a camera inside a box so that they could safely observe A4 rocket launches.
More than 75 years since they were created, CCTV cameras are still mainly used to record footage for the purposes of surveillance and crime detection. The world has changed massively since then with technological leaps like the internet and smartphones, but not that much has changed in terms of CCTV utility and architecture. The vast majority of cameras today are used to record footage that then has to be analysed by humans if an incident occurs. This is a very slow process, it’s also costly and requires human time, attention and huge amounts of data storage.

Recent developments in machine learning and camera quality mean that this is all likely to change soon. Instead of reacting to events retrospectively, we expect hardware and software to soon be capable of automatically detecting and notifying people of incidents and important events happening within the camera’s range.

Let’s have a look at the most significant advancements in the transformation process of CCTV and see what’s in store for the near future.

• The first analog systems
The first documented CCTV camera to ever exist was in 1942. It wasn’t able to record and store data, so it required monitoring constantly.

• VCR analog cameras
VCR (videocassette recorders) were widely rolled out in the 1970s. Images were stored in 8 hour long tapes and had to be manually replaced.

• Hybrid systems: DVR analog cameras
In the mid 90’s the DVR (digital video recording) came about. This system digitized and compressed the video, storing the information in a hard disk.

• Network based DVR
Later DVRs were fitted with an Ethernet port for network connectivity. This allowed videos to be monitored remotely using computers.

• Video encoders
Video encoders (or video servers) were the next big step in the technology. The most important modernisation is that with this system the video management is operated through the software installed in a computer.

• Fully Digital IP Cameras
This system is fully digital and has no analog component. This has significantly simplified the installation and maintenance of the system. It now has computer power built in, allowing for the use of preinstalled applications in the camera. These systems can synchronize with other devices.

The future of CCTV

The CCTV industry has experienced some changes over the years, but drastic improvements are just around the corner. To this day, surveillance cameras require a human security operator to view the footage and determine appropriate actions. This should be rapidly automated, especially in larger areas where the sheer volume of footage means it is impossible to be 100% observed. In terms of security, automation would allow us to act on incidents happening in real time as opposed to using the footage for investigative functions. It would save massively on costs, but also significantly increase the chances of us preventing incidents from taking place. In some cases, this would save lives. Real time analytics could also be utilised in a variety of other sectors like healthcare, education and retail.