Are you worried about declining work productivity in your industrial facility? Or, are you concerned about keeping your workers and staff members safe? Video surveillance is probably the best way to ensure all that. Enabled by Closed Circuit Television, or CCTV, video surveillance is emerging as an affordable and effective option for any industrial premise.

Despite the concerns regarding individual liberties, the global market for video surveillance is poised to grow from $52.45 billion in 2020 to over $90 billion by 2026. This includes the growing adoption of video surveillance in business premises, driven primarily by the advancement in facial recognition technology. Experts believe that over 65% of burglaries happening in business premises can be eliminated by using CCTVs.

So, is this the right time for you to install a CCTV system in your industrial or business premises? Let us discuss 7 reasons why it is a must:

1. Improves employee productivity

Struggling with low worker productivity? The CCTV technology combined with face recognition can be effective in boosting workplace discipline and productivity. For example, floor managers under surveillance technology have shown better focus on managing their teams along with other functions. At the same time, it is important to judiciously install CCTVs in your office facility as over-surveillance can create an unproductive environment of mistrust among employees.

2. Stops workplace thefts

Workplace thefts, usually committed by employees, costs American businesses around $50 billion each year. One-third of businesses going bankrupt in the US is because of employee thefts. Workplace thefts not only damage company profits and reputation but can also create an environment of suspicion among employees, thus driving down productivity. Technology-enabled CCTV systems are often cheaper to install than to hire a full-time team of security guards. In addition, if theft is still committed, CCTV footage can be used as evidence in detecting the offenders.

3. Keeps your employees safe

Do you know that businesses in the US spend up to $170 billion each year on costs related to occupational hazards, in addition to the loss of workers due to injuries or deaths? The CCTV technology can be used to monitor high-risk facilities that expose workers to harmful chemicals or fire hazards. Apart from saving lives and damage to property, video surveillance cameras placed in the right areas can enable a faster emergency response from on-site security professionals. An added advantage of installing video surveillance in high-risk areas is monitoring them from a “safe place,” instead of physically placing a security guard or expert in the area.

4. Tracks all workplace activity

How much time are your employees or workers spending time away from their dedicated workplace? Are they taking too many coffee breaks? Face detection technology along with CCTV devices can be used to track the movement of employees during working hours. With more employees now working from home, time-tracking and attendance systems enable actual tracking of work hours put in by workers and keeps projects on track. As a business owner or manager, you can use video surveillance in your workplace to ensure that all employees are following your business policies and guidelines.

5. Stops sexual harassment in workplaces

Going by 2019 statistics, 6 in every 10 working women in the US have filed complaints against sexual harassment, while the average business cost due to loss in productivity is around $22,500 for each person. Video surveillance systems in the workplace can deter sexual predators or detect incidents of sexual misconduct. Overall, CCTV technologies can encourage more women to join industries that have traditionally been male-dominated.

6. Reduces machine downtime

Recent industry statistics reveal that around 82% of businesses have experienced unplanned downtime of their installed machines or equipment. On the whole, factories have lost 5% of their overall productivity due to downtime. Downtime can further lead to delays in fulfilling customer orders and loss of production. Through its 24/7 surveillance, CCTVs equipped with video analytics can monitor machinery and other important assets for any malfunctioning or downtime. For example, thermal cameras can detect overheating in any machine and raise a timely alarm to the servicing executives.

7. Enables remote monitoring

As a business leader, you cannot be physically present on your office premises at all times. However, that does not mean that you cannot know what is happening in the office. Thanks to the internet and camera-enabled remote monitoring technology, you can now monitor your office or any commercial property from the comfort of your home or remote location. In the event of any unusual or suspicious activity, the remote monitoring system sends an automated alert to you or any concerned authority.

Since the introduction of Sprinter IP systems, more and more people have made the switch from analog to IP. This brings up the question, are there any advantages of using analog over IP? Should we all just move to using an IP system? Although IP systems are touted as being the best, there are still some advantages of using analog CCTV systems over IP.

Difference Between Analog & IP

An analog system consists of analog cameras that are plugged into a DVR. This DVR is responsible for converting the images that the camera captures into a digital format that can be viewed on a monitor. All of the data transmission between these devices is done via coaxial cables.

In an IP system, the IP cameras already record images in a digital format so a DVR is not needed for conversion. Instead, the cameras will be plugged into an NVR that stores the footage. Additionally, all of the data transmission is done through the connected network.

Why Use Analog CCTV Systems Over IP?

In the age of the internet, it’s understandable that most people would move to using IP. However, CCTV systems are not a one-size-fits-all solution. For some people, they would prefer to use analog CCTV systems over IP for reasons such as:

• Lower cost: While it is true that the cost of IP systems has greatly decreased over the years, they’re still going to be slightly more expensive than analog. If you’re looking for a good-quality system and don’t need a lot of fancy features, then an analog system will get the job done at a fraction of the price.
• Simple setup: IP systems are easier to install because there’s less cabling required, but analog still wins when it comes simplicity. Unlike IP, analog systems do not have to be connected to a network and configured. In most cases, the setup process will just involve mounting the cameras and plugging them in.
• Bandwidth-friendly: If bandwidth is a concern, then analog CCTV systems will be your best bet. Analog systems can work without network connection so it won’t eat up any bandwidth. But even if they are connected, they will still take up less bandwidth than IP because the bandwidth will only be used for remote viewing, not data transmission like IP.
• Familiarity: Analog CCTV systems have been around for ages before IP systems came about. This familiarity means that it’ll be easier to find vendors and skilled professionals that can help you with your system.