RiskUKNovember2017

Remote Monitoring for Video Surveillance Systems
triggered by a detector-only security system,
which brings me neatly on to the subject of
‘tough love’.
Ensuring Best Practice
Remotely-monitored security systems eliminate
the risk of the police having to respond to false
alarms. Instead, they place the burden on the
RVRC to filter them out and the cost of doing so
on to the end user. If false alarm incidents are
to be minimised, it’s therefore essential that
the installer and the RVRC work closely
together to ensure Best Practice when the
system’s being installed and commissioned.
Some installers may regard the RVRC as
being ‘difficult’ due to insisting on the following
procedures, but by complying they will ensure
that the cost of monitoring a detector-based
intrusion system will be minimised:
• Commissioning: This process must follow a
logical progression in order to verify that
detection devices and cameras are tested
• Daytime Walk Test: This involves an engineer
on site creating an alarm by walking around the
location such that every sensor installed
delivers an alarm image to the RVRC. In doing
so, the engineer should ensure that each
detector is correctly assigned to an appropriate
camera and, where a camera with telemetry is
installed, the correct pre-set is configured.
Testing of all arming and disarming devices
should be carried out at the same time
• Night-Time Image Testing: This is intended to
assess the quality of supplementary lighting
and image resolution
• Lighting Rating Scale: The RVRC should
complete a lighting report as part of the
commissioning process for all new connections,
with snapshot images taken from all cameras
during the day and then again at night. The
report will identify if there’s adequate visibility
in all lighting conditions or if poor visibility
necessitates the requirement for additional
lighting to be installed
• Seven-Day Environmental Soak Testing:
During this period, the system remains under
detailed review to allow for evaluation of the
effects of environmental influences
Harsh environments
A professionally-designed, installed and
commissioned remotely-monitored video
“Remotely-monitored security systems eliminate the risk of
the police having to respond to false alarms. Instead, they
place the burden on the RVRC to filter them out and the
cost of doing so on to the end user”
system can be effective and reliable even in the
most harsh of environments. Battery
technology has now advanced to the stage
where a system can be rapidly deployed to a
site where an electricity power supply may not
be readily available and, in the absence of
access to the network for transmission over
broadband, it’s now possible to use 3G, 4G or
even satellite technology to ensure
communication between a site and an RVRC.
Depending on the location of the site, pointto-point
wireless transmission is also an option
as it’s able to send high quality video over long
distances with extremely low latency. It’s not
unknown for a combination of satellite, pointto-point
wireless and broadband to be used to
meet the challenge of transmitting data and
audio as well as video over large distances.
The resolution of images captured by the
latest generation of HD cameras means that,
provided they’re correctly installed and
configured, it’s virtually guaranteed RVRCs will
receive video of sufficient clarity to enable
operators to rapidly decide on an appropriate
course of action when lighting and weather
conditions are good.
On that note, bear in mind that thermal
imaging cameras now offer an affordable
solution for those sites which may be subject to
low-light or variable weather conditions.
How to select RVRCs
There’s no shortage of monitoring centres who
will want your business, but their ability to
meet your expectations as an end user will vary.
Here are some tips to maximise the possibility
of you choosing an RVRC which is able to
deliver the service levels you require.
Visit the National Security Inspectorate’s
website at www.nsi.org.uk where you’ll find a
directory of accredited RVRCs that operate to
British Standards BS 5979 Category II and BS
8418. Also, seek confirmation that the selected
RVRC is independently inspected to the quality
standard ISO 9001:2000.
Further, check that the RVRC is approved to
operate the monitoring centre platforms – such
as Sureview Immix and Sentinel Plus – from
leading software developers, and that it’s able
to support IP, 3G and 4G transmission protocols
(as well as, if appropriate to you, legacy ISDN
and PSTN systems).
Last, but not least, ascertain if the RVRC has
field-based and in-house technical support
personnel on board who will liaise with your
installation company every step of the way,
from system design right through to
commissioning, in order to ensure optimum
performance of your security systems.
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