Call us on 
Installing a commercial CCTV system for your business can be an excellent way to bolster security and ensure your staff, premises, and equipment remain under rigorous surveillance to prevent criminal activity.
However, there are a few things you need to do to ensure you are compliant with data protection legislation in the UK.
In this checklist, the Clearway team summarised all the vital tasks when installing CCTV to ensure you are up to date with all of the requirements!
Risk Assess the Threat to Data Privacy
| Task | Completed? |
| Identify potential privacy risks. | Yes / No / In Progress |
| Document any potential impacts your CCTV will have on an individual’s privacy. | Yes / No / In Progress |
| Evaluate where the CCTV can be adjusted or adapted to avoid personal privacy risks. | Yes / No / In Progress |
| Set up a policy for regular review of your CCTV installation and privacy impacts. | Yes / No / In Progress |
Appoint and Register a Data Protection Officer
| Task | Completed? |
| Register your CCTV with the Information Commissioner’s Office. | Yes / No / In Progress |
| Appoint a manager or owner to be the Data Protection Officer. | Yes / No / In Progress |
| Pay the data protection fee to the ICO. | Yes / No / In Progress |
Create a CCTV Usage Policy
| Task | Completed? |
| Nominate a person responsible for operating the CCTV system. | Yes / No / In Progress |
| Identify procedures for activating, using, recorded, disposing of data and maintaining the CCTV. | Yes / No / In Progress |
| Draw up a policy outlining the CCTV system usage and who is responsible. | Yes / No / In Progress |
Managing Personal Data Requests
| Task | Completed? |
| Decide how individuals or organisations can request copies of CCTV footage containing their information. | Yes / No / In Progress |
| Identify how those requests should be made and how they will be responded to. | Yes / No / In Progress |
| Establish a process or guideline covering how you will manage personal data requests. | Yes / No / In Progress |
| Seek advice from the ICO if any uncertainty remains. | Yes / No / In Progress |
CCTV Staff Training
| Task | Completed? |
| Decide which staff will be involved in the operation of the CCTV installation. | Yes / No / In Progress |
| Draw up training protocols for managing personal data requests. | Yes / No / In Progress |
| Create a training policy identifying those staff and what training will be delivered. | Yes / No / In Progress |
| Deliver training to the appropriate personnel. | Yes / No / In Progress |
Information Retention Policies
| Task | Completed? |
| Confirm how long CCTV will be retained. | Yes / No / In Progress |
| Create a policy identifying the retention period for all CCTV footage. | Yes / No / In Progress |
| Implement a system for routine deletion of data past this period. | Yes / No / In Progress |
Data Quality Inspection
| Task | Completed? |
| Examine CCTV capture quality for image clarity. | Yes / No / In Progress |
| Make any adjustments or improvements to ensure the CCTV quality is high. | Yes / No / In Progress |
Information Security Protocols
| Task | Completed? |
| Decide where and how your organisation will store CCTV images. | Yes / No / In Progress |
| Implement access controls to ensure only authorised staff will be able to access the stored footage. | Yes / No / In Progress |
| Create systematic, regular checks to verify that the CCTV is working correctly. | Yes / No / In Progress |
Put Up Appropriate Signage
| Task | Completed? |
| Order or create signs advising of the presence of active CCTV systems. | Yes / No / In Progress |
| Place signs in appropriate places around or outside the building, depending on where recording takes place. | Yes / No / In Progress |
| Ensure all staff, visitors and neighbouring properties are informed about the presence of CCTV or have a clear sight of signage to that effect. | Yes / No / In Progress |
Once you have worked through this checklist, you are in an excellent position to continue with your CCTV security surveillance, safe in the knowledge that you have implemented all the necessary controls, communications and policies to ensure it is being used appropriately.
Note that registration with the Information Commissioner’s Office in the UK is compulsory and carries an annual fee. It is, therefore, vital to ensure you complete the registration as soon as the CCTV installation takes place.
For more information about CCTV regulations and compliance, please contact the Clearway team for more details about safeguards and checklists in place.
Recent posts
Empty Commercial Property – Things to Consider
Thu May 19 2022
Utilities and Water Rates on Empty Properties
Thu May 19 2022
Securing Self-Storage: How to Secure Your Storage Units
Mon May 9 2022
