Standards Development

Scope

This British Standard gives recommendations for the management and operation of CCTV within a controlled environment, where data that might be offered as evidence are received, stored, reviewed or analysed. This standard applies to the monitoring and management of public spaces, including automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) and traffic enforcement cameras. For control rooms whose operation falls within the scope of BS 7499, BS 5979 or BS 8591, all of the security requirements, both physical and procedural, of the relevant British Standard remain applicable.

This British Standard is applicable to CCTV schemes used in public places such as the following:

a) areas where the public are encouraged to enter or have a right to visit, such as town centres, shopping malls, public transport, health establishments;

b) schemes that overlook a public place, such as traffic monitoring and traffic enforcement schemes; and

c) private schemes where a camera view includes a partial view of a public place.

This British Standard also provides good practice for all other CCTV schemes.

This British Standard takes due regard of the 12 guiding principles of the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice [7] (see Annex A) and the Information Commissioner’s CCTV Code of practice [8] and the Data Protection Act 1998 [1] principles (see Annex B).

Purpose

This standard needs to be revised following the committee review of the Manchester Bombing Report and the new Protect Legislation.

The previous edition needs to be updated in terms of reflecting current technology and practice.

Attention is drawn to the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice [7] and its 12 guiding principles, which are applicable to public space CCTV systems. Irrespective of the ownership, this British Standard covers CCTV schemes used in areas where the public have a “right to visit”. These areas include, but are not limited to:

a) a place that is privately owned, but where the public perceive no boundary;

b) a place where a public service is offered;

c) public footpaths, roads, bridle-ways, etc.;

d) educational establishments and hospitals;

e) sports grounds where access is unrestricted, supermarkets and housing

areas; and

f) public arenas such as sports stadiums and public places where events are held as an alternative to regular activities in those locations.