Preventative Maintenance Must-Dos for Cameras/CCTV

The security officer saw the group of young school kids crossing the road and he knew that just around the blind corner was a delivery truck getting ready to pull away from the loading dock. The officer walked over in front of the truck and held up a hand for the driver to wait. The driver revved his engine. The officer turned to look behind him to see if the school group had crossed. The truck rolled forward, sending the officer flying across the road into the bushes. When the company was contacted by police to press criminal charges against the driver, police heard quite a different story. The driver claimed the security officer had berated the driver, struck his truck in anger, and then dived off the road to make it look like he had been hit. The problem with the story is that there was a surveillance camera at the dock that recorded the whole thing.

The security officer was not only fortunate for the placement of the security camera; he was fortunate that the camera had been serviced a week earlier. Before servicing, the dirty lens was pointed to give a mostly-obscured view of a trash can. It would have missed the incident with the truck altogether. Maintenance and upkeep for CCTV cameras isn’t something people often think about, but it should be. Cameras don’t take care of themselves. A good maintenance program can keep a security camera effective when it’s needed.

Here are some of the items that should be completed to keep a security camera system in top shape:

• Cameras need to be cleaned and adjusted. This includes cleaning the lens and housing inside and out, adjusting the focus and making sure it is pointing at the correct target. It also includes making sure that pan, tilt and zoom functions work correctly.
• Check cables and control equipment. Cables and connectors should not be worn or frayed. Cables in outdoor settings need proper insulation, as well. Monitors and DVRs should be clean and set to proper brightness and contrast.
• The system needs to be brought up to date. Software and firmware should be updated to the latest versions. If there are hardware recalls, they should be addressed, as well.
• Storage issues need to be examined. Hard drives should be checked to be sure that they are functioning correctly. Storage settings should be verified.  Capacity should be checked to make sure that there is enough for the needs of the system with the current settings.

If you have a surveillance camera system, you should get it serviced regularly. In the Memphis area, you should contact Dillard Door & Entrance Control to do this today!