Seven pints on camera
You might know we run a weekly Zoom call, where you can drop in and get questions answered. (If you haven’t joined us before, here’s the link for next week’s session.
And there was a great question this week:
“Can I install CCTV with sound in my reception area?”
The answer? Well, maybe.
Obviously a black and white answer would be most helpful here, but it’s all a bit grey.
Visual CCTV is straightforward – you can do it as long as:
- You put signs up saying that CCTV is on the premises
- You register with the ICO (ico.org.uk) and pay the fee
- You have a CCTV policy available to staff and members/clients of the business, which states how long you will keep the recording for and who will have access
Failure to do any of these things means you won’t be able to use the footage in any disciplinary situation.
A client of ours discovered this the other day – the bar manager was caught, red-handed, necking seven pints of beer throughout the evening shift, and seemingly not paying for any.
Sackable offence, surely? Well, yes, but they weren’t registered, so no dice.
But can you add sound into the mix, even if you are registered?
Well, based on what the ICO say, you’ll need a really good reason for it.
One client wanted sound that was connected to an emergency button at reception – if one of their clients got abusive, a member of staff could press a button and recording would begin.
That’s a “good reason”, and it’s proportionate – it’s not recording all the time.
But just having CCTV that allows you to listen in to all of your staff conversations?
Not a good reason. Not proportionate. Not legal!
If you’re looking into the world of CCTV and you want to ensure you use it to your benefit, and use it legally, hit reply and we’ll be happy to help.
