Job site security cameras with built-in motion detection offer many benefits: better protection, faster response to emergencies and much more. But they’re only one piece of the security puzzle. Once they’re up and running, it’s important that someone monitor and respond to what your cameras see every day.
There are two ways to monitor your motion-detection cameras and protect your job site: do-it-yourself monitoring or professional monitoring. To help you make the best choice, we compare the pros and cons of both options.
DIY Security Monitoring
DIY monitoring can be an ideal option for small sites or projects in the early stages of construction. For example, maybe there hasn’t been much job site activity yet, but you still want a dependable way to monitor movement, receive alerts about potential threats, and prevent damages, trespassing and theft.
A camera system with time-lapse history and video documentation can be a great option to help you monitor job sites for vandalism or other minor incidents. Through time-lapse technology, you can retroactively review these events when they occur.
When you monitor your own security cameras, motion-detection alerts and time-stamped video clips can be sent via email to whomever you choose after a camera senses movement. Once that person receives the alert, they can evaluate the situation, closely zoom in, remotely control the live camera view, and determine what steps to take.
Be sure to consider your coverage needs as you decide between DIY monitoring or professional monitoring. Do you have a team who can respond to alerts at night and on weekends? If you have adequate personnel to receive and respond to alerts — including on holidays and outside normal working hours — then relying on DIY monitoring may provide a sufficient level of security. If not, then professional security monitoring can solve that problem.
Professional Security Monitoring
Instead of motion-detection alerts being sent to you or someone on your team, professional security monitoring ensures that they’re sent straight to a security-monitoring agent. Adding a live agent to the process means that someone is dedicated to monitoring alerts from your jobsite cameras 24/7 — and they can often respond faster than someone on your team who manages alerts in addition to other job responsibilities.
A certified expert reviews the alerts as they come in and is trained on how to respond. They evaluate risk and dispatch police in the case of a true threat. From there, they follow your predetermined protocols (notifying appropriate contacts, for example). For the best service possible, look for a professional monitoring program that makes sure its advisors have UL and Five Diamond certification. Of the 3,700 monitoring services in North America, only 200 meet these strict standards for service quality, technological capabilities, and consistent adherence to relevant standards.
Professional security monitoring can save valuable time and resources — without sacrificing your first line of defense — when your team is stretched thin. Certified agents act as your eyes and ears so you can focus on other important security initiatives without worrying about someone being available to respond 24/7.
Making the Right Choice About Security Monitoring
There’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to deciding between DIY and professional monitoring. The decision you make should be based on your team, budget, availability and requirements.
A premier construction camera provider will also act as your partner. They can proactively monitor camera system performance and health and make sure that coverage, placement, lighting and network connections are always strong.
Need help deciding which option is best for you? We can help. Learn more by watching our recent webinar about security monitoring options.
