Late last year new national guidelines for operators of closed-circuit TV systems were launched by the British Standard Institution.

BSI 7958:1999 applies mainly to systems used in public areas, including shopping centres, schools, colleges and hospitals. It covers privacy, observations, recorded material, procedures for record-keeping, access and security screening, data handling and media disclosure.

The BSI's guidelines come as a reaction to the fact that CCTV surveillance is an increasingly common feature of public environments and will undoubtedly remain so.

Says director of standards David Lazenby: "These guidelines embody the ethos of the individual's right to privacy and provide a model code for fairness and taking responsibility for CCTV operation."

More information is available at www.bsi.org.uk

Elliott Chase