CCTV and Security System Installation — Safe Work Method Statement

Most CCTV and alarm installs look like low-risk work, but the injuries in this trade come from the same places every time: falling from a ladder while fixing a camera under the eaves, falling through a ceiling while running cable in the roof space, and getting too close to the overhead service line where it attaches to the house. Mounting cameras on second-storey eaves, warehouse walls or poles means a fall of more than 2 metres, which makes the job High Risk Construction Work and requires a SWMS. If the camera, siren or cable route is within the no-go zone of the overhead service line or other powerlines, it is also work near energised electrical services and the SWMS must say how that is controlled.

The specific hazards are mostly about access and location. Ladders on sloping driveways, garden beds and pavers slip. Fascias and eaves linings may be rotten, too thin to hold a fixing, or in older houses made of asbestos cement sheeting. Drilling through brick or block for cable entry produces silica dust. Roof spaces carry the same risks as for any electrician: live cabling, heat, and plasterboard you can step through. On commercial sites the camera positions are often high on walls and over driveways, so you will need an EWP and a plan to keep the client's vehicles and forklifts away.

Licensing is split. In most states and territories, selling, installing or maintaining security equipment needs a security industry licence, and the requirements differ, so check with your state or territory licensing body. Cabling that connects to the telecommunications network, including data cabling run for IP cameras, must be done by a registered cabler. Hard-wired 230 V connections, such as a new power point for an NVR or a fixed-wired power supply, must be done by a licensed electrician. ELV and PoE cabling has its own segregation requirements from mains cabling under AS/NZS 3000.

The SWMS needs to cover how you choose and set up access equipment for each camera position, how you keep away from the service line, how you check for asbestos before drilling eaves and walls, roof space safety, and how 230 V work is handled by a licensed electrician.

Customise this template with: the site address and client; the number and height of camera and sensor positions and the access method for each; the location of the overhead service line and any no-go zone; building age and asbestos information; roof space access; who holds the security licence, cabling registration and electrical licence on the job; and any client site rules on a commercial site.