Video Monitoring for Warehouse Security

Video Monitoring  and Warehouse Security: How They Work Together

Security is important at every property, but it is especially important at warehouses. These facilities are typically quite large, which means that staff or security guards will likely have trouble seeing everything that happens at a site.

Of course, they also tend to contain quite a lot of valuables – and these assets can usually be sold quite easily by the criminals on the black market – so the warehouse becomes a common target.

Utilizing security technology can keep these properties safe. Find out how video monitoring + warehouse security work together to provide superior protection.

What is Video Monitoring?

Video surveillance cameras are common at many properties, including warehouses. However, these tools are often used in an ineffective manner. For instance, if security footage isn’t viewed live, it makes it significantly less effective. Footage that isn’t viewed live is primarily useful for determining what happened at a scene. It tends to not deter criminals.

That’s because criminals know that if they conceal their identities (by wearing hoods, masks, etc.), it can be nearly impossible to identify them at a scene and that makes them basically impossible to catch. However, when cameras are watched live, security staff can intervene to stop situations before they turn into crimes.

For example, if a person is spotted outside of a warehouse looking for a way to get in, remote monitoring agents can communicate with them directly using two-way speakers. They can let the criminal know that they are being watched and instruct them to leave the scene immediately or the police will be called.

This is significantly more likely to deter a criminal since it increases the chances of police arriving while they are still at the site. Since criminals don’t want to be caught, they’ll leave the property right away.

This prevents damage to the property in addition to potentially stolen assets, and therefore the warehouse is spared the expense and hassle of the break in. 

Comparing Video Monitoring to Other Security Tools

When it comes to video monitoring + warehouse security, it’s also important to compare how these tools work differently from other security systems. As mentioned, unmonitored cameras tend not to deter criminals. The same is true for alarm systems that are not connected to live video monitoring systems.

Alarms typically only sound when a criminal breaches the security of a property, such as when they break through a window or open a door. By the time this has happened, the crime is already underway. 

Criminals move quickly and they are usually in and out of a site in just a few minutes. Even if an alarm is designed to contact police directly, without live video footage, there is no way for them to verify if the alarm is due to a legitimate crime in progress.

When a live monitoring agent contacts the police to say they see criminals on site, this will typically cause police to place a higher priority on the call. The same isn’t necessarily true when an alarm sounds with no way to verify the situation.

Another security tool that is often used at warehouses is onsite security guards. While this is another active option, there are still potential weaknesses. Guards are able to spot situations and react to them to deter criminals, just like with live video monitoring.

However, guards cannot be everywhere at once. At a large property, it will take many guards to keep the site safe and they still will not be able to see everything that happens. Criminals often scout a property and see where security guards walk, then work to avoid them.

With live video monitoring, security agents can see the entire property at all times. Live monitoring agents cannot be avoided, nor can they be distracted or overwhelmed or physically threatened by criminals. They can do their jobs no matter the conditions.

When it comes to video monitoring + warehouse security, the truth is that these systems provide cost-effective security that works. For more information on these tools, and how they can keep your warehouse safe and secure, please contact Birdseye Security Solutions today. Our team will help you find the right security solution.