Advice and Guidance Site Security

Man vs Fuse – Which Security Solution is Better?

The security sector is booming. According to the Security Industry Authority (SIA), within the private sector, there are currently almost 1 million licenses issued to security personnel within the UK alone. The UK physical security sector is now worth over £1.5BN per annum and is expected to rise significantly over the next few years.

We all know that on-site security is very important for protecting your assets, particularly in the construction sector where plant, machinery and tools tend to be of much higher value, and we often see cases where sites become crippled through the loss of vital equipment. With the rise of unemployment, we are also seeing a rise in crime, particularly theft and vandalism, so now is the time to start questioning the effectiveness and value of your current security solutions.

In this latest blog, we will be weighing up the pros and cons of Man vs Fuse (Guarding vs CCTV) whilst also examining the typical costs involved with each solution. For this comparison, we will be comparing man-guarding against our most technologically advanced CCTV Tower product – the Ultra Hybrid. CCTV technology has progressed very quickly over recent years, so it is important that we compare the most advanced solution available today to give you a modern perspective.

Many companies automatically opt for physical guards to manage their on-site security, ‘because.. well, that’s how it’s always been..’ without examining other viable options such as CCTV solutions. There are various pros and cons for both services, which we have summarised to see how they compare –

Physical deterrent

Having a physical human presence on-site can often deter would-be intruders from trespassing or theft, as they would certainly prefer to target more vulnerable premises, rather than risk entering sites with active security.

The Ultra Hybrid tower stands at 7M tall and is highly visible, providing a similar type of deterrent which also includes audio response, so this is really down to the individual to decide which method of deterrent they prefer.

Accidents on-site

If your site experienced an incident where a lone worker was injured, then a man-guard could certainly respond to that incident immediately and provide physical assistance to the casualty before alerting authorities. Man-guarding can also detect other hazards such as chemical leaks, or issues with utilities such as gas or water, that may otherwise be difficult to detect through CCTV.

With an Ultra Hybrid CCTV solution, our Response Centre could quickly identify a visible accident, but could only alert the appropriate emergency response team to support on-site as soon as they could. Any other hazards could only be tracked if they were visibly noticeable, and incidents that were detected through smell for instance, would not be recognised.

Cost

According to payscale.com the average UK hourly wage for a security guard is £8.54 per hour, although we know that in many cases this is far higher, particularly with the use of security agencies. So, if we look at a standard 24/7 security operation per day, using just one guard in shifts, then this equals £204 per day, £1,428 per week or £5,712 per month (4 week).

The Ultra Hybrid solution will also monitor your site for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through the whole month at a cost of £499 per week or £1,996 per month saving over £3,716 per month versus a man-guarding solution.

Reliability

Man-guarding is only as reliable as the people you have hired. Human nature is such that businesses inevitably have a mixture of pro-active and unproductive staff. We have probably all heard of cases where sites have been looted under the security guards’ nose whilst they have been snoozing in their van! Overall though, we believe that with the right training and processes in place, most security staff perform very satisfactory duties.

The Ultra Hybrid never sleeps and can operate without direct power using a mixture of hydrogen and solar energy, meaning that the tower can be placed almost anywhere on site to cover most areas. This product doesn’t require a break or sustenance, and has an average of 99.6% uptime which is far more reliable than any human solution could ever be.

 Reporting

In the heat of the moment, it can often be difficult or even dangerous for security guards to take photos of intruders or number plates for future evidence of crimes. Therefore, it can often be challenging to provide evidence to the authorities when these incidents arise, and crimes can often remain unsolved. However, there are certain ‘blind spots’ on sites, that can be better reached through human investigation.

The Ultra Hybrid will record HD footage 24/7 which is easily accessible to the customer and our Response Centre staff via our Online Portal. The portal also gives the ability to remotely operate cameras and zoom in on any possible suspicious activity on-site and comes equipped with night vision and object identification to eliminate false alarms. Recording features are also regularly used as time-lapse footage to monitor the progression of construction projects too.

Summary

Now you may think that we are leaning towards CCTV towers because we sell this type of product, right? Rest assured, we also provide extensive man guarding solutions too, so we are really trying to be as transparent as possible here by looking at key areas from both sides.

Within this blog, we have compared the main features that companies look for when protecting their sites. It is clear that CCTV led solutions are certainly much more cost-effective than man-guarding and offer multiple other benefits, but some companies simply prefer the peace of mind of having somebody on-site at all times, which is also understandable.

In both scenarios there are some providers out there that will offer you solutions tailored to your specific needs, and then there are other companies that are not so reputable and provide ‘off-the-shelf’ solutions that simply will not suit your site or basic requirements, so always do your research thoroughly before deciding.

As we’re comparing against the Ultra Hybrid which is the most technologically advanced solution out there right now, we cannot vouch for competitor solutions that do not offer these types of  advanced features. So always check what the service provides to ensure that it meets your needs and budget.

As technology has moved on so quicky, we just wanted you to be aware of what is now out there, and how this could positively affect the way that you deal with your security needs in the future. We’d be happy to discuss man guarding or CCTV solutions with you and also offer a free assessment of your site. So please get in touch today and we’ll be happy to help.

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