Fire and Security Case Study

Huntingdonshire Regional College is based in Cambridgeshire, covering courses in further education, higher education, apprenticeships and tailored training courses.

As part of the ongoing upgrading of its estate the security & fire division of CBES were appointed to upgrade the college’s CCTV system and to install perimeter fencing.

All of the existing CCTV cameras and cabling infrastructure were replaced to allow an internet protocol (IP) CCTV system to be installed. While the previous system had two cables to each camera we utilised Cat 5 cabling for the new system, which meant that only one cable needed to be utilised per camera. This greatly reduced the amount of cabling required during the project.

Cat 5 cabling was used to reduce the amount of existing cabling which needed to be removed from site.
The new cameras were situated in the same location as the old ones to ensure that the same level of coverage was maintained. They were then linked to the college’s computer network so images can be viewed on any monitor on campus which has the appropriate access rights.

The college’s campus required the installation of perimeter fencing to make it safe and secure for students and staff. The fencing meant that the campus could be locked down once students were inside and lectures had begun. The new system and lock down procedure were audited by the local fire officer to ensure that access could be provided in the event of an emergency.

The project was carried out in a live educational environment. We liaised on a daily basis with the college to ensure that student’s learning was not interrupted by the project, and works were segregated from the students and staff.

After the perimeter fencing was installed it was damaged by a car. The CCTV system captured and recorded the incident so no costs were apportioned to the customer. We attended the site within 24 hours to carry out the necessary remedial works.