The short version
What matters most
- Check recorded footage as well as the live view.
- Use the site's agreed recording schedule and retention requirement as your reference.
- Report faults without deleting recordings or resetting equipment.
Check the views that matter
Use your own authorised account and the normal viewing application. Start with entrances, vehicle routes and any other priority views agreed for the site. Check that each camera is present, correctly labelled and looking at the intended area. A blurred lens, a shifted mount or a new obstruction can make an otherwise healthy camera less useful.
- Compare the displayed date and time with the actual time.
- Note blocked views, glare or an image that has unexpectedly changed.
- Do not climb to, open or adjust a camera as part of this operator check.
Play back recent and older footage
Choose a recent time when you know activity occurred, then a sample further back within the period your organisation expects to retain. Check the relevant cameras individually. A continuous-recording system and an event-recording system will have different timelines, so judge gaps against the agreed configuration.
If footage is absent or the recorder reports a storage fault, note the camera, time range and warning text. Do not format a disk, change the clock or factory-reset the recorder to try to clear it.
Confirm an export can be opened
If you are authorised, make a short test export using the manufacturer's instructions. Check it on the intended playback device, including any required player. Keep the file in an approved location and remove the test copy in line with your organisation's handling procedure. Exported video may contain personal information even when the test seems routine.
Report the useful details
Tell the responsible engineer which site and recorder are affected, when the issue began and whether it affects live view, playback, export or all three. Include the model and software version if readily available. Agree a secure route before sharing sensitive images or recordings.
If there has been an incident, follow the site's evidence-preservation procedure promptly. This checklist is a routine observation aid, not a substitute for servicing or an investigation.
Practical pointUse the downloadable checklist to record what you observed, including checks that passed.
This guidance is general. Check the current manufacturer instructions, release notes and your organisation’s technical and data-protection requirements before changing a live system.
