SIA CCTV Operator Study Guide 2026

The SIA licence

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) was set up by the Private Security Industry Act 2001. It is accountable to the Home Office and licenses people who work in security across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

• You must be 18 or over.
• The SIA checks your identity, your criminal record, your right to work and your licence-linked qualification.
• A front-line licence lasts 3 years.
• When working, wear your licence where it can be seen, as your licence conditions require.
• Tell the SIA about changes such as a new address or a conviction.

Working in a licensable role without a licence is an offence under section 3 of the Act, with up to 6 months in prison, a fine, or both. Using unlicensed staff is an offence under section 5. The SIA also runs the voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme for security companies.

The qualification and its exams

The course must last at least 4 days, or 3 days if up to 8 hours of self-study is used. No first aid certificate is needed for the CCTV course.

All assessment is in English and/or Welsh. In Scotland the equivalent qualification is at SCQF Level 6.

CCTV law and codes of practice

Images of people who can be identified are personal data. CCTV must follow the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, enforced by the ICO.

• Use CCTV only for clear, lawful purposes, such as preventing crime and protecting the public.
• Put up clear signs that say who runs the system, why and how to contact them.
• Keep footage no longer than necessary, and keep it secure.
• Answer subject access requests, normally within one month, protecting other people in the footage.
• Complete a data protection impact assessment before installing systems that affect privacy.

The Human Rights Act 1998 protects the right to respect for private and family life (Article 8). Do not look into homes or other private spaces, and use privacy masking where needed. Watch behaviour, not appearance: targeting people because of a protected characteristic breaks the Equality Act 2010.

Surveillance Camera Code of Practice

The code is issued under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 and gives guidance to local authorities and the police in England and Wales. It has 12 guiding principles. The first is that a system must have a specified purpose, in pursuit of a legitimate aim and necessary to meet a pressing need.

RIPA

Under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, directed surveillance is covert surveillance for a specific investigation that is likely to obtain private information about a person. Public authorities need authorisation for it. Normal, overt CCTV monitoring is not directed surveillance, and an immediate response to events needs no authorisation. In Scotland the equivalent law is RIP(S)A 2000. If the police ask you to follow a named person covertly as part of a planned operation, check that an authorisation is in place.

Working in the control room

• Restrict access to the control room and log every visitor.
• Follow the written operating procedures and the system's code of practice.
• Scan screens in a regular pattern and focus on unusual behaviour.
• Report camera faults and record them in the log.
• Take regular breaks or changes of activity. The Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992 cover screen work.

PTZ cameras can pan, tilt and zoom. Fixed cameras watch one view. ANPR cameras read number plates.

Incidents and evidence

When you see an incident, alert the police or control room, keep the camera on it and record it clearly. Watch for vulnerable people and for hostile reconnaissance, such as someone filming security points.

• Keep continuity of evidence: record everyone who handles footage, and when.
• Seal and label the master copy as an exhibit and store it securely. Use working copies for viewing.
• Record each disclosure, including the date, the officer's details and what was handed over.
• Check requests before releasing footage, even if the caller says they are a police officer.
• Material relevant to a criminal case may need to be kept and disclosed under the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996.
• Keep the system's date and time accurate.

Health, safety, fire and emergencies

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 puts duties on employers and employees. Employees must take reasonable care of themselves and others and co-operate with their employer. Serious injuries and dangerous occurrences may need reporting under RIDDOR.

Fire safety law is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 in England and Wales and the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 in Scotland, and Northern Ireland has its own fire safety laws. If you find a fire, raise the alarm first, then call 999 and follow the fire plan.

Terrorism awareness and safeguarding

• In a weapons attack: Run, Hide, Tell.
• For unattended items use HOT: is it Hidden, Obviously suspicious, or not Typical for the place?
• For a suspicious item use the 4 Cs: Confirm, Clear, Communicate, Control. Never touch it.
• Report hostile reconnaissance, such as someone filming security or asking unusual questions.

Watch for vulnerable people: those who are very drunk, alone, young, unwell or being targeted. Be alert to exploitation such as county lines. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.

Arrest and force: what operators should know

CCTV operators rarely make arrests, but the shared exam tests the law. In England and Wales, section 24A of PACE lets a non-police officer arrest for an indictable offence when it is necessary and a police officer cannot do it instead. Northern Ireland has a similar power, and Scotland relies on common law. Any force must be reasonable, necessary and proportionate.

Criminal law is proved beyond reasonable doubt; civil law on the balance of probabilities. The Equality Act 2010 lists 9 protected characteristics.