Choosing a security installer for a warehouse in Auckland

1. Check they are licensed

Under the Private Security Personnel and Private Investigators Act 2010, a business that installs, repairs or removes burglar alarms, or installs security cameras for detecting offences, on someone else's premises is a security technician and must hold a licence. Its staff need a certificate of approval. Anyone who sells or advises on security systems on your premises needs to be licensed as a security consultant. Registered electricians are exempt from the technician requirement for installation, but still need a consultant certificate if they sell or advise on systems.

You can search the PSPLA public register by company or individual name. It takes two minutes and is worth doing for every quote.

2. Insist on a site survey

A warehouse quote done from a phone call or Google Maps is a guess. A proper survey covers:

• gates, fence lines, yard lighting and where trucks and trailers park overnight
• dock doors, roller doors and pedestrian doors, including which are escape routes
• ceiling height, racking layout and where cable can run
• where the comms cabinet or server room is, and the power and network available
• how the site runs: shifts, deliveries, contractors, cleaners and visitors

3. Make sure the CCTV design suits a warehouse

Ask the installer what each camera is meant to achieve. A camera covering the whole yard can tell you something happened, but it will not identify a person or read a plate. Good warehouse designs combine wide views with cameras placed to capture faces at doors and plates at gates.

• Night performance: yards and docks are often poorly lit. Ask how cameras will perform after dark and whether extra lighting is recommended.
• Backlight at docks: open roller doors create harsh contrast. Cameras need wide dynamic range and careful placement.
• Racking: high-bay racking blocks views. Cameras should be positioned for the aisles that matter.
• Retention and privacy: agree a retention period and set up signage and access in line with the Privacy Act.

4. Access control and alarms built for warehouse operations

Look for a design that separates drivers, warehouse staff, office staff and visitors, puts roller doors and gates on schedules and lets different areas arm independently when one shift finishes before another. Ask how roller doors will be protected. Heavy-duty roller-door contacts and the right detectors in high-bay spaces make a big difference to false alarms. See access control and intruder alarms.

If controlled doors are on escape routes, ask how the installer handles building consent and the compliance schedule (SS 3/2 access-controlled doors). It is a common gap in cheaper quotes. Our access control cost guide covers this.

5. Ask how they will work safely on your site

Installing at height in a working warehouse, near forklifts and trucks, is real risk. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, you and your contractor both have duties as PCBUs and must consult, cooperate and coordinate on overlapping work. Ask for the installer's approach to site inductions, working at height (scissor lifts, EWPs) and traffic management, and whether they will work to your site rules and PPE requirements.

6. Network and cyber security

Cameras, recorders and access controllers are networked devices. Ask whether they will be on a separate network or VLAN, how remote access is secured, and who will hold the admin passwords. If you have an IT provider, the installer should work with them.

7. Documentation, ownership and support

• As-built drawings, device and door schedules, and cable labelling
• Admin passwords and software licences in your company's name
• Training for the people who will run the system
• Clear warranty terms for equipment and workmanship
• Support options: response times, servicing and who to call after hours

Systems that only the original installer can access are a common frustration. Make sure you own your system.

Questions to ask every installer

1. What is your PSPLA licence number, and are the technicians on my job certified?
2. Who will do the site survey, and when?
3. What will each camera achieve: detect, recognise or identify?
4. How will the system perform at night and at open roller doors?
5. Which doors are on escape routes, and how will consent and the compliance schedule be handled?
6. How will you keep the system secure on our network?
7. What documentation and passwords will we receive at handover?
8. What support and servicing do you offer, and at what response times?

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• New Zealand Legislation, Private Security Personnel and Private Investigators Act 2010 (section 6, meaning of security technician)
• Ministry of Justice, Work you need a licence or certificate for
• NZ Security Association, Security licences, including the electrician exemption
• WorkSafe, Overlapping duties

General information only. Check licensing and consent requirements for your specific site.