The cannabis industry is experiencing explosive growth, but struggles with unique challenges due to its varying regulations and legality across states. In this rapidly evolving sector, the use of video surveillance, particularly explosion-proof cameras, is crucial. These cameras play an important role in securing assets, overseeing operations, and ensuring the safety of employees within the complex environment of the cannabis industry.
The Importance of Video Surveillance in the Cannabis Industry
Regulating the cannabis industry is challenging due to its varying legal status across states. Additionally, some marijuana businesses are too small to fall under Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations. Video surveillance provides a comprehensive security solution, helping to ensure compliance with safety protocols and address potential risks. This not only enhances security but also contributes to the overall success and sustainability of cannabis businesses, regardless of their size and regulatory environment.
Theft Prevention
The cannabis industry faces a high risk of theft and vandalism due to the high value of its products. The presence of video surveillance alone deters criminal activity from both external threats and employees. The continuous monitoring also allows security teams to quickly identify and address potential threats, minimizing their impact before they escalate. If crime does occur, the recorded footage serves as valuable evidence to aid investigations.
Incident Investigation & Resolution
In the event of an incident, whether it be theft, accidents, or compliance violations, investigators can use recorded footage as evidence. This footage helps in providing a detailed sequence of events, identifying responsible parties, and resolving issues promptly. It also gives cannabis businesses the ability to analyze and learn from past incidents, enhancing overall security and operational efficiency.
Quality Control & Process Monitoring
While certain cannabis businesses may not be subject to federal regulations, individual facilities often establish their own protocols for cultivation, processing, and manufacturing. Video surveillance provides continuous monitoring of operations, enabling these facilities to uphold their quality control standards. This ensures that employees follow established procedures and allows them to identify any deviations that could potentially impact the quality of the final product.
Liability Protection
The cannabis industry’s use of manual labor and hazardous chemicals heightens their risk of workplace injuries and consequently, false claims. Video surveillance protects cannabis facilities from false injury claims and allegations of negligence by providing a comprehensive record of events. This not only protects the business from unjust legal repercussions but also ensures transparency and accountability in the event of any workplace incidents.
Reducing Safety Risks with Explosion-Proof Surveillance
The cannabis industry can be quite hazardous, especially at facilities that extract hash oil. According to a 2019 article, there have been at least 10 fires in the past five years at these facilities. Hash oil extraction is dangerous because the process involves using “highly-flammable butane or some other volatile solvent”, such as ethanol or propane.
Furthermore, growing marijuana indoors requires extensive lighting that often consumes significant amounts of electricity. Many growing facilities do not have the electrical infrastructure necessary to support cannabis cultivation because the buildings were originally used for something else. As a result, the increased power demand may put strain on the existing system, creating a fire risk.
Under normal circumstances, a minor electrical malfunction would not cause any issues. However, in the cannabis industry, even a small spark could trigger a catastrophic explosion or fire. Given this elevated risk of explosions, the use of explosion-proof cameras is necessary. These are security cameras encased by a specialized housing. Some housings are designed to contain any sparks emitted by the camera, preventing ignition with explosive atmospheres. Other enclosures prevent explosive substances from entering and igniting sparks.
Explosion-Proof Surveillance Solutions from 2M Technology
In industries like cannabis, where regulations may lack clarity but safety protocols and quality control standards are imperative, explosion-proof cameras offer thorough monitoring without exposing employees to the risk of explosions. If you work in the cannabis industry, 2M Technology can help you secure your facility with our range of explosion-proof cameras, housings, and surveillance accessories. Additionally, we offer custom-designed housings for security cameras of any brand or type. This gives you the flexibility to monitor your cannabis facility using the camera that best suits your preferences and requirements.
To begin constructing your cannabis security solution, call us at +1 (214) 988-4302 or email us at [email protected]. You can also use the links below to live chat with a sales expert or request a free project quote.