PPE Detection with Existing CCTV: How It Works and What to Plan For

PPE detection finds people in a camera view and checks whether they wear the protective equipment required in that area — hard hat, high-visibility vest, glasses — raising an event when something is missing.

How it works

1. The camera’s RTSP stream is read by the analytics device.
2. A model detects each person in the frame.
3. PPE items are classified for each person.
4. Zone and duration rules are applied, e.g. “no hard hat inside the press area for more than 5 seconds”.
5. The event is sent with an evidence frame to the dashboard and notification channels.

Why rule design matters

Not every area needs the same rule. Duration thresholds avoid alerts while someone is putting on their helmet. Rules should be written with the HSE team, reflecting site policy.

Camera requirements

Elevated, angled views where the person is reasonably large in frame work best. Glasses and gloves need tighter framing. See how to evaluate cameras.

From alert to action

Alerts can notify a supervisor, trigger a local display or siren, or prevent a turnstile from opening. Reports show trends by zone and shift, which helps target training.

Privacy

The system detects a violation, not a person; no face recognition is used. Solution page: PPE detection.