Tata Steel is going to court to ban camera surveillance at the steel plant. The North Sea Canal Area Environment Agency has installed cameras to register harmful smoke clouds. But according to the steel producer, the privacy of employees is now at risk.
With the cameras, the regulator keeps an eye on the clouds of smoke coming from Tata Steel. A remarkably dark cloud of smoke may indicate that harmful substances are being emitted.
Tata Steel says it will cooperate as long as the camera surveillance “complies with laws and regulations”. But according to Tata Steel, the environment service has insufficiently answered questions about privacy.
“Employees must be able to continue to do their work properly and safely without having to worry about camera surveillance,” says a spokesman for Tata Steel.
‘Cameras are remote and aimed at the sky’
According to the service, sufficient measures have been taken to protect the privacy of visitors and employees of Tata Steel. For example, the cameras are placed 450 meters from the factory.
In addition, they are aimed at the sky. The bottom of the image is shielded with a black block. The North Sea Canal Area Environment Agency has already announced that the use of the cameras has been legally tested in advance.
The summary proceedings are scheduled for April 21. Tata Steel has also reported the camera surveillance to the Dutch Data Protection Authority.
