Distribution: FGIS, OSP, Industry Originating Office: FMD PPMAB

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United States Department of Agriculture

Agricultural Marketing Service

Federal Grain Inspection Service

Directive 9160.1 December 15, 1999

Contents

CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION INSTALLATIONS

Contents

Contents .................................................................................................................................1

1. PURPOSE ............................................................................................................................2

2. POLICY ................................................................................................................................2

3. RESPONSIBILITIES.............................................................................................................2

4. EQUIPMENT SPECIFICATIONS .........................................................................................2

5. SYSTEM OPERATIONS ......................................................................................................4

6. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS .................................................................................................4
FGIS Directive 9160.1 December 15, 1999

Page 2

1. PURPOSE

This directive establishes the Federal Grain Inspection Service’s (FGIS) policy regarding

the approval and use of closed-circuit television (CCTV) for monitoring official grain

inspection and weighing activities.

2. POLICY

CCTV may be used by official personnel to monitor inspection and weighing activities,

provided the requirements in this directive are met. Purchase, installation, and 

maintenance of CCTV systems are the responsibility of the grain facility. Acceptance 

for official use does not imply or grant approval of compliance to any Federal, State, or 

local laws or codes.

3. RESPONSIBILITIES

a. FGIS Field Offices and Agency Managers

(1) Determine monitoring requirements for inspection and weighing activities at 

each service point.

(2) Evaluate installations for adequacy and compliance with this directive.

(3) Establish contingency procedures for the applicable Facility Handbook for 

when CCTV systems fail.

(4) Maintain records on the installation, evaluation process, and system approval 

criteria.

(5) Provide written approval to (a) the facility installing the CCTV system; (b) the 

field office when an agency manager issues the approval; and (c) the 

Weighing and Equipment Branch.

b. Facility

To obtain approval to use CCTV for official services, facilities must submit to the 

Agency providing service, in writing, the following information: (1) facility name, 

address, and contact; (2) description and purpose of installation; (3) intended 

location of cameras and monitors; (4) proposed dates of installation; and any 

additional technical and operational information requested by FGIS.

4. EQUIPMENT SPECIFICATIONS

FGIS does not recommend or endorse any particular model of manufacturer of CCTV

equipment nor is it the intent of this directive to dictate system design. The following are

minimum requirements and other considerations for CCTV equipment used in official

monitoring of grain inspection and weighing. Requests for time-lapse recording of 

CCTV should be made directly to the Weighing and Equipment Branch in headquarters. 

Time lapse recording is generally used with other automated monitoring equipment.
FGIS Directive 9160.1 December 15, 1999

Page 3

Specification/Feature

Determination By:

Field Office 

And Agency

Field Office 

And Facility

Cameras

Positioning and number required X

Black & White X

Standard or environmental housing X

Light limiter or white peak clipper X

Horizontal resolution lines X

Automatic gain control X

Auto or manual focus X 

Power Supply X

Automatic camera identification X

Operating temperature range X

Monitors

Multiple function or dedicated X

Black & white or color X

Screen size (12 minimum) X

Resolution (Color-300 minimum) X

 (B&W-700 minimum) X

Desk top/Rack mounted X

Lenses

Fixed focal length X

Motorized zoom lens X

Auto iris X

Camera Housing

 Indoor/Outdoor X

Dust proof/Moisture proof X

Explosion proof (pressurized) X

Camera Mounts

Indoor/Outdoor X

Ceiling/Wall/Parapet X

Remote Positioning Devices

Variable Speed X

Auto pan feature X

Axis of motion pan/tilt X
FGIS Directive 9160.1 December 15, 1999

Page 4

5. SYSTEM OPERATIONS

A CCTV system installed for official monitoring purposes shall provide visual information

equal to that provided by official personnel at the camera. Official personnel should

regularly verify, during routine elevator checks, that the monitoring covered by CCTV is

being accomplished correctly. Any time the areas viewed by CCTV are diminished for 

any reason (i.e., equipment failure, darkness, fog, etc.), stop using the system and start 

backup procedures outlined in the Facility Handbook.

a. Access

All monitors, camera controls, and associated monitoring equipment must be

accessible to official personnel in their normal working position.

b. Controls

All equipment must be under the control of official personnel, including tilt, pan, 

zoom, light aperture (iris) controls, and switches for changing camera monitoring 

viewing as applicable. Switches that allow elevator personnel to operate cameras 

upon the elevator’s request or when official personnel are not present are 

permissible.

c. Equipment Malfunctions

Supervisors should notify elevator management, in writing, by issuing an FGIS9601, Repair/Modification Notice for correcting problems such as cleaning dirty 

lenses and other more severe problems.

d. Night or Low Light Use

Special consideration for sufficient lighting or special cameras that work in low light 

conditions may be necessary.

6. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

This section provides system performance guidelines for specific inspection and 

weighing monitoring functions. Other monitoring applications of CCTV are permitted at 

the field office manager’s discretion.

a. Carrier Identification

Systems used to obtain carrier identification must provide continuous observation 

of the identification during loading/unloading or be accompanied by standard 

operational procedures that ensure official personnel obtain the proper 

identification before delivery of official service.
FGIS Directive 9160.1 December 15, 1999

Page 5

b. Verify Cleanout

Systems used to verify grain cleanout disposition in modes of conveyance shall 

view all possible areas where grain may remain. When cleanout is incomplete, 

the grain must be physically examined for quality and estimated quantity. If 

identification of type of grain is required, color monitors must be provided.

c. Monitor Control Rooms

This capability is needed in situations where diversion points are not controlled 

by railcar security seals, locks, or electronically controlled lockouts, and grain flow 

paths are usually supervised at the control board by the official weigher. Control 

room monitoring may also be required where official weighers are placed in remote 

locations to verify the scale weight display to the official printer. Depending on the 

supervision needed, multiple cameras or cameras with zoom, pan, and tilt control 

capability may be needed for control room monitoring. Unless periodic monitoring 

is acceptable on every function being monitored, the CCTV system must have 

the capability to monitor all functions simultaneously using color monitors and 

cameras.

d. Verify Carrier Placement

This use lets official weighers view railcar and truck placement on railway track and 

platform vehicle scales from remote locations. Views of both sides are required 

to verify that unwanted material, objects, or persons are not on the scale e used 

if other provisions are made to verify that the carriers are placed properly on the 

scale. With railcars, these provisions also must verify that they are uncoupled.

e. Verify Stowage

CCTV systems are often used to verify the stowage of grain that has been 

inspected and weighed. These systems are also used to monitor spills and 

weather conditions during loading. If camera views do not allow total viewing 

of carriers and carrier holds, then the CCTV system may need to be used in 

combination with periodic physical inspections. If type of grain determination is 

required, color cameras and monitors must be used.

f. Monitor Spills

Spill problem areas may be monitored with CCTV. Such areas as conveyor belts 

and belt junctions, open turnheads, trippers, conveyor belt drive pulleys, and wharf 

areas are typical problem areas. Spill estimates shall not be made with the use of 

CCTV. Using methods in combination with CCTV also may be useful to monitor 

areas where spills are likely to occur (i.e., belt speed sensors, level indicators, and 

motion alarms).