A control
room, operations center, or operations control center (OCC)
is a room serving as a central space where a large physical facility or
physically dispersed service can be monitored and controlled. Control rooms for vital facilities are typically tightly secured and
inaccessible to the general public.
Multiple electronic displays and control
panels (which are usually present), and there may also be a large wall-sized
display area visible from all locations within the space, are the devices inside
the OCC which are controlled by electricity. Some control rooms are themselves
under continuous video surveillance and recording, for security and personnel
accountability purposes. Many control rooms are manned on a "24/7/365"
basis, and may have multiple people on duty at all times (such as
implementation of a "two-man rule"), to ensure continuous vigilance.