Life Safety & Security January 2021

Volume 10 Issue 01 January 2021

January 2021

How to manage the flow of people through very

busy buildings 10

Prama Hikvision Offers Temperature Screening Solutions

for Safe Reopening of Education Institutions 12

Heathrow installs biometric gates to improve customer

experience while maintaining security standards 24

Lockout tagout needs 28

34

What To Consider Before Installing

Fire Sprinkler Systems 32

Every Workplace Death is a Tragedy 40

How the latest Hikvision Motion Detection supports

detection of real security threats faster 58

Matrix Comsec wins the prestigious

Quality Council of India's D.L. Shah Silver Award 66

Ensuring PPE compliance through

the use of artificial intelligence 68

04

January - 2021

72, Siddhi Vinayak Estate, Opp. Ramdev Kitchen Express,

Shah Alloys Cross Road, Village: Santej-382721, Ta. kalol, Dist. :Gandhinagar.

for Enquiry: 02764 268612 / 13 /14/ 15

Email: info@aaagindia.in, Website: www.aaagindia.in

What is personal protective equipment

(PPE)?

According to the Occupational Safety and

Health Administration (OSHA), personal

protective equipment (commonly known as

PPE) is used or worn by workers to protect

them from dangers in the workplace that may

cause serious injury or illness such as

“chemical, radiological, physical, electrical,

mechanical or other workplace hazards.”

Now you might be asking: Is my employer

required to provide me with personal

protective equipment? The short answer is

yes.

What is my employer required to provide?

The Occupational Safety and Health Act

requires employers to provide employees with

personal protective equipment if they are

exposed to hazards in the workplace. There

are a wide range of hazards in the workplace,

from lifting heavy objects to exposure to

viruses and bacteria. Your employer must

provide you with personal protective

equipment or clothing to keep you safe, and

your employer must pay for it.

However, providing personal protective

equipment isn’t the only thing employers are

required to do to ensure worker safety. They

must also receive proper training about:

Ÿ

Ÿ

Ÿ

Ÿ

Ÿ

When you should use the PPE,

What PPE you should use,

How to properly put on, adjust, wear and

take off your PPE,

The limits of your PPE; and

How to care for and dispose of your PPE.

Types of personal protective equipment

There are five main types of PPE: respiratory,

eye protection, hearing protection, hand

protection and foot protection. Depending on

the nature of your work, you may need one,

two or all five types of PPE.

The folks at Progressive Safety Equipment, a

business specializing in personal protective

equipment installation, maintenance and

training, put together this helpful infographic

below to show the different types of PPE:

Some of the most common examples of

PPEs include:

Ÿ Respirators (disposable, half-face or fullface)

Ÿ

Spectacles, goggles, face shields and

visors

Ÿ Ear muffs or ear plugs

Ÿ Gloves

Ÿ Steel toed shoes or boots

Ÿ Helmets or hard hats

Ÿ Harnesses and fall arrest devices

Ÿ Hats, sunscreen and long-sleeved shirts

“I work in healthcare. What PPE do I need?”

Your PPE needs may be different if you work in

a clinic, doctor’s office or hospital. Proper

PPE protocols in areas where people receive

healthcare helps limit the transfer of germs,

viruses and body fluids. The Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) oversees the regulation

and use of PPE in the healthcare setting.

PPE must be used any time there’s a chance a

patient or healthcare provider is exposed to

blood or other bodily fluids. Remember that

your employer should instruct you when to

use PPE, what type of PPE to use and how to

properly use the safety equipment.

\o keep yourself protected you may need to

use a mask, face shield, goggles, gown,

apron, hat, gloves or shoe covers. Of course,

frequent handwashing and use of hand

sanitizer is a must! Last but not least, your PPE

should be placed in a laundry container or a

marked waste container if you’re getting rid of

needles or syringes.

Your right to workplace safety under OSHA

Your health and safety are most important

while on the job. According to OSHA, your

workplace should not put you at risk of serious

harm. If you’re exposed to hazards at work,

then you should receive training about the

dangers and instructed on ways to prevent

being injured.

08

January - 2021

“Dealer

Enquiries

Solicited”

SHREE FIRE SERVICES

FRP Box

Gm Single Hydrent Valve

Hose Reel Drum

Manufacturers of :

4Quality Spare Parts

4Hydrant Accessories

Specialization in:

4Brass Forging Caps

4CO2 Gas Cartridges

4Fire Extinguisher Hose etc …

Gas Cartridge

Fire Ball

co2 discharge

Horn

valve ,Gauge

safety

Clip ,Washer

Shut Off Nozzle

Spindle Bonut Lugs

Nitrozen

Filling Kit

Trolley With Wheel

Tripple Purpose

Short Branch Nozzle.

Co2 hose

Wall Mounting Braket

NRV, Air Relife Valve ,Adopter

24x7 Customer care service:

91 9224693787 9029232158

News Update

Heathrow installs biometric gates to improve customer

experience while maintaining security standards

With around 80 million passengers flowing through it each year,

Heathrow Airport’s new dormakaba biometric self-boarding gates are reportedly supporting the

management of passenger flow, while keeping security standards high.

With numerous access and entrance control

points across its five terminals for customers

to contend with, Simon Wilcox, Heathrow

Passenger Automation Programme Lead,

recognised the need to handle passenger flow

in the most efficient way possible – without

compromising on security.

The automation programme specified required

implementing biometric gates that would bring

facial recognition to each access point of a

departing passenger’s journey. The new

technology would use facial recognition at

check-in, bag drops, security lanes and

boarding gates to create a “seamless

experience for passengers” walking through

the airport. And, with a pandemic highlighting

the need for improved health and safety

requirements, less physical contact and face to

face engagement between staff and

passengers would be required.

When looking for the initial self-boarding gates,

the team at London Heathrow Airport

contacted dormakaba. After reviewing the

requirements for the airport, dormakaba

recommended and supplied its HSB-M03 Self

Boarding Gates and PaxCheck Self Boarding

Solution. dormakaba also provided its project

management services, and the airport has

taken out an on-going service contract for

third- and fourth-line support.

Andy Carter, Contracting Business Sales and

Operations Director at dormakaba UK said:

“The final project looks to have over 400 gates

installed across the whole airport. Each one

has dormakaba software on the gates,

incorporating Heathrow’s biometric data, as

well as a connection to the management

server.”

This challenge of complex integration was

overcome by the close collaboration between

dormakaba engineers and the project team

with London Heathrow Airport, as well as

suppliers for third party products and systems.

Currently, Terminals 2A, 2B and 5A have been

completed, with Terminal’s 3, 4, 5B and 5C

scheduled for completion by the end of 2020.

Completed terminals now benefit from a selfboarding

solution that adheres to all the latest

relevant security and build standards.

Across these completed terminals,

passengers present their boarding pass to a

reader on the gate, which then scans and

checks the pass with the airline’s Departure

Control System (DCS) and either opens or

remains closed depending on the response.

For passengers departing on domestic flights,

the gate also uses facial recognition

technology, with its installation being

partnered with the airport’s chosen biometric

provider Atkins, to verify that the passenger

boarding the aircraft either entered the airport

through the front door or has been through a

UK Border Force check since arriving on an

international flight.

The self-boarding solution also includes a

web-based administration programme,

PaxCheck, that allows for management of the

gates and sends reports of passengers and

when they passed through – allowing for faster

boarding and fewer staff. This also means

airport and airline management can have live

stats on the numbers of passengers passing

through the gates in any given period, to ensure

compliance with government and travel

guidelines.

Simon Wilcox says: “We’re incredibly

impressed by the use of dormakaba products

in the integration of our terminal upgrades.

“Engineers and the dedicated project team

worked closely with us and other suppliers to

ensure a high-quality delivery, to schedule. The

gates have been excellent reliability wise, and

the positive feedback from passengers has

been outstanding. dormakaba’s support team

also respond incredibly quickly to any queries

that ourselves or the third-party IT providers

may have, which made the process of

implementing the biometric integration much

smoother, and the bespoke self-boarding

solution allows us to update airport and airline

branding and mode of operation in real-time.”

24

January - 2021

Product Update

26

January - 2021

Product Update

January - 2021 27

Lockout

tagout

needs

Quite a few factors should be looked at, including your lockout

program size and complexity, organizational needs, and specific

application needs – such as electrical or nonelectrical.

Large facilities with complex lockout/tagout programs

Managing a lockout/tagout program for multiple departments or

facilities creates additional complexities to consider when

selecting safety padlocks.

Finding a lock with a secure keyway (where the key can’t be

duplicated at a hardware store) and enough unique key codes to

ensure there’s no key duplication is a big challenge made even

greater by key systems that can limit the number of available key

codes. Look for a padlock with the highest number of unique key

codes, even with these different keying options:

Keyed-different padlocks: With each padlock having its own

unique key, this option often provides the most unique key code

variety. When it’s mission critical to ensure every lock in the

facility is unique, request keyed-different padlocks with key

charting or key recording. This is ideal for avoiding key

duplication when multiple maintenance personnel need to lock

out equipment.

Keyed-alike padlocks: Also providing the most unique key code

variety, this option uses the same key to open each padlock.

Keyed-alike padlocks are beneficial when multiple locks are

assigned to a single employee, as long as you remember that

OSHA requires that no employee should be able to open a lock

applied by someone else.

Master-keyed padlocks: The master key can open all locks,

including keyed-alike and keyed-different locks, but delivers

fewer unique key codes. This option makes it easier for a

supervisor to remove a lock in an emergency.

Grand master-keyed padlocks: The grand master key can open

all locks grouped into two or more master-keyed systems, but

28

January - 2021

Article Update

limits the number of unique key codes available. Use this option

for larger teams requiring multiple levels of supervisory access.

Organizing your padlocks

After determining the right key system, consider the most

efficient organization to keep track of your padlocks. Colorcoding,

engraving or lock labels help identify machine

maintenance status, personnel or departments involved, as well

as reduce the incidence of misplaced or lost padlocks to help

ensure compliance.

Color-coding helps differentiate locks by trade, department or

job function, and visually communicates who’s still working on a

machine. Or, color-code your locks by facility location to help

reduce losses when working with outside contractors.

Engraving is a more permanent way to keep organized. Consider

engraving the department name on each lock and key code for

easy matching.

Lock labels easily organize padlocks that can be quickly updated

with employee names or pictures using an onsite printer. Pair

them with long-bodied padlocks to accommodate languages or

additional details such as department, phone number or photo.

Electrical implications for padlocks

When locking out equipment where there’s risk of arc flash or

electrical conductivity, make sure to use a padlock that fits your

workspace and won’t increase the risk of injury.

Nonconductive and non-sparking materials: Look for nylon-body

padlocks with nylon shackles and nonconductive ball bearings

and drivers to ensure the padlocks don’t close any circuits or

create an arc flash point.

Compact padlocks: When space is at a premium (e.g., a circuit

breaker), compact padlocks are ideal and can often still

accommodate a closed breaker box or electrical cabinet door.

Cable padlocks: For lockout needs for multiple circuit breakers,

cable padlocks are ideal. This one padlock easily fits through a

line of circuit breaker lockout devices so you only have to apply

one lock overall.

30

January - 2021

What To Consider

Before Installing

Fire Sprinkler Systems

What To Consider Before Installing Fire

Sprinkler Systems in Residential or

Commercial Buildings

Fire sprinkler systems are an essential element

in any residential or commercial building. They

come in handy when fire outbreaks occur as

they prevent it from spreading and causing

significant damages. The market is packed

with a wide range of fire sprinkler system

types. Below are some factors to consider

when installing the systems in your

commercial or residential building;

The Type of Fire Sprinkler Systems

This is one of the most important factors to

consider before installing fire sprinkler

systems in either a residential or commercial

location. There are four main types of fire

sprinkler systems in the market. They are:

• Wet pipe sprinklers

These are the most common type. They are

ideal for residential buildings. With this type of

sprinkler, cold water is stored under pressure

within the pipes. It is then released immediately

through sprinkler heads. This happens

immediately when the predetermined

temperature level is reached.

• Dry pipe sprinklers

These take longer to activate. They are ideal for

commercial buildings like factories that are

prone to issues like pipe freeze and bursts.

Instead of water, the pipes are filled with either

nitrogen gas or pressurized air. They are,

however, connected to a storage tank or the

main water tank. When a fire occurs, the air

leaks from the pipes, causing the water from

the tank to get passage through the pipes to the

sprinkler heads.

• Deluge

These types of fire sprinklers are ideal for areas

like warehouse loading bays, where there are

chances of rapid-fire damage. With this type of

fire sprinklers, a nozzle is open at all times,

hence making it the fastest activating type. A

fire alarm usually triggers them. Once they are

activated, a water valve is released, and the

sprinkler immediately goes off.

• Pre-action

This one combines both the effects of wet and

dry pipe fire sprinklers. They are ideal in places

that are prone to water damage. Therefore,

with this type of fire sprinklers, water is not

stored within the pipes until the system detects

a fire. When a fire is detected, the water is

immediately released into the pipes and

sprinkled through the head. Regardless, the

response time is extremely fast, hence making

it a safe option for commercial areas.

When choosing the right type of fire sprinkler,

you ought to consider the functioning, the

benefits and downsides of each type. You also

have to consider the area where you want to

install the system. For instance, you can use it

in a residential building, a wet fire sprinkler

would be ideal, and deluge would be suitable

for commercial areas.

Type of Fire Sprinkler Head and Releasing

Mechanism

Another significant factor to consider before

installing a fire sprinkler system is the type of

sprinkler head. A sprinkler head is the

component of the system whose role is to

discharge water when a fire is detected. The

main difference between the various sprinkler

heads lies in the way the trigger mechanism

works. Sprinkler heads that are ideal for

residential areas are those that are connected

to the ceiling from where water is discharged.

These are known as conventional fire sprinkler

heads.

On the other hand, there are upright heads,

which aim water towards random directions.

They are recessed into the ceilings, or they can

be covered using resin caps. They are ideal for

commercial areas.

The other type is the sidewall heads which are

attached to the highest points on walls. They

offer more coverage than most types. They are

the best option for commercial buildings. The

most crucial factor to consider when choosing

the type of fire sprinkler head is where you want

the system installed.

Cost of Installation

Another factor to consider is the cost of

installing the system. Different types of

systems have various costs. The best thing to

do would be to look into the different types and

their price tags, consider the cost of labour, and

the pros and cons of each of them. Putting all

these factors into consideration, you should be

able to make the best decision. You may also

want to consider different installation providers

and the services that they offer. Naturally, the

size of the location where the system is to be

installed also affects the cost of the process.

This is because it takes several fire sprinkler

heads to cover the whole area. Purchasing and

installing numerous sprinkler heads and

connecting them costs more money.

The Water Supply Source

You also need to consider the source of the

water supply for the fire sprinkler system.

Some acceptable water supply sources that

you can use for your system are an elevated

tank and a pressure tank that meets the

standards for a pressure vessel. It should

feature a suitable pressure source, a water

storage source that is connected to a pump for

operating. You can also use a well that comes

with a pump to ensure sufficient pressure and

capacity for the system’s demands or a reliable

system of waterworks with an automated

pump.

32

January - 2021

As building managers and floor supervisors know, fall protection

equipment can help prevent many injuries and fatalities in the

workplace. But how do you handle employees who are reluctant

to use that safety equipment?

Unfortunately, policies that discipline employees for failing to use

safety equipment may not be wholly effective in changing

attitudes about workplace safety. A more comprehensive

approach involves regular training, allowing employees to have

input on equipment choices and shifting some oversight out of

administrative offices and onto the production floor.

Four factors are changing the workplace mentality about

safety gear:

Training. First, educate all employees on the risks of falls in the

workplace. According to the CDC and Bureau of Labor Statistics,

falls accounted for 213,000 workplace injuries and 605 deaths in

one year alone. Also, all new hires should go through safety

training that includes step-by-step instructions on how to use

safety gear. Have workers put on a safety harness as part of their

training, so you know they can do it correctly.

You may not think anyone would need training on how to climb a

ladder, but if you’ve ever seen someone climbing a ladder with

tools in-hand, you know people sometimes forget basic safety

protocol. Explain in training that even when a ladder is

surrounded by a fall protection cage, workers still need to

exercise caution when climbing, and that includes keeping their

hands free.

Employee input. If you’ve heard workers say their fall protection

harnesses are ill-fitting or uncomfortable, ask them for help in

choosing new equipment. You could even assemble a team to

research and test new harnesses. When workers have some say

in the type of equipment they’re required to use, they may be

more likely to use it.

Peer monitoring. A building manager can’t watch what’s

happening in production areas at all times. That’s why a safety

committee comprised of employees may be more effective in

promoting the use of safety gear. Plus, workers may be more

likely to follow instructions from their peers, rather than from

management.

Give your safety committee the autonomy to reward people who

uphold good safety standards – perhaps provide an incentive like

free lunch or a cash reward that your committee can offer

someone each month.

January - 2021

‘Smart’ Tech Enhances Access Control Security

For much of history, our identification systems

have relied on face-to-face interactions and

physical documents and processes. But

digital technologies are transforming how

identity is authenticated around the globe.

In an era of growing security concerns,

governments, corporations and property

managers must elevate the importance of a

trusted identity while balancing the demand

for convenient and efficient access.

According to the International Card

Manufacturers Association (ICMA)’s 2018

Global Market Statistics Report, access

control card use has increased globally with

the demand for increased security driving

growth.

Access control cards are an essential part of

commercial security systems – keeping

buildings and designated areas secure and

safe by controlling entry or restricting access

within a space. With the wave or swipe of a

card, residents, employees or visitors can

gain access to an entire facility or secured

zone and property managers can track the

exact times of entry and exit.

Technological advancements in security

systems, including the deployment of

wireless technology, are enhancing access

control. “Security is a top concern for both

private and public entities; many industries are

transitioning to smart cards,” said Martin

Hoff, Entrust Datacard’s product marketing

manager of hardware and ICMA member.

“Smart cards are the most secure type of

access card and are used most often in

government, health care and financial sectors,

while proximity cards are commonly used in

higher education and enterprise.”

Access cards are tied to a person’s identity

through a physical access control (PAC)

system, which involves a two-step process

that links a card to a person after the card has

been printed. Some card personalization

software systems can also connect to and

update the PAC system after the card has been

personalized.

“Access control includes three segments and

begins with a trusted identity, which validates

the person who is entitled to the benefits

associated with a credential,” said Sebastian

Tormos, Entrust Datacard’s director of

vertical marketing.

First, a system identifies an individual. Then,

his or her credentials are authenticated via a

badge, smart card, password, mobile device

or biometric (such as a fingerprint). Following

authentication, building access control

systems grant entry.

“The amount of personalization that occurs

with access cards depends on what type of

information and security is put on the card, for

example, encoding a smart card with personal

identification, authentication, data storage

and application processing,” Hoff said.

Digital Identity is Key to Security

Although technology continues to evolve and

advance, when it comes to a trusted identity,

physical cards will continue to play a valued

role in securely granting or restricting access

– especially in the health care and government

sectors. The combination of a physical card

with a digital identity is powerful and provides

multi-layered security. Combining multiple

features is important to the security of both

physical and digital credentials.

“Access cards are encoded with a unique

decimal number, which is put in the system

and linked to the user’s record,” said Howard

Albrow, HID Global’s NPI product line

manager of PACS credentials and ICMA

member. “Typically, an access control card

does not contain any personal identifiable

information, but through the system, it can link

to a data record that may hold personal

identifiable information.”

3 Types of Access Control Cards

There are two categories of access control

cards – nonsecure and secure – and both

provide ways to monitor who is entering or

exiting a building. A proximity card is the most

common type of access card for commercial

and residential buildings; however, they offer

little security.

Typically, the size of a credit card, an access

card usually lasts five to 10 years before it has

to be replaced. However, many factors affect

the durability and lifespan of the card, such as

the type of card substrate and personalization

techniques used, how the card is stored and if

the card is resistant to chemicals, abrasion,

moisture and ultraviolet light.

Although the three types of access control

cards – proximity, magnetic stripe and smart

– may look the same, the technologies driving

them vary significantly.

Security

Proximity (prox) cards can be made of several

different materials, but they all work in the

same way: by being held in close proximity to

a card reader, without needing to make

physical contact with the reader. Prox cards

are an older technology and a low security

card.

January - 2021

35

There is no room for error in restoration when dealing with employee

and occupant safety. The restorer must consider other options before

resorting to personal protective equipment (PPE). Restorers are

exposed to too many situations where hazardous materials, pathogens,

and other toxic substances are present, even on the most “routine”

restoration jobs. If your business is not protecting your workers, you

are probably not protecting your customers either.

Most of us understand that grabbing personal protective equipment

(PPE) out of the truck is the last resort and a proper site safety

assessment should be completed first. But there are many restorers

who approach this in a wildly different manner in regards to their day to

day job functions.

Before we talk personal protective equipment, let’s talk about The

National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NOISH) Hierarchy

of Controls.

A Job Hazard Assessment is used to evaluate the risks that workers are

exposed to and attempt to eliminate the hazard. When the elimination of

a hazard is not possible, using personal protective equipment is

necessary.

A restorer can easily use the Hierarchy of Controls to eliminate the risk,

substitute the hazard, apply engineering controls to isolate people from

the hazard, change the way people work using administrative controls,

or finally protect the worker with personal protection equipment.

Elimination and/or Substitution

While these are the most effective methods of handling a risk, they can

sometimes be very difficult to apply in the real world, especially in a

restoration environment. A restorer can simply ask if there is a safer

way to perform the task at hand or reduce the hazard of the job. Can you

use fewer harsh chemicals or can you use different tools that reduce the

risks to the worker? Simple risks may have a simple solution. For

example, a trip hazard due to electrical cords being placed across a

hallway floor may be eliminated by hanging the cords along the ceiling,

eliminating a trip hazard.

Engineering controls

If you cannot eliminate or find a better way to do the work, can you apply

a process or piece of equipment to reduce the risk? These actions are

considered more effective and are preferred to administrative controls

and PPE. Engineering controls are effective at isolating people from the

risk. In a residential water damage job, we commonly use containment

barriers to prevent homeowners from easily accessing the jobsite. It is

most effective to put engineering controls at the source of the risk. In the

case of dust containment, your engineering control could be a HEPA

vacuum at the source of the dust, as opposed to an air scrubber in the

middle of the room. However, the air scrubber is a great engineering

control to assist in capturing dust and debris that is airborne as a result

of the drying processes.

Administrative Controls

How are you going to work? This may include changing your schedule

to work during a time with fewer interactions with occupants. You may

implement safe driving practices, like no talking on a cell phone while

operating a motor vehicle. Training staff on equipment or processes is

another way to reduce your risk. This makes sense if you are working in

a commercial space or a retail outlet where customers are coming into

January - 2021

the work area. It may be safer to work after hours when you are free of

employees and customers in your workspace.

Personal Protective Equipment

The final line of protection is the use of personal protective equipment.

This protection is used when the risk cannot be reduced enough to

provide a safe working environment for the worker. Restoration

companies use the full range of PPE offered such as fall protection

devices, hazardous material suits and full respiratory protection to

confined space gear.

Remember that OSHA requires you to complete a PPE Hazard

Assessment. We will discuss this in part 2.

Safety Drives Profits

Safety is a double-edged sword that can bring your company to its

knees if you don’t respect it, or it can increase your average margin

when you do. If a contractor fails to protect their staff and their

customers, they increase their risk and increase the liability that the

business will incur losses and fines as a result. However, there is a

dramatic swing that happens when safety is incorporated in the jobsite.

The company that follows regulations and follows the laws surrounding

safety, can charge for those processes to be followed and dramatically

reduce the potential for fines and work stoppages. This increases

profitability while also reducing the risk to your business and your staff.

A company’s safety strategy is the single most effective part of

protecting your bottom line and your reputation of protecting their

workers and clients.

Become a Power Restorer

In order to move up in the game from residential small losses to

medium sized commercial claims and then into the medical, large

industrial and large commercial jobs you need to be safety minded. It is

your job to look professional and keep control of the worksite. You can’t

be standing in the firing line with lame excuses as to why you didn’t

follow the Hierarchy of Controls or made the choice to not abide by

OSHA when it is your job as a contractor to follow the laws and your

workers.

If you haven’t taken the IICRC Health and Safety Technician course, I

recommend that you sign-up for one today. This should be one of the

first courses you take, because every decision about your use of

products and processes you deploy should be safe for the workers and

occupants of the project.

January - 2021

Every Workplace

Death is a Tragedy

Our physical wellbeing at work is in the

spotlight like never before. We are still in the

midst of one of the biggest shifts in working

culture in living memory, with the coronavirus

pandemic and its aftermath set to change

everything from the amount we work from

home to the layouts of our offices.

With workplace health and safety in the

headlines, in July the HSE released its annual

report into workplace fatality figures. (They

don't include deaths directly resulting from

COVID-19.) The good news is that they are

lower than before – 111 in 2019/20, a drop

from 147 the previous year. This might be due

to the break in many physical jobs the

p a n d e m i c c a u s e d a n d t h e r i s e o f

homeworking for many, but though every

workplace death is a tragedy, a fall is a good

sign no matter what the cause. The long-term

trend shows a steady decline in deaths.

Delving deeper into the figures, they tell an

interesting story about the risks across

industries – and how workplace health and

safety still has a way to go before we get the

fatality figures down to zero.

Construction and Other High-Risk Industries

The HSE website includes a breakdown by

industry of the workplace fatalities. This

shows construction had twice the amount of

workplace deaths as the next highest industry,

agriculture.

In many ways, the industries most likely to

suffer tragedies like workplace deaths are no

surprise: they are often more physical in their

day to day work and involve work in difficult

conditions, such as on buildings in need of

repair or using machinery. There are more

opportunities in these lines of work to fall

victim to the most common causes of

workplace deaths: falls from height, being

struck by a moving vehicle and being struck

by a moving object. This underlines the need

for robust risk assessments and safety

measures in place to protect all workers and

members of the public.

New Challenges

Recently it's been almost impossible to avoid

the phrase "the new normal". Used to describe

everything from new workplace layouts to

socialising over Zoom, the phrase covers both

the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Unfortunately, nobody can agree exactly what

"the new normal" will mean at this point.

Health and safety will need to stay front-andcentre

of companies' minds for the

foreseeable future. Training will be even more

important for all employees, including those

working from home, and engaging employees

in this learning will be vital.

The challenge facing employers in the future,

especially in high-risk industries, is how to

protect people from COVID-19 whilst not

neglecting their traditional health and safety

arrangements. All previous protections and

control measures must be in place, even if

they have to be adapted to meet the new

guidelines.

It remains to be seen how COVID-19 and the

associated changes to workplaces will affect

the workplace fatality figures in the years to

come. With appropriate training and keeping

the focus on all aspects of workers' health and

safety, employers can play their part in

bringing that figure lower and lower.

January - 2021

Article Update

Top safety tips

for the Oil and Gas industry

be prevented with proper personal

protective equipment and safe work

practices. Eye and face protection should

be chosen based on the kinds of hazards

encountered.

Protecting from hand injuries can also be

achieved through employing appropriate

gloves for the job in hand.

Never stop learning

Everyday working practices need to be

rigorously assessed by safety

professionals, within a framework of strict

regulations, to guarantee the safety of the

workforce. However, following these

simple measures should help to create a

safer working environment as a matter of

course.

Maintain dialogue with your workforce

Your workforce knows the ins and outs of

an oil rig, or whatever oil and gas

environment you operate in. Workforce

representatives are always involved in

health and safety inspections on oil and

gas rigs. So by communicating with your

workforce you'll gain a much better

understanding of where risks lie. You may

also gain an insight into areas that the

workers feel uncomfor table and

consequently implement solutions can to

resolve their misgivings.

Be aware of all hazards

Even minor hazards can quickly become a

bigger issue, particularly within the

closed confines of an oil or gas rig, so

nothing should be taken for granted.

Ensure that smaller incidents are routinely

logged, to maintain a firm grasp of the

situation, and to prevent any safety issues

from escalating. Even the smallest cut is

noted, and in-depth investigations are put

in place to find a solution, during HSE

inspections of oil rigs.

Maintain basic safety measures

Slips, trips and falls should be best

avoided with good housekeeping.

Walkways should be kept clear of tools

and debris. Spills should be cleaned

immediately. And spell out that these

types of measures are expected of

everyone. Eye and back injuries can also

The learning process never ends,

whatever industry you're in. The Oil and

Gas industry is no exception and sharing

of best practice is an ongoing priority.

“The industry recognises the importance

of joined-up working and engages the

workforce and trade unions through

offshore safety committees and onshore

networks,” according to Oil & Gas UK.

“The industry operates within a goal

setting regulatory framework and through

publications, workshops and seminars, is

a global exemplar of good safety

practice,”

Get to the root of any issues

Of course, resolving any minor or major

hazards in the short term is an easy

enough exercise. But for any industry, a

deeper understanding of the underlying

causes of any problems must be

understood to ensure a the safest

possible work environment. For example,

implementing proactive strategies – like

fostering better communication systems

for workers and increasing safety related

training – will hopefully ensure a

prevention, rather than a cure, approach.

42

January - 2021

Article Update

Cut-resistant gloves

How do I select the proper cut-resistant glove for different tasks?

Most companies are using the ANSI/ISEA 105-2016 standard

as their guideline. The standard sets cut levels based on the

gram weight required to cut through a fabric swatch on a 20-

millimeter pass (roughly three-quarters of an inch). The grams

listed in the standard seem high in value until translated into

pounds, per this chart.

These are high cut levels and represent the majority of cutresistant

gloves available. However, how many edges do you

have in your facility that weigh less than 3.3 pounds (A4) or 9

pounds (A6) and will have a potential edge travel of less than 1

inch?

OSHA 1910-138(b) requires the employer to evaluate the

hazard and select the proper protection to protect the

employee from that hazard. Selecting a cut level may not put

you in full compliance with OSHA 1910-138(b).

Companies that have a long history of no hand lacerations all

share one thing in common: They have edge-tested gloves

prior to approval for use.

Cut rate diagrams

This is a straightforward process. Start by touring your entire

facility to see how hands are working.

Ÿ What type of objects are they gripping?

Ÿ How much dexterity is needed?

Ÿ Are there any moving parts such as turning nuts, bolts or

screws with a power tool?

Ÿ Select parts and products that are being handled – from the

smallest screw to the largest, heaviest edge.

Finally, wear the gloves that have passed the edge-test and

evaluate them for tactile feel and dexterity by handling the

small parts that you have collected. If your employees are

turning screws with a power tool, you will need to use a

polyurethane coating, as it was designed to help prevent

“wrap-ups.” If testing a knife blade, place the glove on a flat

surface and cut with a knife on a horizontal pass on the palm

section of the glove. This should be repeated with a new blade

for each pass.

January - 2021 43

Article Update

Technology and Innovation

in Safety Wear

Intelligent wearable technology is becoming

an increasingly positive asset to the

firefighting industry and is contributing to

advancements in firefighter safety. By

investing in innovative product design and

development, companies can ensure that new

and improved products make it to the

frontline.

The firefighting industry is no stranger to

advanced technologies with location devices,

real-time monitoring and drones now

commonplace in many forces. These

technologies have made a significant

difference to how firefighters operate and are

playing an important part in saving lives but it

is the acceleration of developments in

wearable technology, that stand to truly

revolutionise the way forces work.

Wearable technology by definition is a

'wearable' that incorporates computer or

advanced technologies with practical

functions or features. In computer science,

this is also known as Ubiquitous Computing,

meaning computing can be made to appear

using any device, location or format.

As wearable technology becomes faster,

smaller and more efficient, it is rapidly

becoming part of people's everyday lives – in

both the consumer and industrial markets.

The technology is no longer just confined to

smart watches and fitness trackers, as it is

finding important applications in industrial

settings, such as fire, where it is dramatically

improving the way people work and has even

helped to save lives.

Scott Sight and AV300HT Face Piece combine

to deliver an advanced in-mask thermal

intelligence system.

Early wearable technology

Thermal Imaging Camera (TICs) technology is

perhaps one of the most successful examples

of how technology can be embraced by the

firefighting industry to help them do their job

more effectively. TICs enable firefighters on

the frontline to 'build' a bigger and clearer

picture of every incident, improving situational

awareness, and helping to define the best

solution to tackle the blaze, and identify any

people that may be in danger as quickly as

possible. For firefighters that are about to enter

the highly volatile environment of an inferno,

TICs can help to identify 'cooler' areas, and

help to avoid the highest risk 'hot spot' areas,

where the blaze could cause floors and

ceilings to collapse.

Some of the earliest examples of wearable

technology took the form of head-mounted

portable Thermal Imaging Cameras (TICs)

which were introduced to the fire services in

the 1990s. Unfortunately as they were

extremely heavy, cumbersome and difficult to

use, take-up was poor. In fact TICs in general

got off to a slow start in the firefighting

44 January - 2021

industry. The heavy weight of the equipment

combined with high costs and a lack of

experience of how to deploy the technology,

meant in the early days they were often left on

the shelf.

Today it is a different story. Manufacturers

recognised the need to educate and assist

their customers in understanding the real

benefits of the technology and how it could be

used which slowly helped TICs to grow in

popularity. Since then significant investment

has helped manufacturers to deliver more

affordable, easy-to-use technology so TICs

are now widely used by firefighters, not just

for finding fires but for much more, including

monitoring convection, establishing how

swiftly a fire is moving and locating victims.

In recent years, robotic technology has been

paired with TIC equipment, to enable

firefighters to reduce the human exposure to

associated dangers of a blaze, demonstrating

how technology can be used to protect rescue

teams where possible. However, when

firefighters do need to enter a hazardous

environment, TICs can be an essential tool.

Despite their popularity, current practice using

TICs still leaves many firefighters doing their

job in the dark. More often than not when

firefighters enter a scene, one member of the

team will use a hand-held thermal imaging

camera to navigate through the scene, assess

their surroundings, and perform search and

rescue. This firefighter will simultaneously

communicate what they can see through the

thermal imaging camera to their colleagues

behind them who are working in darkness,

therefore acting as their 'eyes' and navigating

them safely. This is useful because it leaves

the other firefighters with the use of their

hands but this is at the expense of their sight

Scott Sight is integrated into firefighters'

masks, giving them back their sight in the

dark.

What if every firefighter could see clearly in

every situation?

In recent years, collaboration between the fire

& rescue services and manufacturers has

become central to innovation in the industry.

Fire and rescue services have become more

proactive in identifying their own needs by

working in cross-functional procurement

teams to put together meaningful

specifications and demands. With their

confidence in the use of TICs growing, and the

price of the technology coming down,

firefighters began asking whether this

technology could be made even more

accessible and easy to use.

Scott Safety set about exploring this question

through its 'Firefighter of the Future' initiative

which brings together a group of firefighting

experts with the sole focus of harnessing the

latest technology to benefit firefighters. The

ultimate question was, 'could thermal imaging

be integrated inside the self-contained

breathing apparatus (SCBA) mask, so that

every firefighter could see clearly in every

situation?'

This challenge was delivered to Scott Safety's

'Firefighter of the Future' group in late 2014,

and the team set to work, with the vision to

create a product that was reliable, intuitive,

durable and that would give customers realtime,

actionable situational intelligence. The

result of this focus was Scott Sight – an

advanced, hands-free, in-mask thermal

imaging intelligence system

By integrating a thermal imaging intelligence

system into the masks, firefighters get back

their sight, providing them with a clear,

unobstructed view of their surroundings in

real-time. This also gives them back the use of

their hands which allows them to safely

navigate a scene and speed up the rescue

process, thus vastly improving their safety

and mobility.

When it is used as a supplement to existing

hand-held technology, wearers are provided

with hands-free visibility in often inhospitable

situations. This enables the wearer to stay

focused on the fire, hazards and casualties

while also providing the means to identify a

secondary egress in the event of a sudden

change of circumstances..

Setting the stage for future innovation

This wearable technology is a good example

of what can be achieved when the fire &

rescue service and manufacturers work

closely together. The collaborative

relationship will ensure that any technological

developments can be harnessed to make

firefighters safer and more efficient.

Wearable technology is advancing at such a

rate it is almost impossible to predict what the

future holds but market intelligence specialist

CCS Insight predicts (1) that in 2020, 411

million smart wearable devices will be sold

worth a staggering $34 billion. It is likely that

this is just the beginning; in the future

headgear could potentially integrate a plethora

of traditionally handheld technologies, freeing

up safety professionals to get on with their

jobs more efficiently.

Hands-free thermal vision

Article Update

Scott Sight is lightweight and powerful,

weighing just 240grams and producing a

160×120 resolution at nine frames per

second through an infinity lens to ensure

firefighters see a crystal clear picture without

causing eyestrain. Scott Sight's adjustable

view, user interface options, and hot spot and

temperature settings means it is also

configurable to the individual wearer's needs.

Scott Sight is auto-dimming to prot.

Scott Sight is also compatible with the AV

3000HT Face Piece; a high performance ect

against changing light conditions.positive

pressure face piece manufactured using

innovative materials that have been

engineered to provide enhanced thermal

durability and improved wearer safety.

January - 2021 45

How Often Should You Check

Fire Alarm Installations?

Article Update

Fire Alarm Installations are not ‘complete’

after becoming operational. The system has

to be regularly maintained and monitored or it

could bring disastrous results. Electrical fire

hazards are more prevalent during the cold

months in Whangarei and Auckland.

Heating is more often the main cause of

structure fires. Property owners have to be

alert to warning signs of a possible electrical

fire such as lights that flicker without any

apparent reason, an unusual smell, frayed

wires or loose connections, discolored

receptacles or tripped circuit breakers.

This brings you to the question: how often

should you check your fire alarm installation

and who is qualified to do the inspection?

It is required that only experienced and trained

fire protection experts will conduct all the

visual inspections and testing of fire alarm

systems. The visual inspection process can

be done weekly, monthly, or annually while

testing can be done semiannually or annually.

It’s crucial for property owners to know what

comprises a fire alarm system. People have to

know the difference between a smoke alarm

and a fire alarm.

A fire alarm system involves action and

detection. It functions more than a sensor

does. The fire alarm system can detect a high

amount of smoke and it does its part. The

sensor is linked to the alarm system which

blares when the detection system gets

activated. There are fire alarm systems that

include a sprinkler system that will sprinkle

water to put out the fire.

On the other hand, a smoke detector is often

used. The smoke detector as the name implies

can detect a high amount of smoke. It works

like a sensor. It detects an irregular amount of

smoke in the home, and it leaves the owner to

do what is required.

New Zealand’s Fire and Emergency New

Zealand recommends installing an alarm in

each living and sleeping area for full

compliance with F7/AS1. Alarms have to be

installed on the ceiling at 200 mm away from a

wall. When the ceiling is sloping, the alarm

has to be set 200 to 500 mm away from the

apex. It must not be installed in the kitchen,

garage, or bathroom, or any damp or draughty

area. As routine maintenance, it’s important to

press the test button every month for the

alarm to sound. Every six months, smoke

alarms have to be dusted and vacuumed.

Every year, the expiry date has to be checked

as well, and at least every ten years, the

smoke alarms have to be replaced.

46

January - 2021

Article Update

Top Benefits

of a Business Sprinkler System

You’ve worked hard to foster your business

into the thriving company it is today. The last

thing you want or need is to have something

compromise that integrity. However, the

unfortunate fact is that today’s business

structures are under constant threat of

damage and destruction from severe weather,

flood, and fire.

According to the National Fire Protection

Association (NFPA), there were 1,342,000

fires reported in the United States in 2016 (the

latest date of full record). Nearly four thousand

people perished in the blazes that caused

almost $11 billion in damages. For these

reasons and more, fire suppression insurance

should be an essential element of your overall

business strategy.

Along with insurance, there are equipment

considerations and safety precautions you

can put into place now to ensure the continued

protection of your company. That includes a

business sprinkler system. Learn how this

integral tool can help safeguard your

business:

Saves Lives and Protects Property

There’s no denying that business sprinkler

systems save lives. In fact, no record exists in

NFPA reports dating back more than 10 years

of two or more deaths in business fires where

the company had such a system in use.

Research has uncovered that the tragedies

that did occur were likely unavoidable.

In addition, properly-functioning sprinkler

systems can drastically reduce damage by

suppressing the ability of a fire to spread.

Cost-effective and easy to maintain, these

systems can last more than two decades

without the need for major repair or upgrades.

Coupled with comprehensive fire protection

insurance, business sprinkler systems keep

people and property safe and secure.

Builds Trust and Positive Reputation

In an era of heightened personal security,

people want to know that the companies

where they work and with which they do

business have their best interests at heart.

That begins with proving safety is a top priority

for your company.

The fact is that fire can break out at any

moment. There are many factors that can

contribute to a blaze and not every scenario is

easily predicted. Plus, human reaction time in

a catastrophic situation is not always timely.

By contrast, an automatic business sprinkler

system engages in less than a second. Often,

these systems can start suppressing a fire

even before it’s visible to the naked eye. That

buys precious time for professional

firefighters to arrive on scene and contain the

fire before it can blaze into a full-on inferno.

Fosters a Culture of Fire Safety

When you install a high-quality system and

implement fire sprinkler insurance to your fire

safety plan, you demonstrate a commitment

to the security and well-being of every person

who enters your place of business.

In addition, sprinkler systems act as one

element of a larger fire safety plan. Along with

regularly testing smoke alarms and related

equipment, every employee should be trained

in fire extinguisher use and thoroughly

understand evacuation procedures.

Along with this fire safety education, it’s

essential to secure adequate fire protection

insurance. As you work with our friendly and

knowledgeable agents to implement this

important safeguard, you can also learn about

the many other coverage options we offer.

From business to church and school

insurance, personal lines, and more, we have

services that can help keep your company

thriving and growing for years to come.

Contact us today to learn how you protect

your business from fire, severe weather, and

other disasters.

January - 2021 47

Article Update

48

January - 2021

Fire Fighting

Article

Study Case

Press Release

Fire protection

doors as an effective measure

for preventive fire protection

The effects of fire can be extremely destructive, and lives and livelihoods can be destroyed in a very short period of time.

Preventive fire protection helps to avoid fires, and tackle them effectively if they do break out. Fire protection measures in door areas

therefore play a crucial role: fire protection doors delay the spread of fire and give people within a building a life-saving advantage.

Fire protection - effectively combat fire

Whether public facilities, office buildings or schools – people primarily

judge buildings in terms of comfort, functionality, aesthetics and safety.

In particular, the demands on safety technology have significantly

increased in recent years - particularly in the area of fire protection.

The risk of fires in buildings is high, and the numbers are alarming for

Germany alone:

Ÿ Around 200,000 fires per year

Ÿ An average of 125,000 Euro of operational fire damage

Ÿ Around 200 big fires with millions of euros of damage and

devastating effects: 40 per cent of businesses file for insolvency

immediately after the disaster, and 70 per cent within a year.

Fires are vicious and unpredictable. They usually come as a surprise

and cause huge damage. Which is why targeted protective measures

are needed to tackle building fires.

What does fire protection mean?

Fire protection doors are some of the most important components in

plant fire protection.

Fire protection doors as a technical plant fire protection tool © Jürgen

Pollak / GEZE GmbH

Fire protection covers all protective measures which prevent the

occurrence and spread of fires and smoke, and which permit selfrescue

and effective extinguishing actions during a fire. There are two

types of fire protection: preventive and defensive fire protection.

The key role of preventive fire protection is to protect escape and rescue

routes from fire and to keep them smoke-free. This also contributes to

efficiently avoiding damage in the event of a fire.

Preventive fire protection consists of structural, technical and

organisational measures:

Ÿ all structural fire protection measures involve creating or adjusting

structural systems. They focus on how materials behave in a fire

and on components’ fire resistance properties.

Ÿ The technical system aspect of fire protection covers all technical

systems such as fire alarm systems, fire extinguishing systems,

smoke extraction systems and fire protection doors.

Ÿ Organisational fire protection relates to appointing fire protection

officers, fire maintenance officers, preparing fire protection plans

and the Fire Protection Ordinance.

Conversely, defensive fire protection covers all measures which

effectively extinguish a fire that has broken out. This is predominantly a

task of the fire service.

50

January - 2021

Article Update

Fire protection doors as effective fire protection closers

Fire protection doors play a key role in preventive fire protection. The

key task of self-closing doors is to prevent fire from breaching openings

in fire-retardant or fire-resistant walls. It is critical for doors to close

reliably in the event of a fire.

Fire protection door fire resistance classes

How long a fire protection door remains fire resistant depends on its fire

resistance class. Classification is currently governed by the German

standard DIN 4102-2. In the future, this will be governed Europe-wide,

based on the European standard DIN EN 13501-2 and the product

standard DIN EN 16034. As a result, the names of the classes will also

change. At this moment in time (September 2019), it is not clear when

the European regulations will have to come into effect.

The new European abbreviations will in future be:

Fire protection door classification differentiates between single leaf

doors (T130-1) and double leaf doors (T30-2). The choice of fire

resistance class depends on how the building will be used and the wall

in which the door will be built.

Fire protection doors secure openings in fire sections.

Fire protection doors secure openings in fire sections. © Jürgen Pollak /

GEZE GmbH

The German Building Code and special building regulations

Fire protection doors must be fitted as fire protection closers in

buildings where this is prescribed by the applicable Federal State

building Code and the respective special regulations. Emergencies

highlight the important of having doors installed correctly. When

correctly positioned, fire protection doors create safe fire sections, i.e.

areas in which fires, combustion gases and heat are sealed. Rooms

exceeding 40 m in length, or a surface area of 1,600 m² must be

properly sub-divided into fire sections using doors.

Fire protection doors must close reliably in the event of a fire. Various

techniques can be used to achieve this, such as door closers, door

drives and hold-open systems. The reliability of the system is critical in

the event of a fire, and that is the responsibility of door owners, door

manufacturers and door fitters. Correctly maintaining door systems is

urgently advised because it saves lives. Documenting maintenance

measures also exonerates those responsible for fire protection in the

event of a fire.

Fire protection doors are required to comply with stringent demands in

terms of planning, installation and operation. In Germany, the required

criteria are defined in DIN 4102-5 and DIN EN 1634-1.

Fire protection closers may also be smoke proof, in order to prevent the

spread of smoke. Fire protection doors are only smoke proof if they

have been equipped with extra fittings. DIN 18095 regulates the criteria

for smoke protection doors.

Safety functions in an area of interaction The safety functions of fire

protection doors face a particular contradiction in escape and rescue

routes because locks must prevent unauthorised access in nonhazardous

situations. After a person has passed through, the doors

must be closed via the independent locking, and allow the building to be

evacuated quickly in an emergency. The ideal solution for this is a

combination of a door control unit, an escape door lock and a motor

lock.

In this combination, door opening and closing procedures in escape

and rescue routes are secured and monitored. Electronic components

keep doors in escape routes closed. Activated by a fire alarm system,

or in the event of a power failure, the locking element automatically

locks if a motor lock is used. In the direction of flight, the door can still

be passed through since the emergency exit closure is automatically

unlocked in the event of a fire alarm or power failure: the emergency

push button in the door control unit opens the door.

Preventive fire protection with intelligent systems from GEZE

For preventive fire protection, GEZE offers complete solutions that

combine individual safety requirements in a single intelligent system.

Door closers ensure the safe closing of doors that must always be

closed and monitored or must be closed and monitored at least in the

event of a fire. However, day-to-day building use require doors to be

opened some of the time (e.g.to transport goods). A hold-open device

is needed to keep these fire protection doors (smoke protection doors)

open. GEZE has a wide range of hold-open systems available, all

designed specifically for use in fire prevention systems. GEZE holdopen

systems can be used to hold fire protection doors open

permanently or temporarily and thus provide barrier-free access, yet

close safely in the event of a fire. With the FA GC 170 radio extension,

existing buildings can also be retrofitted to ceiling detectors or

interruption push-buttons without additional cable routing.

As an expert in the reliable opening and closing of fire protection doors,

GEZE supplies premium quality tailor-made solutions. Our broad range

of products covers everything from hold-open systems to door closers,

drive systems and activation devices.

January - 2021 51

Article Update

Why is

Fire Safety in

the Workplace Important?

Making sure a workplace is fire safe is one of the most important

responsibilities an employer has to their employees and the

general public.

As fire safety awareness has increased and health and safety

legislation has improved in this area, the amount of fire-related

deaths in the workplace has steadily gone down over a thirty year

period. There is still a long way to go, however, with around

22,000 workplace fires happening annually and several fatalities

every year. Fire safety training plays a crucial role in continuing

the positive trend towards fewer deaths and injuries, and one day

possibly eliminating workplace fires altogether.

Safety First

The most crucial aspect of fire safety is how it protects people. In

2016-17, there were 17 recorded deaths from workplace fires in

the UK; 11 died from fires started accidentally, six from fires that

occurred on purpose. These shocking numbers illustrate how

important fire safety is for employers and the terrible

consequences when things go wrong.

In early August 2018, an explosion and fire at the Chemring

52

January - 2021

Countermeasures military equipment facility in Salisbury killed

one person and seriously injured another. As well as the tragic

human cost of the incident, the firm suffered extensive financial

losses. They were unable to resume production for some time

due to the damage and their annual profits were expected to drop

by up to £20 million.

The Chemring Countermeasures incident is an extreme example,

leading to the worst possible outcome of a fire: loss of life. There

are unfortunately many examples of workplace fires that have

caused injuries, damage to buildings, loss of earnings and even a

hazard to the people living in the surrounding areas, with nearby

residents often being advised to close their windows and doors

to prevent inhalation of potentially toxic fumes.

An Employer's Responsibility

Fire safety is important to all employees and visitors to a work

site and it's reasonable to expect that everyone does their share

to minimise the dangers. This includes following all fire safety

procedures and recalling all fire safety training they have been

given.

Legally, the responsibility for complying with fire legislation falls

to the "responsible person" in an organisation. That can be the

owner, employer, occupier, landlord or building manager of a site.

Failure to comply with fire safety legislation – especially after

being warned that your facilities are in violation of the law – can

carry stiff penalties. When the Radnor Hotel in Bayswater,

London was inspected in 2015, inspectors raised several serious

concerns including the lack of a working alarm system, a

missing fire risk assessment, missing fire doors and emergency

lighting in bad conditions. The owner, Salim Patel, did not

address these concerns to the satisfaction of the authorities and

was eventually taken to court by the London Fire Brigade. He was

handed a fine of £200,000 and a four month suspended prison

sentence for risking the lives of guests and staff with inadequate

fire safety measures.

Steps to Take

Becoming fire safe doesn't have to be particularly expensive or

time-consuming for a business but making a small investment in

quality fire training for staff, adequate equipment and a solid

understanding of the relevant legislation can be the most

important decision a company makes.

All companies must ensure they have completed a fire risk

assessment, which should be revisited often. This needs to

identify fire hazards, any people at higher risk, evaluations of all

relevant factors and an emergency evacuation plan. This

highlights any potential issues before they become a problem

and can help with minimising fire risk in that particular setting. It

is also a handy way of keeping track of fire safety measures

already in place, such as fire extinguishers and emergency

lighting, and of checking that these are still fit for purpose.

Staff must be trained in fire safety, be aware of the risk

assessment and its findings and know how to safely get out of

the building if a fire breaks out.

Fire safety is one of the most important aspects of health and

safety in the workplace. Most workplaces, be they offices,

shops, building sites, factories or laboratories, contain multiple

potential fire hazards. By identifying these promptly and taking

the proper steps to minimise them, you can make sure your site

is safe from the devastating consequences of a workplace fire.

Article Update

These Things Can Cause a

Fire at Your Workplace

When fire breaks out at your workplace, the results could be

devastating. You might suffer a total loss. At the least, cleanup

from a fire is costly and time-consuming. During this process,

you could also lose valuable employees and precious

customers/clients. The aftermath can take a toll on your patience

and bottom line. Who has the time or energy to put up with that

sort of frustration?

Thankfully, there are ways you can notice potential fire risks and

take steps toward their solutions. The process includes

employee training, vigilance in fire safety, and safeguarding your

organization with proper insurance.

While there’s no way to guarantee fire will never plague your

place of business, practicing vigilance is the essential first step

to avoiding possible pitfalls. Use these suggestions to get

started:

Recognize Hazards

As you’re focused on the growth and prosperity of your

business, it can be difficult to stay on top of every minute detail.

Still, by being aware of potential fire issues, you put yourself and

team members in the position to avoid potential fire issues.

For instance, electrical issues are a major cause of workplace

fires. Ensure the electrical system at your building is up to code,

and educate employees on the proper use of electrical

equipment around the workplace. It’s also essential to keep

flammable liquids and other combustible materials properly

stored and secured at all times.

Now’s also an ideal time to review your company’s fire

suppression insurance coverage. Speak with a knowledgeable

insurance agent who can review your company’s policies and

make important suggestions for thorough coverage.

January - 2021 53

Who is Responsible

for Fire Safety?

Fire safety is one of the most vital aspects of health and safety within the

workplace. Legally, the overall responsibility for it falls to the

"responsible person". This can be the owner, employer, landlord,

occupier or anyone with overall control of the building in question, such

as a facilities manager.

In practice, a lot of the day to day work of ensuring the workplace is fire

safe often falls to the fire warden, or fire marshal (both terms are in

common use and interchangeable). Businesses are increasingly

recognising the benefits of having a designated, appropriately trained

employee to carry out the necessary tasks relating to fire safety.

What Does a Fire Warden Do?

Although the responsibility for producing a risk assessment and putting

appropriate fire safety measures into place remains with the

"responsible person", fire wardens fulfil an important role in making

sure they are carried out.

Their main duties fall into two categories: reactive and proactive.

Reactive actions relate to preventing fires, including:

- testing fire alarms

- organising fire drills

- making sure flammable materials are properly stored

- managing all paperwork relating to fire safety

- checking fire extinguishers and fire doors.

Proactive measures take place when there has been a fire-related

incident and include:

- directing people to the appropriate exits

- checking everyone has left after an evacuation

- fighting small fires with extinguishers, where possible and safe

- contacting the fire service if they are not automatically alerted

- assisting people with limited mobility.

It's important to note that at no point should a fire marshal put

themselves in any physical danger when carrying out their duties.

Though fire drills may be the times when the fire warden is the most

visible to their colleagues, the majority of their day to day work is taking

care of their primary duty – making sure a fire doesn't start in the first

place. Fire wardens should be aware of all relevant health and safety

legislation and trained in fire safety.

Who Can Be a Fire Warden?

There are no specific guidelines for who can and cannot be fire

wardens, aside from them being employees. However, when selecting

a fire warden from a pool of volunteers, it's useful to consider whether

that person is on-site regularly (as opposed to often working remotely

or at other locations) and whether their workload will allow them

enough time to fulfil all of their duties on a regular basis.

Employers need to consider how many fire marshals are appropriate for

their organisation. For smaller, single site workplaces, one person may

be fine. For larger companies that are spread out over a bigger physical

space, it might be a better option to train a team – which also makes

sure the company has fire warden coverage regardless of annual leave

or absence.

Why Have a Fire Warden?

Fire wardens can be a calming presence during an emergency,

directing people to the exits and assisting with roll call when the

evacuated workers have gathered outside. It can be very reassuring to

the workplace as a whole to see that their employer takes fire safety

very seriously and to know that fire wardens have been trained to deal

with these specific situations.

Industries at high risk of fire hazards can benefit greatly from properly

trained fire wardens – though of course, no industry is free from risk or

can afford to neglect fire safety. During the hot weather of summer

2018, wildfires in areas like Saddleworth Moor highlighted the issue of

fire safety in farming, which heatwaves can aggravate. With moorland

catching fire and decreased rainfall, the risk of farmland doing the same

was heightened. Among other suggestions, leaders in the industry

recommended more fire wardens.

Being a fire warden can also benefit the person's career. The extra

training and experience may be very useful to future employers and

voluntarily taking on the job shows the worker is responsible and can

undertake long-term projects.

As with First Aid, it's beneficial to any organisation to have someone

well-versed in fire safety on the team. With most of the fire marshal's

duties geared towards preventing a fire breaking out in the first place,

the savings to a business can be huge. In extreme cases, the fire

wardens can even be life-saving.

54

January - 2021

How to Prevent Fires from

Starting in the Workplace

Article Update

a fire broke out at the London-based food manufacturer UK Snacks Ltd.

Most of their warehouse was destroyed. 120 firefighters and 20

engines responded to the blaze and took several hours to extinguish it.

Unfortunately, with around 22,000 fires at non-residential properties

breaking out annually, UK Snacks Ltd are not alone.

When fires break out in workplaces, the losses can be huge. Property

damage is the most common consequence, leading to loss of earnings,

stock and equipment. Once a building has fire damage, it can be a

significant amount of time before it's safe to work in it again. The worst

cases can cause severe injuries and even deaths; in the 2013-2014

period, 17 fatalities were recorded as a result of fires that started in nonresidential

buildings.

Thankfully, there's plenty that can be done to minimise the risk of a fire

breaking out in your workplace.

Good Housekeeping

Where possible, clutter should be kept to a minimum. This is

particularly true of materials that can become fuel for a fire such as

paper, card or flammable substances. Where these need to be stored

for an extended period of time, they need to be kept away from anything

that could cause a spark and ignite them.

Kitchen areas require particular attention. Just as in the main working

areas, kitchens need to be kept clean and clear from obstructions that

might prevent workers leaving promptly in case of an emergency.

Appliances such as microwaves should be cleaned regularly and kept

to a good standard of maintenance, just as computer equipment and

factory machinery should be.

Routes to fire exits should always be kept clear.

Knowing Fire Safety Rules

It's every worker's responsibility to do all they can to prevent fires. Good

fire safety training helps you to identify fire risks and what to do if the

worst case scenario happens and a fire breaks out.

Every employee should make sure they're aware of their company's

plan for the evacuation of the premises in the event of a fire.

Electrical Safety

Most workplace fires are down to electrical faults or unsafe wiring. If

you notice an electrical fault or wiring that appears to be damaged, it's

important to report it immediately so it can be repaired or replaced

before it causes a problem. All electrical equipment needs to be

inspected regularly to make sure it's still safe and in good working order.

Employers should also ensure that their workers are fully trained to use

all equipment they need to perform their jobs. Misuse of equipment –

ranging from wrongly operating heavy machinery to overloading

sockets – is the cause of many fires each year.

Create a Smokers' Area

Smoking is a potentially dangerous hazard in the workplace. In 2013-

2014, over a third of deaths in workplace fires were linked to smokers'

paraphernalia, including cigarettes that were not properly put out.

The risk can be reduced by the introduction of designated smokers'

areas. It's important these are away from flammable materials and

contain equipment for safely disposing of finished cigarettes.

Security

Unfortunately, it's not only mistakes that businesses need to protect

themselves from when it comes to fire safety. Arson is one of the most

deadly fire threats facing businesses, causing up to 45% of fire deaths

in workplaces. It is also one of the hardest to control, but there are steps

employers can take to lessen the risk.

Employing security personnel or installing a CCTV system may be

appropriate in some cases. Lighting and fencing are solutions that can

help by securing the premises.

For employees, one of the most effective ways to protect against arson

is by following your company's security protocol. Be on the alert for

anyone acting suspiciously around the building, always make sure you

don't accidentally allow an unfamiliar person access to your workplace

and make sure everything is properly secure if you're the last to leave at

the end of the work day.

Fire safety doesn't need to be complicated. Many of these suggestions

are common sense, but it is easy to forget some of them when there are

other priorities competing for your attention. However, by training

appropriately and keeping fire safety in mind, the risk of your workplace

becoming a fire statistic can be greatly reduced.

January - 2021 55

Must

Have Fire

Equipment for the Home

Homeowners have already won the battle for fire safety once they are prepared for an emergency. To be prepared means

having set up the proper fire safety equipment in the house. Doing this will provide the homeowner with peace of mind and

protection for the entire family. The following are the most important fire equipment every home must have:

Fire Extinguishers

The majority of buildings have a handheld

fire-fighting equipment set up. This is

designed to put out small fires before

they become huge and uncontrollable.

There are portable fire extinguishers with

different extinguishing agents that will

help you douse the fire. A portable fire

extinguisher may contain the following:

foam, CO2, powder, water, and wet

chemical.

Fire Blankets

Fire blankets are meant for dousing

small fires or class F fires such as

stovetop fires. This means fires that

are caused by fats and cooking oils.

Keeping a fire blanket in the kitchen

can save a home from destruction.

First Aid Kits

When you say fire safety equipment,

the first aid kit is not of the things that

will come to mind. However, the first

aid kit is important during the

aftermath of a fire incident. It can help

to address minor injuries that resulted

in the fire. Business managers and

owners are required by law to provide first

aid to staff members, but in the home

having a first ai kit can reduce pain and

injury caused by minor burns until you

can seek medical advice at the hospital.

Fire Escape Ladder

Live in a multi-level property? A fire

escape ladder will enable the occupant to

escape from the fire when the primary exit

is not accessible. A fire escape ladder can

be collapsible and can be stored easily

and discreetly. Even one fire escape

ladder can save lives, although one

accessible for every bedroom on the

upper floors in cases of emergency is

ideal.

Fire Co 050517 Lr43

Smoke Alarm

This is a safety fire equipment that is

meant for detection. It has to be

installed in all commercial and

domestic properties. Installing the

right number of smoke alarms in the

home can save the entire family.

Every level of the home must have a

smoke alarm.

56

January - 2021

Security Industry

Article Update

Case Study

Industry News

How the latest Hikvision Motion Detection supports

detection of real security threats faster

Submitted by Prama Hikvision India

Security teams using traditional motion detection technologies

regularly experience false alarms caused by everything from

heavy rain to falling leaves, flowing water, or even passing

wildlife. To help teams identify and respond to real security

breaches faster, Hikvision has embedded its flagship AcuSense

technology in its Motion Detection functionality, which supports

the identification of human and vehicle targets, and take security

teams straight to the video evidence they need.

Until recently, most systems with traditional motion detection

used 'pixel changes' to trigger alerts. While this approach can

pick up real security threats, like an intruder breaching a

perimeter wall, there is also a high risk of false alarms.

the icons showcase the key features of Motion Detection 2.0:

target-focused, ease of use, quick playback and search.

Changing the game with AcuSense-powered Motion Detection

2.0

To address the challenges, Hikvision has upgraded its Motion

Detection with its AcuSense technology. This takes motion

detection to the next level with features for distinguishing human

beings and vehicles from other objects in any given environment,

and tools to make video searches as smart and quick as

possible.

This is especially the case in 'movement intensive' environments,

such as areas close to running water, busy roads, or farms

where large animals roam. In these types of spaces, many

motion detection systems are unable to distinguish between

normal or expected movements and potential security threats –

rendering them ineffective.

Additionally, there's the challenge of actually finding video

evidence once a breach has occurred. In spaces where

movement is constant, teams need to review every minute of

footage manually – increasing workloads, frustration and –

ultimately – costs as well.

Focusing on real security threats with people and vehicle

detection

The first key way that Hikvision Motion Detection 2.0 improves

security is by allowing administrators to easily configure alerts

when people or vehicles enter an environment. If an area is

usually busy with visitors or pedestrians, the systems can be

configured to ignore certain areas of the screen and only

generate alerts if a person or vehicle enters an unauthorized

zone, for example.

With automated alerts for vehicles or people entering restricted

areas, security teams can respond much more quickly and

58

January - 2021

Tech Update

effectively to potential security breaches – helping to increase

protection for people and assets.

Searching video faster

The second major advantage of Motion Detection 2.0 is the

ability to search video footage based on appearances of people

or vehicles during a specific period of time. This is to say that

administrators can call up and playback video clips of people and

vehicles that have been recorded on the back-end devices like

NVRs or DVRs, with no need to pore over hours of video footage.

This feature means that hours or even days of security footage

can be reviewed in just a few minutes, and that teams can quickly

find high-quality video images of critical security breaches that

have occurred.

this bar showcases videos associated with human targets are marked in

red and played automatically from one to the next.

Making it simple with default configuration

While systems with Hikvision Motion Detection 2.0 offer

sophisticated functionality to improve security, they are also

quick and easy to configure and use.

One reason for this is that the new systems activate motion

detection automatically, ensuring that security teams capture

every potential security threat as soon as the system is up and

running.

Alerts triggered by movements or by positive identification of

people or vehicles are sent automatically to security teams,

enabling a fast, effective response.

Finding the right glove: key factors

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 2.8 million nonfatal

workplace injuries and illnesses were reported in 2017. Because most injuries

are avoidable, we need to understand why the injury rate remains enormous.

The top providers of safety products are well acquainted with injury statistics

by industry and have worked on efciency and usage tools to help reduce

workplace injuries.

When it comes to hand protection, one of the top causes of injury on the job is

workers not wearing their safety gloves – they had gloves but weren’t wearing

them. This happens when the gloves provided are “job-prohibitive.” Gloves

that are too tight, too bulky, too slippery lead to workers opting to use their bare

hands to complete a task. That’s an injury waiting to happen. An onsite safety

assessment tool will provide you with optimal safety products that are tailored

to the job application.

To select the ideal safety glove for workers, it’s important to keep a few key

factors in mind. Safety gloves are available in various coatings. An appropriate

coating may enhance a glove’s grip by providing friction between the glove

and what the worker is holding, signicantly reducing slippage. Different

coatings work better for given working conditions. For example, certain

coatings, such as more advanced polyurethanes, provide gloves with good

grip and high dexterity in slightly wet and oily conditions – making them ideal

for small parts assembly, machine operation, shipping, wiring and inspection

jobs. Many of these coatings are also touchscreen compatible, making it easy

for the wearer to operate a tablet, smartphone or work device without having to

remove the gloves. The idea is to keep the hands protected at all times while on

the job.

experience less tactile sensitivity and control. If the glove is too tight, it can

wear faster and inhibit movement, putting additional strain on the worker’s

hands, causing discomfort and hand fatigue. A poor t may push workers to

remove their gloves for certain tasks, thereby risking hand injuries and costing

your company thousands of dollars in medical costs and downtime.

Put this knowledge to practice now and take a tour of your worksite. Notice

whether workers are wearing their safety gloves. If they’re not, nd out why.

Better yet, get in touch with a company with advanced eld survey tools. Some

offer tools that allow for a dynamic assessment electronically with a simple

walkthrough. Then you can get a customized report of potential issues and

savings that can be attained with reduced injuries and downtime. Don’t take

workplace safety lightly – even one injury is too many.

The right t or size is another important factor that directly correlates with

productivity and efciency. That’s why most industry-leading safety gloves

are available in a wide range of sizes, typically from XXS to XXXL. A better t

means a safer, happier worker. When the glove is too loose, the wearer can

January - 2021 59

Product Update

Prama Hikvision Introduces DS-K1T642 series MinMoe

Face Recognition Terminal product range with Face Mask Wearing Alert

Prama Hikvision, the India's leading video security solution

provider has introduced DS-K1T642 series MinMoe face

recognition terminal product range for Touch-Free access

control and attendance checking with a special feature of Face

Mask Wearing Alert. Hikvision's DS-K1T642 series MinMoe face

recognition terminal adopts deep learning algorithm, which helps

to recognize the face faster with higher accuracy. It also supports

multiple authentication modes: face/card/fingerprint

authentication, etc. It can be applied in multiple scenarios, such

as buildings, enterprises, financial industries, and other

important areas.

Hikvision DS-K1T642 series MinMoe face recognition terminal

comes with a 4.3-inch touch screen2 MP wide-angle dual-lens.

It has the Face anti-spoofing feature. Embedded with Deep

Learning algorithm, this face recognition terminal has 6,000 face

capacity, 10,000 card capacity, 5,000 fingerprint capacity for

device support fingerprint related functions, and 150,000 event

capacity.

Hikvision DS-K1T642 series MinMoe face recognition terminal

has two special features (face mask wearing alert and forced

face mask wearing alert) to support the organisations in the

times of pandemic.

Face mask wearing alert: If the recognizing face does not wear a

mask, the device will prompt a voice reminder. At the same time,

the authentication or attendance is valid.

Forced mask wearing alert: If the recognizing face does not

wear a mask, the device will prompt a voice reminder. At the

same time, the authentication or attendance will be failed.

Its other features include following:

Ÿ Face recognition distance: 0.3 m to 3 m

Ÿ Face recognition duration > 0.2 s/User

Ÿ face recognition accuracy rate ≥ 99% , Capture linkage and

captured pictures storage

Ÿ Transmits card and user data from or to the client software

via TCP/IP protocol and saves the data on the client software

Ÿ Imports pictures from the USB flash drive to the device or

Ÿ

Ÿ

Ÿ

Ÿ

Ÿ

Ÿ

Ÿ

Ÿ

Ÿ

export pictures, events, from the device to the USB flash

drive

Stand-alone operation, Manage, search and set device data

after logging in the device locally

Connects to one external card reader via RS-485 protocol

Connects to secure door control unit via RS-485 protocol to

avoid the door opening when the terminal is destroyed

Connects to external access controller or Wiegand card

reader via Wiegand protocol

Two-way audio with indoor station and master station

Supports 6 attendance status, including check in, check out,

break in, break out, overtime in, overtime out

Supports multiple languages: English, Spanish, Arabic, Thai,

Indonesian, Russian, and Vietnamese

Supports Voice Prompt Customization for Hindi and Indian

Regional Languages

Configuration via the web client, Remotely opens door and

starts live view via Hik-Connect

Supports ISAPI and EHome 5.0 protocol

60

January - 2021

Why touchless

identification is

the “future of

access control”

Touchless access control is nothing new to the security sector, but its evolution and importance have been accelerated this year,

as governments and health advisors have highlighted the need to reduce the spread of germs in their efforts to combat the COVID pandemic.

What better time to sit down with Philippe Niederhauser from Touchless Biometric Systems, then, as we discuss the evolution of biometrics,

its role in secure, convenient access control, and the company’s latest innovations.

“Touchless identification convenience. That’s the future.”

Perhaps you’d expect such a statement from the Head of Sales and

Marketing at Touchless Biometric Systems (TBS) – a company specialising

in secure access control and time and attendance solutions that utilise

biometrics technology. Working with integrators across the world, and

companies including the likes of Siemens and Honeywell, TBS has become

a key figure in the industry since its inception in 2003, now managing a

reseller network of over 100 security companies worldwide.

It is, however, a statement that is difficult to contend with, given everything

the world has been through in 2020. Businesses have been searching like

never before for new solutions that allow their employees and visitors to

move in, out, and around their premises with minimal contact points, in an

effort to provide ‘COVID-secure’ workplace environments.

Couple this situation with the fact that accessibility to biometric technology

has been greatly improved in recent years as costs have decreased, and a

growing number of companies are realising the benefits a biometrics

access solution can provide. TBS believes it offers much more than simply

a product or piece of software, however.

“It’s not just about cost, it’s also integration that is important. Having a

standalone biometrics device isn’t the true benefit. It’s a much more

complex process, and one that requires expertise in everything from data

protection, to encryption, to integration with the overall security solution in

order to maximise what a biometrics solution can offer,” outlines Philippe.

“And that’s where Touchless Biometric Systems can truly provide value.

We were, for instance, the first company to offer web APIs to make it easy

to integrate with third-party applications. We work closely with all our

integrator partners to ensure we can provide them with the best fitting

biometrics system for each project, as well as any additional customisation

needs to adapt for specific environments.”

Fingerprints and facial recognition

Crucially, of course, a biometrics system must offer security. The most

commonly utilised way of biometric identification remains the fingerprint,

and TBS is quick to promote the protection this offers to users.

Due to the unique digital signature of a fingerprint, businesses can be

assured that a high base level of protection is provided, while remaining a

quick method of identification. And TBS has developed a touchless solution

in this field, whereby the device takes a high-accuracy touchless scan of

the fingerprint.

“Biometric identification offers users so much more, as we move into an

ever-increasing digitalised environment,” continues Philippe. “Traceability

is crucial, and this is what a biometrics signature, such as a fingerprint, can

provide. Cards can be cloned, credentials copied, but a fingerprint is very

unique.”

Facial recognition has now been around for some time, becoming

popularised as leading phone manufacturers integrated it within their own

security processes for personalised access. Philippe, however, reflects on

the security concerns that remain over the tech. While in agreement that its

accuracy has improved dramatically, TBS does not believe it can be 100%

relied upon, given technology exists that has the ability to ‘trick’ such

software.

Instead, TBS prefers the use of iris identification, which is much harder to

imitate. In addition, with face masks increasingly utilised, the number of

identification points are drastically reduced for facial recognition, whereas

the eye remains uncovered.

January - 2021 61

access control

trends for 2021 5The door has finally closed on a turbulent 2020.

“

That’s ironic, because for most of the year, office

doors around the world were propped open:

no one wanted to risk catching COVID-19 from a door handle.

The events of 2020 will significantly shape physical security in 2021.

”

Here are five major trends in access control – and one for 2022 and beyond.

Going Mobile

The pandemic has altered the perception and practice of access

control. Even before coronavirus arrived, a 2019 survey by HID

estimated that 54% of businesses had upgraded or would upgrade to a

mobile access control system in the next three years. It’s not

unreasonable to project that the number will increase in light of health,

safety, and sanitization concerns brought to the fore by the coronavirus.

Forecaster IHS Markit says that mobile based credentials are the

fastest-growing access control product. It predicts that more than 120

million mobile credentials will be downloaded in 2023.

The uptick in mobile based credentials is not surprising. Almost half of

the world’s population owns a smartphone, and the numbers increase

substantially in industrialised countries. About 84% of adults in the

United Kingdom own a smartphone, and like most, they carry them

everywhere. That’s not the case with keycards, which have a singular

use and are frequently forgotten or lost, which amounts to expense for

the employer. Startups such as Swiftlane, Kisi, Proxy, Genea, and

Openpath dot the new landscape.

2) Multi-Factor & Multimodal Authentication

Mobile credentials enable both multimodal and multi-factor

authentication. Multimodal means proving identity and/or gaining

access using at least two separate biometrics, or permitting access

through any one of various credentials, such as a smartcard or PIN.

Multi-factor authentication involves proving identity and/or obtaining

access via at least two methods or credentials.

Multi-factor authentication is widely used in digital access. For

example, when an employee logs onto a company’s system, he or she

must use a secondary method to verify identity via a one-time token via

SMS or other app. It is also burgeoning in physical access applications.

Although two-factor authentication has been mandated in regulated

industries, it is emerging in unregulated verticals as well. The

development of multimodal readers will continue to fuel this trend.

3) Biometrics

For decades, biometrics advocates have predicted that we are on the

verge of a biometrics revolution. That’s still not the case, but startups

abound, the technology is being increasingly adopted, prices are

falling, and resistance to biometrics has waned.

According to Future Market Insights, “Contactless biometric

technology will ride the wave created by the COVID-19 pandemic to a

CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 17.4% from 2020 to 2030. In

that period, the global market is expected to increase five-fold.

According to that analysis, facial recognition will seize the greatest

market share of biometrics as organisations adopt it for identity

verification and access control. But various other technologies will see

healthy gains as well, including touchless fingerprints, iris, palm, voice,

and vein pattern.

Although another forecaster (ABI systems) predicts a less robust

market for biometrics overall, it still projects generous growth for two

technologies: facial recognition and iris matching.

4) Cloud/Subscription-Based Model

Organisations used to be bound by the limitations of often-proprietary,

premise-based access control systems. System management,

integration, updates, and maintenance sapped valuable resources.

The world of cloud, SaaS, and subscription-based subscriptions has

upended the old model of premise-based legacy systems. Traditionally,

organisations would purchase hardware such as readers, panels, and

cards, then wire the system to an on-site server. Installation, testing,

and maintenance were manually conducted. With subscription-based

systems, hardware like readers and panels remain on site, but servers,

58

January - 2021

Solving key and access

control challenges

in the education sector

software, and data reside at the provider’s data centre. It’s a centralised

way to manage all access, have 24/7 support, and receive the benefits

of a large solution provider. Those benefits include:

Low startup costs

Scalability

Instant updates

Minimal downtime

Higher security

Mobile first access management

Integrated multi-facility management

Immediate addition, removal, or modification of access privileges

Frequent data backup

Continuous product improvement and development

5) Hygiene and Physical Separation

Organisations will hopefully start to bring staff back to the office in

2021, after months of working at home. To lure them back, companies

will have to ensure safety and hygiene policies, procedures, practices,

and protocols. This could mean adoption of touchless systems,

removal of doors, sanitization stations, one-way traffic, reduced

occupancy, social distancing, and so on. Other innovations might

include modifying hours of operation of systems, tightening access

privileges, limiting building access points.

As long as coronavirus remains a concern, organisations can audit

access data to assist in contact tracing for individuals who test positive

for COVID-19.

Bonus Trend: Wearables and Implantables

Ubiquitous as they are, smart phones may disappear as quickly as they

arrived. Smartphone capabilities are moving to wristwatches, earbuds,

belts, and even smart clothing. The appeal of wearables for access

control is clear: you don’t have to retrieve a card, punch in a code, pull

out your phone, or lay your fingerprints on a platen. You simply move

your watch in the path of the reader to open a door.

On the horizon is technology that is implanted in, tattooed on, or injected

into the human body. Elon Musk and various other startups are

experimenting with various options. Such a technology, once a person’s

key is uploaded to the cloud, could become that person’s universal

access control.

Filtering access into and through any education institution is a

formidable task. Diverse user groups have contrasting needs:

senior management teams vs. cleaners, or IT staff vs. students.

Indoor and outdoor spaces may require totally different levels of

security. Visitors should experience a controlled, curated flow

through the site. Staff need timely access to teaching rooms.

Student access to the library or IT suite must be monitored. All

this must be achieved while maintaining exactly the right degree

of openness.

Budgeting is an ever-present challenge. Although a familiar

technology, physical keys require security management which

can be time-consuming and labour-intensive. Physical key

admin puts added pressure on busy staff when someone loses a

key, for example. Locks need changing; keys recut and reissued

— and this costs money. With an electronic access system

instead of traditional lock-and-key security, a few clicks in the

management software cancels and reissues all relevant

credentials, with almost no extra cost added. It saves facility

managers’ valuable time and the organisation’s money.

Wireless locking is fast and cost-effective to install, because it

requires no invasive drilling. It’s also cheaper to run as, unliked

wired locks, wireless door devices are powered by batteries and

use very little energy. Education institutions all over the world

have already found success by switching from mechanical to

wireless electronic access control, in both cost and time

savings, and by addressing challenges specific to their sector

and situation.

Schools: time-saving access control without a specialist

security team

Small establishments such as local schools do not have the

budget or need for an in-house security expert. Yet their security

challenges match any faced by large institutions. An access

control technology suited to schools must be intuitive to operate

— both hardware and software.

Maintenance presents another problem: in-house staff are

unlikely to have the expertise, yet contracting a specialist is

expensive. At Vejle Friskole in Denmark, managing security

based on physical keys had been eating up “a very long time –

approximately five hours a week,” explains Henrik Kækel, the

school’s Technical Service Officer.

Vejle Friskole’s mechanical keys have since been replaced by an

access control system; around 80 doors and cabinets are

secured with SMARTair wireless locks. Approximately 250

students and teachers carry their own fob, programmed with

individual access permissions. Locking devices fit many

different types of opening, so everyone at the Friskole opens

doors and cabinets with a single fob. There’s no need for

January - 2021 63

Case Study

separate locker keys, for example.

Wireless devices secure offices and classrooms, and are robust

enough to handle high traffic at the main entrance door. Everything is

managed efficiently with the SMARTair software.

“It was really bad [before] because we had big problems with keys that

were lost,” adds Henrik. “There was a lot of work in key administration.”

Today, Vejle Friskole staff spend around five minutes a week managing

their access system. They also have the option to extend their access

control system whenever they want to gain even more granular control

over school buildings. Fast to install, SMARTair locking devices are an

ideal, cost-effective retrofit solution for the education sector.

Universities: attracting international students with modern security

Prospective students weigh up campus safety when choosing a

university. This may be especially true in the lucrative, competitive

market for international students — for whom anxious parents needing

reassurance are also key decision-makers.

Students enjoy tech-based solutions to everyday problems — security

and access control included. In Mexico, Arkansas State University

Campus Querétaro (ASUCQ) uses a mobile solution instead of keys or

key-cards to unlock doors. The smartphone communicates with lock

readers via standard mobile protocols, exactly as an access card

would. There is no difference in the locking hardware, only the

credential.

With a SMARTair Openow mobile system, staff and students keep

‘virtual keys’ inside an app. Campus managers can amend every virtual

key’s access rights whenever they want, in real time if necessary:

ASUCQ’s system is online.

A smartphone-based solution is perfect for a user-group — students

— who lose credentials with ease. “It’s much easier to lose a card than

a mobile phone,” says José Alfonso Suárez, ASUCQ’s Head of

Operations. On-device password and fingerprint ID add another layer of

credential protection. Such modern security doubles as a marketing

tool, signaling the university’s commitment to student safety: it has an

ROI beyond keeping the campus safe.

Student accommodation: an easy solution to the lost key problem

Keys are easy to lose. Students can be prone to misplacing things. It’s a

tough combination for anyone running student accommodation.

For new premises in Rennes, France, specialist provider Easy Student

sought reliable, key-free locking. They wanted the residence to run

efficiently, “like a hotel, and without the workload of physical keys.

Switching to wireless electronic locking managed via simple software

is a huge time-saver for these student halls.

64

January - 2021

Matrix Comsec wins the prestigious

Quality Council of India's D.L. Shah Silver Award

Devanand Nair - VP - Technologies and Products, Sumer Mehra - VP- Engineering, Matrix Comsec receiving the award

Vadodara based Matrix Comsec, a leading manufacturer and

provider of Security and Telecom solutions has won the the

prestigious QCI-DL Shah Quality Award at the 3rd Virtual Quality

Conclave, held on 17th December 2020, New Delhi. QCI has

been presenting the award since 2007 with a view to promote

awareness of quality initiatives and recognizing best practices. It

recognizes successful projects that have resulted in tangible

improvements.

The award process included initial scrutiny by the award jury

followed by presentation in front of the jury by the project team

and onsite assessment of the project. The onsite assessment

was done by Mr. V N Choudhary on February 18, 2020.

Commending the award, Ganesh Jivani, Chief Executive of

Matrix said, “We are happy to win the prestigious QCI- DL Shah

Quality Award. We thank the jury for recognizing Matrix for our

technologies, engineering and manufacturing. Matrix offers

cutting-edge physical Security and Telecom solutions in more

than 50 countries including many first-world technologically

advanced nations. With 250+ R&D engineers and world-class

processes and infrastructure, Matrix is committed to designing

cutting-edge high-performance products. This accreditation is a

validation of Matrix's innovation and design capabilities and will

go a long way in motivating us towards building world-class

solutions.”

About Matrix

Established in 1991, Matrix is a leader in Security and Telecom

solutions for modern organization. As an innovative, technology

driven and customer focused organization, the company is

committed to keep pace with the revolutions in the Security and

Telecom industries. With around 40% of its human resources

dedicated to the development of new products, Matrix has

launched cutting-edge products like Video Surveillance

Systems, Video Management Software, Network Video

Recorder and Network Camera, Access Control and Time-

Attendance Systems as well as Telecom Solutions such as

Unified Communications, IP-PBX, Universal Gateways, VoIP and

GSM Gateways and Communication Endpoints. These solutions

are feature-rich, reliable and conform to the international

standards. Having global footprints in North America, South

America, Europe, Africa and Asia through an extensive network

of more than 2,500 channel partners, Matrix ensures that the

products serve the needs of its customers faster and longer.

Matrix has gained trust and admiration of customers

representing the entire spectrum of industries. Matrix has won

many international awards for its innovative products.

For further information, please contact:

394-GIDC, Makarpura, Vadodara-390010, India

Toll Free: 1800-258-7747

E-Mail: inquiry@matrixcomsec.com

Website:www.MatrixComSec.com

January - 2021 65

A proactive approach to

monitoring COVID-19

You’re not alone in this situation. This year, many safety professionals have

taken on COVID-19-related responsibilities. Few people are trained on social

distancing and contact tracing, but you can make both easier by creating a

process before your site has a case.

In sports and pandemics, the best offense is a good defense. Monitoring social

distancing can ease the pain of contact tracing after a confirmed case.

However, on many sites, it’s hard for workers to stay 6 feet away from others. In

these cases, you need to go beyond onsite signs, floor markings or plexiglass

shields.

One way to reinforce distancing rules is with geofencing. Geofencing tools –

available within some live monitoring software – allow you to create a custom

map of work zones on your site. Once you create zones, you can set and assign

safe capacity limits – and actually track whether your workers follow them.

If too many workers enter a zone, you’ll receive an alert that the area is over

capacity. You can then work with teams to stagger traffic patterns and reduce

the activity in the area. With proactive measures such as this, you can reduce

the spread of COVID-19 and stay in compliance with state and local guidelines.

If one of your workers has a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19, contact

tracing becomes your next best tool. Now you need to know who that worker

may have had close contact with throughout the day and notify them.

Several companies offer contact tracing reports, but they’re not all created

equal. Some connected equipment providers and app developers claim to

automate contact tracing, but these reports often require documentation as a

backup.

Automated contact tracing programs often generate reports based on location

data from wearable devices. This approach has two major downfalls. These

reports are accurate only if everyone on your site wears the devices, making it a

cost-prohibitive undertaking. Aside from that, some connected devices only

collect data every five to 15 minutes. This leaves too much room for

undocumented close contact.

Your best tool for fast and accurate contact tracing is an app-based report.

These types of apps prompt workers who may be contagious to log their

activity in the app, so you can see where they’ve been and with whom they’ve

had close contact.

The app allows you to quickly trace exposures at your site and trigger follow-up

actions. With an accurate record of potential and confirmed exposures across

your site, you can identify anyone who may have been exposed. You can even

create a workflow to alert these workers that they need to get tested and selfisolate.

This is a great way to control the impact on other employees and your

business.

No matter which tools you choose, it’s important to understand what

information they can provide, how they can help you be proactive and how you

can use them to address a case of COVID-19 on your site.

66

January - 2021

Safe + Sound week is an American initiative to recognize

the success of good health and safety programs in the

workplace. Successful health and safety programs not only

help identify workplace hazards, they also help prevent

accidents at work. As falls from heights are still a very

common workplace accidents, Safe + Sound Week is an

ideal time to pay extra attention to this risk in your

workplace. While Safe + Sound Week may originate in the

United States, every employer, worldwide, can participate

in to help keep their workers safe.

The need for fall protection is generally very obvious. Falls

from height are one of the top accidents at work, and they

often have deadly consequences or cause serious harm.

Especially falls from relatively low levels, for example from

scaffolding, or falls through structures, such as skylights.

In this blog we want to highlight some common work at

height hazards. You can use this information to help

recognize fall hazards in your workplace, and to take

preventative measures. During a workplace safety

inspection keep a lookout for these hazards.

Roof access

How does a person working at height enter the workplace?

Roof access is often achieved via an external fixed ladder,

or via a roof hatch. But these means of access provide a fall

hazard of their own, both when entering the roof, as well as

when leaving the roof surface. When there is no barrier in

place a worker can fall into (or next to) the ladderway, or

open roof hatch. For this reason a guardrail system must be

in place on all exposed sides, and the entrance to the, socalled,

hole, must be covered with an offset or self-closing

gate.

Skylights are a fall hazard

As stated earlier falls through skylights are a serious issue.

The problem with skylights is that many people think they

are safe to lean on, but most skylights are not manufactured

to withstand a person leaning, or standing on the skylight.

Most fall protection regulations see skylights as holes in the

floor, and as such fall protection measures need to be

taken. You can protect workers by placing (nonpenetrating)

guardrails around a skylight, or by using a

lifeline system or anchorage point with a harness and a

lanyard.

January - 2021 67

Case Study

Ensuring PPE compliance through

the use of artificial intelligence

The safety of employees in the workplace is integral to any business, and with tighter government legislation, workers are better protected

by the law than ever before. Nevertheless, workplace accidents still pose a serious threat to businesses’ financial viability.

This article from Cortexica Vision Systems looks at how video monitoring, the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning can help.

The threat is particularly acute in industries that operate in potentially

hazardous environments where Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

for employees is often a necessity. Companies may well have extensive

rules and regulations governing the use of such equipment, but it can be

difficult to enforce correct usage. No matter how many times you run

through safety drills or training talks, some workers will always forget

basic precautions, including their PPE.

With a background of a £14.9 billion per year overall cost of workrelated

injury and 31.2 million days lost due to non-fatal accidents and

ill health (source: hse.gov.uk), we undertook some research, surveying

100 board-level and C-suite professionals who are directly responsible

for the health and safety of workers within construction, manufacturing

and high hazard industries.

Setting the scene: What are the challenges facing businesses that need

to stay compliant in terms of personal protective equipment (PPE)?

Our survey shows that traditionally, the key challenges businesses

have faced with regards to PPE have been:

68

January - 2021

• 43 % - Meeting legal obligations of PPE

• 38 % - Employee non-compliance

• 36 % - Educating the workforce in the correct use of PPE

• 36 % - Monitoring correct use of PPE

From this we can see that compliance and the correct use of PPE is a

serious issue among the workforce. As new tech solutions make their

way on to the market to address these issues, do health and safety

professionals predict these challenges will continue in the future, or are

they expecting a new set of difficulties?

Future challenges involving PPE

According to respondents, employee compliance will continue to be a

big concern moving forward, with over a third (35%) believing that their

main focus in the next 1 to 5 years will need to be the continued

monitoring of their growing workforce.

Increasing standards and stricter legislation involving PPE is the

greatest worry to respondents (51%), as they try to minimise their

Case Study

liability for workplace incidents. After all, if those responsible for

implementing PPE are unaware of the latest legislation, it could cost the

company hundreds of thousands in injury claims and insurance.

Solutions to the challenges

With the speed of technological progress, there are now an array of

industry-ready automated solutions that are available to address PPErelated

concerns.

The most popular solution, at 35%, comes in the form of AI videomonitoring

which can identify PPE non-compliance in real time. These

kinds of systems can provide a single answer to a lot of PPE challenges

in one go; whether these be issues with employee non-compliance,

workforce monitoring or legal obligations.

The other favoured solution to prevent workplace injuries, at 32%, is

wearable technology (think Fitbit, but for high-risk environments) that

can monitor vitals including heart-rate and body temperature.

Away from specific technological solutions, respondents indicated that

the development of new PPE materials (30%), and safer workplace

equipment (27%) will help by making the general working environment

safer and increase PPE effectiveness at a basic level.

How many injuries are preventable?

According to our survey, we found on average 27 injuries lead to days

off work for each business interviewed, of which 29% (that’s almost 8

injuries per business) could have been prevented through the proper

use of PPE.

Most of these accidents are a result of human error when dealing with

industrial machinery, as well as heavy lifting and handling. Those

responsible for the health and safety of their workers should be aware

that these areas in particular are where companies can do better to

prevent injuries and save the business money.

How much money does PPE failure cost?

According to our survey we found:

• 84% of businesses lost money from injuries due to PPE noncompliance

in the last year

• 30% of businesses lost more than £250,000 through improper use of

PPE in the last year

• 5% of businesses lost over £1m through improper use of PPE in the

last year

The damage from PPE failure

* Where is the money being lost?

The biggest financial hit businesses take following a workplace injury is

compensation pay-outs to injured employees, with 30% of businesses

surveyed stating that they lose the greatest amount of money via the

courts. Not forgetting the vast amounts spent on legal representation in

these situations, 29% of respondents said legal fees were just as much,

or more than the pay-outs themselves.

* The hidden costs of workplace accidents

Workplace injuries have consequences that reach far wider than the

direct costs. The hidden, indirect damage caused from PPE failure and

resulting workplace injuries is also considerable.

For instance:

• 71 % say it makes it more difficult to recruit the right people

• 69 % say they lose new business opportunities

• 80 % say they lose productivity

Winning the PPE race

For businesses at risk of dealing with the fallout of workplace injuries

and PPE non-compliance, video-monitoring systems which take the

human error out of PPE monitoring can be the way forward. But how

can businesses progress towards this goal?

Key barriers to the implementation of automated systems

The key issue preventing large-scale adoption of new products seems

to be lack of awareness of available solutions. According to our

feedback, health and safety professionals are most concerned about

the following when adopting new AI solutions:

• 74 % - Investment of time and money

• 65 % - Employees finding continuous monitoring intrusive

• 65 % - Cyber-crime and hacking

• 63 % - Malfunctioning AI

Although the talk of AI technology may seem complicated to those who

are unfamiliar with it, the truth is that products such as PPE compliance

monitoring systems have often been designed specifically to make life

easy for both decision-makers and employees alike.

The Cortexica solution, for example, focuses on monitoring employee

PPE while keeping workers anonymous. It focuses purely on what is

being worn, not faces or behaviour. Systems using artificial intelligence

and machine learning for object recognition and video analysis can

offer levels of sophistication that overcome barriers to implementation.

January - 2021 69

Product Update

Contact tracing system

Instant-Trace is a highly accurate, easy-to-use contact tracing and social distancing

system. Instant-Trace badges flash and vibrate when wearers are close to each other.

The badges collect prolonged exposure data. When wearers scan the badges at kiosks

daily, this data is uploaded to a password-protected web dashboard. If an employee is

diagnosed with COVID-19, leadership is able to make same-day decisions on who

should be tested, who needs to self-quarantine and who can keep working.

Fire Protection Measures

The measures to mitigate or lessen fire hazards are normally called “fire protection measures”.

The National Fire Protection Association NFPA (U.S. organization charged with creating and

maintaining minimum standards and requirements for fire prevention and suppression

activities, training, and equipment, as well as other life-safety codes and standards) standards

and local building fire codes set the standards for application and design of fire protection.

Hearing protection

Banded Ear Plugs feature an adaptable design for three-point wear, allowing users to set the band

above their head, below their chin or behind their neck. The low-profile band securely fits to the

wearer’s head and can be easily adjusted and pivoted when worn. Two models are available:

Flanged Ear Plugs are made to quickly fit the ear and provide an NRR of 26. Foam Ear Plugs are

designed with a tapered shape to fit inside the ear canal and soft foam that expands quickly for a

secure seal, providing an NRR of 25.

Electronic hearing protection

Universal-fit MiniCanal units use state-of-the-art digital technology to effectively

suppress loud sounds while providing situational awareness for important ambient

sounds, including conversation. MiniCanal Combos come with reusable, non-vented

silicone tips for noise protection, and vented tips for use during conversation or normal

everyday listening situations. A unique push-button volume control allows for easy

adjustments.

70

January - 2021

Product Update

Vertiguard Automated Barrier Panel

Lightweight and nylon-lined, CC9009 and CB9009 gloves are 100% polyurethane

coated and washable, ideal for ambulance drivers, nursing home workers and police

officers, among others. The gloves’ stretchy PU coating isn’t permeable, so they

form a better barrier than single-use nitrile disposable gloves. Their soft flexibility

provide maximum dexterity and minimize hand fatigue. Washable and reusable, the

gloves are environmentally friendly.

Lockout Device

The Master Lock Blind Flange Lockout Device protects downstream workers from potential exposure

to chemicals, flammable gasses and other hazards. Device secures blind in place, ensuring no

unintentional blind removal, until maintenance is complete and workers are safe. And its innovative,

adjustable design is compatible with a wide range of pipe, blind and flange sizes

Impact-resistant gloves

Impact Demolition Gloves are built with enhanced TPR on the

back of the fingertips and palms. With an ANSI/ISEA Level 2

impact rating, the gloves offer protection for users at high risk

of hand and finger injury. The glove palms and fingertips are

reinforced with ARMORTEX for added durability. The palmpadded

work gloves provide added comfort by dampening

vibration when material handling or on impact.

Brady Corp.'s new Plug Valve Lockout is designed to easily and effectively secure a manually

actuated plug valve. Previously, many installations had to resort to makeshift solutions to lock out

their plug valves, which make up approximately 20 percent of the valves used by industry. The

valve is available in four sizes.

Valve Lockout

January - 2021 71

Product Update

FR Workwear

The DragonWear Elements Flak Jacket from Polartec is modern, more comfortable FR

workwear built from best-in-class Polartec® technology: Polartec® Wind Pro® fabric

offers breathable warmth and wind and water resistance; and Polartec® Hardface for

superior durability. This jacket offers permanent flame resistance compliant with ANSI 107,

FR NFPA 2112 and Arc Flash CAT 2 certifications

Safety Scale

Danray Products LLC has introduced a point-of-operation-opening safety scale

that can be used to check the point-of-operation opening for no safeguard

required in accordance with OSHA, ANSI, and CSA machine safety standards.

The product—made out of 0.090”-thick anodized aluminum and about the size of

a credit card—has a 0.25” diameter hole, easy-to-read and scratch resistant

graphics, and a tapered design that allows for usage in tight, obstructive areas.

Protector Body-worn Camera

The “PROTECTOR” Body-Worn Camera, with 4G LTE technology, has the capability of direct

transmission of live video, audio and GPS location in real time, day or night, to a police,

command or dispatch center while simultaneously recording and retaining the video in the

camera itself. With its 4G LTE system the live video streaming is accomplished without the

involvement of or need for WIFI or smartphones.

Matrix COSEC ARGO

Matrix COSEC ARGO is a performance, design and

engineering pioneer that aims to answer the security

challenges. This intelligent door controller features a 3.5'' IPS

Touchscreen LCD for a visually splendid experience.

Performance and Elegance Redefined – COSEC ARGO is a

device that is designed for multiple applications such as

Access Control, Time-Attendance, Cafeteria management

and Job Processing & Costing that eliminates the need for

dedicated hardware for diverse solutions.

Key Features:

· Touchless Credentials

· 3.5'' IPS Touchscreen LCD

· Intuitive User Experience

· Vandal Resistant Enclosure

· Engineered to Withstand Tough Outdoor Conditions

****

72

January - 2021

Life Safety &amp; Security January 2021

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?

Life Safety & Security January 2021