The Multiple Benefits of Video for Industrial Customers
AS SAVANNAH'S ECONOMY BOOMS, MORE MANUFACTURING COMPANIES ARE MOVING THEIR HEADQUARTERS TO THE LOW COUNTRY. READ ON TO FIND OUT HOW SMART INDUSTRIAL AND MANUFACTURING CUSTOMERS ARE IMPROVING EMPLOYEE SAFETY, ENHANCING OPERATIONS, AND INCREASING PROFITS WITH SCDATACOM'S CUSTOMIZED SURVEILLANCE SOLUTIONS.
As Savannah-based manufacturers, logistics companies, and other local industrial businesses know full well; Our little town is home to what is shaping up to be one of the best ports in the country. Savannah's port is the 4th busiest gateway in the country and the increased traffic has attracted a variety of manufacturing and logistics businesses to the area, bringing with them tens of thousands of jobs. The influx has influenced incredible regional growth and Savannah "has become a manufacturing powerhouse", according to the New York Times.
scDataCom has been providing surveillance solutions to industrial customers in the Savannah area for years, and in 2017 was even selected as a vendor at the esteemed Georgia Port Authority. scDataCom’s experts are well versed in the complexities our manufacturing customers face and bring decades of experience securing industrial facilities to help customers protect their people, property, and profits.
“scDataCom showed not only patience but respect for our workflow,” says Stephen Nelson, Vice President of The SESOLINC Group. “The installation took place in our steel manufacturing plant during our day to day operations… this is a complex and potentially very dangerous situation. The supervisor of scDataCom demonstrated a professional and positive attitude towards our safety concerns and met daily with our Health and Safety Rep and Foreman to ensure work could be conducted and concluded in a safe manner. We would definitely recommend them. Their level of professionalism, service, and dedication is unquestionable – scDataCom has done an outstanding job for our organization, providing not only a security system but ongoing peace of mind”.
BENEFITS OF VIDEO SURVEILLANCE
There are many areas of an industrial or manufacturing business where video can prove a valuable tool - from the parking lot, to loading zones, to entry/exits and, of course, the factory floor. Delivery, storage and dispatch of products and materials, operation of machinery and equipment, and controlling access to restricted areas all represent aspects of a manufacturing organization where video surveillance, access control, and related technologies can be employed.
Broadly, the benefits of video surveillance to manufacturers are as follows:
· Increased security of valuable machinery, equipment, and product
· Improved safety of employees and site visitors
· Optimized processes and employee performance
· Enhanced monitoring of valuable equipment’s maintenance requirements
· Increased organization of the business as a whole
ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH SAFETY PROGRAMS
Employee safety is a primary focus in all businesses but especially so in manufacturing as the risk of injury in an industrial setting is more likely and potentially more dangerous than other industries. Work-related injuries carry a huge cost; In 2016 alone over 5000 workers were killed on the job in the United States. On average, that equates to more than 99 deaths a week or more than 14 deaths a day. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), 21.1% of these incidents took place in industrial settings, with the leading causes of death being attributed to “the fatal four”, listed below.
· Falls (384 out of 991 total deaths in 2016; 36.8%)
· Struck by Object (93; 9.4%)
· Electrocutions (82; 8.3%)
· Caught-in/between or equipment fatalities (72; 7.3%)
OSHA reports that eliminating the Fatal Four would save 631 workers’ lives in America every year.
It's in both the employer and employee’s mutual best interest to maintain a safe workspace by preventing accidents from happening in the first place – and Video Surveillance can be a powerful tool in this effort. Visible cameras are a strong tool to enforce employee compliance with corporate safety regulations as well as a deterrent to discourage dangerous behavior.
Video security systems can also help business owners reduce the cost of accidents, and discourage potential lawsuits, by providing an impartial record of occurrence to aid post-accident investigations. Wherever the ultimate responsibility for the error may lie, the footage will allow the organization to identify the point of failure, and to take appropriate action to ensure that it doesn’t occur again.
Similar to using overt surveillance as a way to deter thieves, cameras in manufacturing facilities help floor managers enforce all appropriate health and safety programs – put simply, people behave better when they think they’re being watched.
OPTIMIZING OPERATIONS AND PRODUCTION LINES
Security cameras also help businesses to monitor the overall production process and the performance of both employees and equipment. Video analytics can be utilized to study the flow of both workers and materials throughout the assembly line or plant, and managers can highlight areas of inefficiencies. The “birds-eye view” footage offers the organization a strategic level assessment of weak areas on the floor that can be corrected to increase output and maximize profits.
Further, advanced technologies, such as thermal imaging, can highlight potential equipment issues such as equipment overheating or even alert operators to issues that would escape detection during closed hours, such as low-heat fires. Thermal cameras are an excellent solution for environments that need reliable detection, even in darkness or facilities with poor visibility. Cameras can be configured to interact with the facility’s emergency alert system and, as soon as the camera detects something suspicious it will alert the security system, allowing an operator to verify the threat and take appropriate action. Thermal imaging is also a powerful maintenance tool – operators can set heat parameters around their equipment and the system will trigger an alert if the machine overheats. This technology can help maintenance programs and can reduce costly downtime due to equipment failure. (To watch a cool video on how thermal imaging works, click here!)
New technologies have emerged designed expressly for Industrial clients – Axis, a world leader in surveillance, has recently released numerous cameras designed expressly to meet these specific security requirements. Cameras will withstand the harshest conditions while maintaining stable operations and crystal clear footage: “The new additions to our top-of-the-line Axis Q35 Series will help our customers ensure safety even at the most challenging conditions” says Petra Bennermark, Global Product Manager at Axis Communications. These superior cameras provide end-users with OptimizedIR Illumination, Forensic WDR, and LightFinder technologies, all encased in ruggedized enclosures designed to withstand extreme temperatures from -58 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. According to Bennermark, the new designs promise to deliver manufacturing and industrial customers “the best possible chance of identifying people, objects and vehicles” as well as offering operators advanced, pre-installed, analytics that provide top of the line support and capability for pro-active surveillance programs.
Ensuring the protection of business assets and employees is critical in any operation, but especially for a manufacturer - where plant and machinery, materials, and completed product all have significant value – it is of special concern. A video surveillance system is a critical component of an effective perimeter protection program. As Savannah’s local Commercial Security Expert, scDataCom is proud to help Savannah industrial clients secure their assets, protect their people, and improve their profits.