has complicated many facets of a facility’s
day-to-day operations.
These methods can then be adapted
and innovated into other practical applica-
tions as well. One needs to look no further
than at compliance to see where security
systems can make everyday processes
more efficient and simpler for personnel.
Rather than always needing to bring in
inspectors, video capabilities can simplify
the process. Edmunds explains, “In the
arena of compliance, a lot of customers
we’re talking with need to have video and
In particular, FMs working with gov-
ernment agencies that require oversight
and compliance like the FDA can look at
locations on video to regulate and moni-
tor the personnel entering and leaving
certified areas through access control
audit trails.
Edmunds recalls one client who
required regular assessments from a specific inspector located in Mexico City.
Flying him to Utah on a regular basis was
inefficient and inconvenient for everyone
involved, so they installed high-definition
cameras that allowed them to do the same
inspection over a conference call.
The university setting has been an
especially fruitful venue for innovation along these lines. Edmunds works
with universities and has been able to
simplify testing schedules and staffing
by installing cameras in examination
facilities, allowing for proctors to work
remotely, with more students and more
oversight to ensure intellectual integrity.
Similarly, Ray Bernard, President and
Principal Consultant of Ray Bernard
Consulting Service in Lake Forest, CA,
describes one example where a warehouse was using video analytics to
detect when trucks needed to be loaded.
From within the office, account managers could tell when pallet staging spaces
were ready to be filled for a shipment
and when the trucks had been loaded.
“They were updated on critical shipment statuses without having to keep
walking down to the warehouse and
back,” Bernard says.
Buildings with high foot traffic over the
course of a day can use security technology to move visitors more effectively and
to staff personnel more appropriately
throughout the day.
“Our visitor management systems can
identify the times when the most visitors
are anticipated, and we can prepare our
staffing to deal with those peak loads,”
says Ahrens. “Rather than staffing for a
worst case scenario, we can predict staffing needs based on actual visitor load.”
Turner recalls implementing video
analytics for a large global bank to not
only manage queues and gauge customer
service, but also to “achieve tangible
cost savings by reducing tellers at low
throughput times and adding them at
peak times. We were able to measure this
over daily, weekly and longer time periods
to establish meaningful trends.” Solutions
like this can be adapted for any number of
similar, high-traffic scenarios. B
Justin Feit justin.feit@buildings.com is
assistant editor of BUILDINGS.
During the winter, building opera- tors need to take xtra precautions to
ensure that outdoor paths and
parking lots are clear of snow
and ice to make sure people do
not fall and injure themselves.
Reducing liability by mitigating
snow and ice buildup is critical
during these months.
Ray Bernard, President and
Principal Consultant at Ray
Bernard Consulting Services in
Lake Forest, CA, notes one facil-
ity that needed to stay ahead
of snow removal in the winter:
“They wanted to know how
early to get out there. What
are the parking patterns, and
can they go in and clear off one
section of the lot where more
people are parking early?” So
they used video surveillance to
analyze parking habits and react
quickly to remove the snow.
Located in the Rocky Mountains, Stone Security often
works with facilities that
receive plenty of snowfall and
ice accumulation. Using video
surveillance systems, those with
outdoor facilities and sidewalks
immediately assess winter
walking conditions between
buildings, parking lots and
walkways.
With cameras established in
the right areas, users can immediately identify sidewalks, stairs
and other locations that can
be dangerous when covered in
ice and take action promptly to
prevent the risk of injury. Any
way a user can find multiple
uses for a single component of
a security system will make the
investment more worthwhile.
Preventing Injury Liability in the Winter