COVID SAFETY PROTOCOLS: CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

Getting Down to Business: Safety

EDSA is getting busier than ever this COVID season, and most businesses are encouraged to open by the Department of Trade and Industry, thereby attracting crowds to return to the business district. While this could be a sign for better things ahead, it also increases the chances of spreading the disease. But instead of being fearful, we should just be careful by continuing the implementation of safety protocols like social distancing, wearing masks, and scanning people’s temperatures.

COVID-19 Safety Protocols: Implementation Challenges

As businesses manage financial and operational challenges, they are also keeping up with the need of protecting their people, customers, and suppliers. For those who already have safety protocols in place, usually the next challenge is in the system’s implementation, which increases the responsibility of the administration. The addition of this crucial responsibility for the sake of worker health is well-worth the cause, but is there possibly a way to make it easier or more convenient?

Currently, there are many devices for COVID-19 in the market like temperature guns. Most are affordable, but in the process of using them, some challenges arise:

1. Thermometer guns: Widely available in the market and affordable, but in the process of using them, some challenges arise, such as the  case in Texas Medical Center. About 10 employees took the temperatures of about 1000 people for 1 month. “Just think about 1,000 people and the lines. The longer the line, the less likely that people are going to be 6 feet apart. We realized we had to improve the flow from a safety perspective.” Read the article here.
2. Face masks: In an effort to reduce the spread, the implementation of wearing a face mask has been given to the authorities– getting caught without a mask is considered a crime. And enforcement teams are deployed in full force to monitor citizens, not only becoming possible spreaders, but becoming vulnerable themselves.
3. Contact tracing: The current method of contact tracing, which is recorded in pen and paper, is unreliable due to illegible penmanship, not to mention the amount of contact involved in using a pen provided for the public and only sanitized on occasion. 

Without proper implementation, your business could be negatively affected by an active COVID-19 case.

So with these two questions in mind:

1. Is there a way to make things easier for the administration?
2. Is there a solution that truly makes your workplace safer?

The Solution: Integrated Surveillance and Access Control

System Features:

• Does not allow individuals with fever access to protected areas
• Does not allow individuals not wearing masks to access protected areas
• Take employees time and attendance accurately and reliably
• Provide completely contactless access to protected areas
• Provide you with a list of people for contact tracing purposes
• Audible and visual alarms from active credentials alert people violating social distancing measures.

System Components:

1. Surveillance cameras:
   • Thermal imaging capability
   • Mask detection video analytics
   • Software for live viewing
   • Servers for recording
2. Access Control
   • Automatic door openers for non-automatic doors
   • Access control and surveillance system integration
3. Alarm systems
   • Audible alarms upon detection of fever or instance of not wearing a masks
   • Active credentials set off visual alarms when social distancing is violated.

System Benefits:

1. Increased safety
   • Adhere to government requirements and management protocol
   • Reduce the spread of the virus
2. Increased convenience for management
   • Automatic enforcement of COVID safety protocols
   • Accurate and reliable time and attendance
   • Protect your people and your business from closing down and stay COVID-free

This solution can be implemented in many industries, from mining, manufacturing, plants and construction, offices, schools and recreational infrastructures.

Talking to a system integrator professional may help you discover the system that you need to revive, or even, polish, your security and safety systems amidst this COVID-19 season.

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