Over the past few months Ecl-ips has been unveiling the range of back-to-work solutions our partners have launched aimed at keeping customers, visitors and staff safe. Please find below a round-up of all the options we now can offer organisations, using our expertise in CCTV and access control, to mitigate the risks from COVID-19.
Occupancy Management Back-to-Work Solutions
Since mid-June non-essential shops have been able to reopen and there is a further opening of businesses, such as pubs and hairdressers, throughtout July. Additionally, factory and office complexes may be seeing more staff returning, while social distancing rules need to be maintained, so could benefit from detection of breaches and occupancy counting. This is where Ecl-ips can help.
Leading CCTV developer and Ecl-ips partner, Avigilon, is offering an occupancy counting feature, as part of its Avigilon Control Center (ACC) 7.6.4, video management software and Avigilon Cloud Services (ACS). If you are not yet an Avigilon customer Ecl-ips will be able to demonstrate the advantages of its software and CCTV cameras while if you already have an Avigilon system, we can advise you on any upgrades required.
Avigilon’s occupancy counting feature provides an easy and streamlined way to count and identify the number of people in a building. Cameras should be specially placed at the entry and exit points of a builidng or area to monitor traffic and the specialist Ecl-ips can ensure that all your cameras are sited properly. The AI-powered video analytics detect and classify a person crossing the entry or exit point and automatically translates these analytic events into entry and exit events. These events will be visible through dashboards in ACS for managers to determine how many people are inside a building, or alternatively, for automated screens to display at the front of shops.
Ecl-ips can also offer Paxton’s access control system Net2. In July Paxton added an occupancy management feature to the software. This allows employers or facilities managers to limit the number of people in any given area of their building; either barring access or sending an email/text to the manager when a space nears capacity. It will work across multiple areas of a site and can be set to operate a one in, one out system to support social distancing measures.
Remote Access Control
Ecl-ips is now able offer an upgrade of the Net2 software which Paxton unveiled in May. This expanded the ability of facility managers to manage access to buildings remotely reducing the physical contact required for people to enter and leave those buildings but still maintaining their security. This followed the launch of web-based version of Net2 and its Paxton Connect app which meant this software is available wherever you are.
The remote access control management functions available with this latest Net2 update included:
- Lockdown – secures your site at the touch of a button and can quickly disable user access
- Access Level Management – determines site areas users can access by creating exclusion zones
- Advance Door Control – opens a door directly from your device wherever you are
- Timezones – automates access to control movement of people at specific times
- Event Filters – quickly finds specific events for site management
Face Mask and Face Covering Detection
The wearing of face coverings is aleady compulsory in the UK for users of public transport and expected if you are visiting hospital. It is also now set to be mandatory from 24th July in shops while it is advised in workplaces where social distancing cannot be observed. Ensuring that these rules are being followed is important as authorities work to reduce the transmission of COVID-19.
Avigilon has developed video-based detection technology to accurately detect objects in a security camera’s field of view, classify them as humans and determine whether the subject is not wearing a face covering or mask. Once the AI-enabled video analytics detects an individual is in violation, this prompts an automated alert through its video management software. Additionally, Ecl-ips can customise this solution integrating it with IP enabled speakers and a SIP microphone to provide an audible warning if breaches of the rules are found.
Social Distancing Guidelines Support
In its latest software release scheduled for this month embedded analytics within Avigilon’s most advanced cameras will identify breaches of social distancing guidance. As with face mask detection Ecl-ips can adapt this solution so that an audible warning is provided for those who are breaching any social distancing rules.
The technology can also demonstrate to those managing commercial spaces or other buildings like schools or healthcare settings where there are potential bottlenecks and so social distancing will be difficult. This will allow managers to make changes within the buildings, for example, by only allowing people to walk in one direction through a corridor to reduce the numbers having to be in close proximity to each other.
Contact Tracing Capability
Meanwhile Ecl-ips is also a specialist in Avigilon’s access control system. This can be used with Avigilon’s CCTV to assist with contact tracing if employees are found to need to isolate after showing symptoms of COVID-19.
There could, for example, be an employee at a distribution centre who becomes infected and then has to self-isolate. Managers or security staff at the site can use the access control system to produce an identity correlation report which can be used to identify doors that have been used by the employee and the date and time of that access as contaminated handles could pose a risk to transmission. Following this, all other members of staff that also entered or left via those doors within the timeframe that the employee used them can be contacted.
The CCTV system can also be used to track people within the building that may have come into contact with that employee. If users also have identity search or appearance search within their ACC system, they will be able to pick out the infected employee more easily.
Thermal scanning
Some organisations are using thermal scanning when implementing back-to-work solutions for opening up organisations by detecting staff or visitors that may have raised temperatures and require health screening. Paxton has made improvements to Net2 to allow installers to integrate the system with thermal scanners more easily. Ecl-ips can also offer thermographic cameras and advise if they are the right solution for you.
If you would like help and advice on any of these back-to-work solutions, please contact us.