Samancor Metalloys gives safety the thumbs up with Biometric identification technology
In the first project of its kind in South Africa, the Metalloys division of Samancor Manganese has deployed fingerprint scanners to tighten the authorisation of permits to work and improve safety at its Meyerton site.
This project was the second phase in the rollout of the IntelliPERMITTM solution by process manufacturing software specialist ApplyIT and is part of Samancor Metalloys’ ongoing drive for Zero Tolerance in terms of Occupational Health & Safety on site.
In heavy industrial operations, the likelihood of dusty conditions and worn fingerprints is very high. Metalloys required scanning devices that would guarantee the best possible readings through the toughest conditions, with proven reliability for future integration into the physical access control system.
Sagem MorphoSmart MSO300 fingerprint scanners were deployed by ApplyIT and integrated with IntelliPERMIT to control the authorisation of permits, accurately record attendance of workers and contractors, and ensure that only authorised personnel sign permits to work.
The system has been deployed at Metalloys’ three main production plants as well as several utilities areas and currently uses 32 identification stations connected at strategic permit issue points on site. These identification sites communicate with a central biometric database and identification matching server that enables positive identification of authorised workers and contractors.
To date more than 1 600 employees and contractors have been registered on the system, which also provides a platform for integration with the existing physical access control system. The benefits of such integration include being able to prevent workers from leaving site when they have outstanding permits as well as restricting access to certain high-risk areas to workers who have been issued with a valid permit to work.
“The deployment of biometric identification to integrate with IntelliPERMITTM provides a completely secure method of signing permits,” says Steynberg van Rensburg, production superintendent at Samancor Metalloys West Plant. “Not only does this solution overcome the problem of users forgetting passwords and PIN numbers, but the integrity of a fingerprint scanning system cannot be compromised, upholding the integrity of the permit process.”
Van Rensburg says that in the few months since the system went live, the plant has already been enjoying various benefits, including high quality permits to work, improved visibility of work in progress, greater efficiency of the permit issue process, more comprehensive audit trails and the fact that permits can only be signed by duly authorised personnel.
“The project is a good example of how innovative technology can be used together with business best practice to reach new levels in operating excellence,” says Gavin Halse, MD of ApplyIT.