PLANT MANAGEMENT
APPLICATIONS INTENDED FOR USE Bedford reveals that the system was originally developed to provide continuous location information about the movement of personnel and assets such as security keys in spaces that require a high level of security, primarily prisons and casinos. Yet he has observed how the solution can be applied to any task or process that needs location intelligence to make it more effective and efficient. He comments: “Examples of applications include: asset monitoring; traffic movement (e.g. portable equipment, fork lift truck movement); inventory status (e.g. linked to an asset register for equipment maintenance); and employee contractor, lone worker and paired worker safety.” It’s that last point – worker safety – that makes
the solution especially attractive for process plant operators, whose work often involves complex environments with staff spread out across large areas. So, what exactly are the worker safety benefits? Bedford says: “As an example, in a application where LocaTOR is deployed as a muster/roll call solution
“Contactless means that the beacons and tags correspond with each other by wireless technologies; tags merely have to be near a beacon (range adjustable per application) to be detected”
on large production facilities, worker benefits include the fact that this is an entirely automated solution. Personnel only need to walk away from the alarm and head towards the nearest muster point or assembly station. As this is a non- contact technology, a staff member is registered as “safe” as soon as the beacon detects the tag. This prevents queuing and uncertainty – the registration is undertaken automatically. And because the system is location aware, the roll call is continuously cross-checked and the last known location of anyone who fails to register is shown on the roll call list.” Bedford adds that LocaTOR is also deployed in
facilities with dangerous environments. “A system’s output can provide extra safety interlocks to prevent the launch of processes if personnel are detected as located in the prohibited space.”
OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES As well as safety benefits, Bedford is keen to point out that there are considerable operational benefits too. He states: “These include operational efficiencies – the movement and the way portable assets are used; as well as asset utilisation and purchasing management – reduced procurement based on better utilisation of existing assets. Improved decision making and material management workflow (the interaction between assets and personnel) is another key factor.” These kinds of benefits to plant managers are
Example of a muster progress report
also being cited by those offering solutions in the burgeoning Internet of Things (IoT) sector. Bedford believes that LocaTOR “sits within the IoT as it was originally defined by Kevin Ashton late last century.” He says: “In the context of his definition, each LocaTOR system comprises a network of objects (tags and beacons) that utilise RFID. LocaTOR is a machine-to-machine (M2M) system – tags provide real-time location information to a server, and the supervisory software presents this on a dashboard. “In time, the IoT is expected to offer advanced connectivity of devices, systems and services
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