LOGISTICS F
actories, warehouses and materials-handling environments are under pressure. The pace of the market pushes them to operate at higher speeds with higher accuracy and fewer unplanned disruptions. At the same time, duty of care obligations and workplace safety standards are rising. Meeting these dual marks depends on the effective collection and analysis of operational data, meaning video intelligence has now emerged as one of the most important tools on the plant floor. Every pixel of a video feed can be a sensor.
A camera provides, in essence, a continuous stream of actionable data wherever it is functions like security, but it also empowers innovations in countless other areas. With digitalisation now a day-to-day competitive requirement, network video’s transformative properties place it in the same category as robotics, automation and interconnected IT and OT systems.
A NEW DATA SOURCE FOR A NEW ERA Materials-handling environments are complex by nature. Forklifts, automated vehicles, pallet trucks and pedestrians often share the same space. Vehicle interactions, loading dock activity, temporary staff and contractors all introduce risk outside of standard operating procedures. Despite mounting compliance requirements and increased scrutiny from the HSE, monitoring levels in factories can often This is where video analytics are beginning
to deliver immediate value. Cameras equipped with edge-based intelligence can be put to work directly on safety improvement tasks. They can detect PPE non-compliance, identify when pedestrians stray into mechanical areas, or when forklifts deviate from their authorised routes.
Rather than relying solely on operator awareness or periodic manual checks, facilities can build automated, real-time safety enforcement into their processes using the same cameras they use for security. Through intelligent metadata, cameras can also be made to integrate with existing operational systems.
INTEGRATING CAMERAS INTO THE CONTROL LAYER If an unsafe event is detected, the appropriate response can be triggered, be that a closed barrier, a red-light signal, a visual or audible alert, or control over dynamic messaging and signage. Cameras can also join the supervisory role of other sensors within, for
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VISION AT THE EDGE: HOW VIDEO INTELLIGENCE IS CHANGING THE WAY FACILITIES WORK
By Adam Wales, Key Account Manager, Axis Communications
Video has evolved from a passive recording tool into a powerful source of operational intelligence, helping factories and warehouses improve compliance, resilience and overall performance
example, SCADA systems, interacting with PLCs to slow or disable potentially dangerous equipment if a hazard is detected. As long enough, it could run any applicable function on the network edge. This proactive approach to safety shifts it
from an arduous box-ticking exercise to a dynamic, data-driven system which quickly demonstrates ROI from digitalisation. Video analytics can lead to a reduction in the number of RIDDOR-reportable incidents, support compliance with PUWER requirements, help enforce the HSE’s workplace-transport separation guidelines and much more. Each compliance check generates data of its own, helping management to identify recurring issues or persistent problems, target training where it is most needed and create a cycle and culture of improvement. And as can be implied from video data’s potential in safety improvements, it has similar power as an integrated tool directly within factory and handling processes.
DECEMBER 2025/JANUARY 2026 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS
FRESH EFFICIENCIES EVEN FOR OLD TECHNOLOGY workstations, monitoring areas like picking lines and packing stations to detect missed reduces the reliance on manual audits, allows for rapid intervention before mistakes make it through and, perhaps most importantly, enables any deviation to be accompanied by clear evidence for future investigation. Video could, for instance, record the condition of palletised goods as they are unloaded from containers, and again as those goods are dispatched, creating a vital chain of evidence. This can prevent costly write-offs and, by documenting any pre-existing damage, provide the evidence needed to rebut fraudulent claims and demonstrate diligence to customers. Digitalisation is an ongoing project; for OT which has not yet been replaced, or equipment digital environments, video analytics can form a bridge. Analogue gauges and readouts can be
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