Apr 29 2010
A $100,000 contract has been awarded to Axcess International for the supply of their MicroWireless-based ID system to a major oil platform located in the Far East for supporting state-of-the-art workforce management applications for improving the workers’ safety.
The Dot MicroWireless Credential of Axcess has implemented nano-positioning sensors for automatic monitoring of the location and on-the-job status of every worker on an oil platform by a round-the-clock RFID-enabled system. The RFID system generates an alarm, in case of a serious injury during emergencies known as ‘man-down situations’.
Axcess Active Tags
Dot Wireless Credentials is built up on the patented MicroWireless technology of Axcess, along with AxcessView software. This system helps in easily expanding the current access control systems into state-of-the-art solutions for workforce management. The present access control software can be reinforced by the Dot system through automated identity-based information. The system offers control, tracking, and sensing capabilities and local position determination, and leverages the MicroWireless technologies for the implementation of a dedicated architecture for Control Point Location System (CPLS). Its main applications include the protection of assets through custodian assignments, time and attendance recording for visitors and contractors, metering of productivity, personnel access control, compliance reporting, and emergency evacuation, besides enhanced workforce management.
These wireless ID badges have a size similar to customary badges that incorporate battery and wireless transceivers. The badges that can be automatically activated have proved their worth and are also programmable for every operation through the transmission of reliable and small messages in the local facility. The MicroWireless architecture caters for such applications pertaining to local regions. On the other hand, other technologies such as ZigBee, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi are not suited in these scenarios due to their power consumption, cost, or size constraints.
The Far East oil platform will be the second one of the company and the first that incorporates a novel safety functionality that monitors workers automatically for injuries suffered on the job. These IDs have been used to secure internal facilities and perimeters automatically as well as to count in/out status of workers for complying with emergency evacuation regulations in the industry, namely, the federal laws dealing with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in government, transportation, oil and gas, utility, petrochemical and mining operations.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data informed that more than 115 million employees in the U.S. work in physical injury prone industries. The contract is among the likely opportunities provided by 300 oil platforms in off-shore regions. About 15 workers were injured and 11 out of the 126 workers went missing for hours after an explosion in the Gulf of Mexico oil platform on April 21, 2010.