PPE Compliance Using Video Analytics
Posted on Wednesday 9th March 2022Providing a safe environment is the crux of workplace Health and Safety, and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) is crucial to aiding this.
Employers have a duty to provide PPE, along with training and instruction on how to effectively use it, to all of its employees – and as of the 6th April 2022, employers' responsibilities to workers on providing PPE are being extended. This is the date that the Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (PPER 2022) will come into effect, amending the current PPER 1992. In essence, since 1992, employers’ health and safety duties have required them to provide PPE, along with sufficient training and instruction, to their employees. The amendments to the PPER will include extending this duty to limb workers – workers such as sub-contractors, those who carry out casual or irregular work for a company, or those who have a contract for service (either oral or written).
Although PPE, as an integral part of an effective approach to Health and Safety, is highly effective at greatly reducing or negating workplace incidents or accidents, employers are still reliant on their employees adhering to their instructions for its use. Monitoring that employees and sub-contractors are adhering to company policy by wearing PPE is made significantly easier by using CCTV with PPE analytics.
PPE Video Analytics
PPE video analytics ensure staff and visitors do not stray into working areas without sufficient health and safety precautions. As soon as someone crosses over into a working area, then analytics in the surveillance system will detect whether or not that person is wearing sufficient PPE, such as hi-vis jacket, hard hat and eyewear. If they are not, then a report is sent in real-time to the site manager or safety officer, for example as an alert to their mobile phone, and in addition, an audiovisual alert can be set to sound out, warning the employee or visitor to exit the area.
This instant in real-time warning is beneficial in significantly reducing the time between detection of a health and safety breach, and in notifying that person that they are required to exit the area. This is being found to be especially useful on construction sites; on industrial or farming sites that have working machinery; in areas where there are chemicals or gases such as AD plants or laboratories; in hospitals; and in quarries – in fact, any working environment where increased risks mean PPE is crucial in eliminating accidents.
Existing CCTV systems can be upgraded to include PPE video analytical cameras, or a system can be designed to include video analytics in crucial areas. Usually, PPE analytical cameras are installed at the entrance to an area that requires PPE, so that a person not wearing appropriate attire can be verbally warned not to enter before it ever becomes an issue.
Other Types of Video Analytics
Many different types of video analytics are available – the most common being motion detection, which is available in most modern network cameras, and which sends alerts in real-time when motion is detected by a camera. These are made more user friendly with smart detection that only sends alerts when human or vehicular activity is seen – reducing the amount of false alerts by environmental factors such as leaves being blown across the field of vision, or wildlife crossing it.
For more information on upgrading your CCTV system to include video analytics, contact O.R.P Surveillance via our contact us page, by emailing us at info@orpcctv.com, or by calling 01743 884765.