With businesses and their employees being hit hard by the coronavirus, employers are scrambling to figure out how to keep their operations running while keeping workers healthy and safe. Companies are implementing new procedures, including social distancing and increased disinfection of workspaces. In addition to keeping surfaces sanitized and workers at a safe distance from one another, businesses are trying hard to prevent employees who are showing signs of illness from coming to work. Because of this, demand for thermal cameras is on the rise to monitor for individuals with abnormal body temperatures.
The latter strategy – thermal cameras – is particularly useful at organizations such as manufacturing and food processing plants with a large number of employees where taking individual temperatures just isn’t feasible. Amazon has even deployed thermal cameras at its operations facilities to help keep symptomatic employees at home until they’re better.
Benefits of Thermal Cameras in Commercial Facilities
When integrated into a high-tech business security system, thermal cameras can be a helpful front line defense against illnesses like COVID-19 when combined with masks, social distancing, and other strategies meant to prevent asymptomatic carriers from creating viruses spread. Accurate within 0.5°, Mobotix Thermal cameras offer a manageable and automated way to monitor the temperature of a large number of employees and anyone else entering a facility.
Thermal cameras are unbiased and a consistent way to track temperature abnormalities. Best of all, they require no physical or even up-close contact with a thermometer or sensor, keeping the employees as well as monitoring personnel safe.
Immediate Alerts to Increase Safety
When included as part of an existing commercial video surveillance system, thermal cameras are highly customizable in terms of where they can be installed and how the scan results can be tracked and utilized.
Thermal cameras can serve as a stand-alone system that initiates specific alerts depending on how they’re configured. The system can be programmed to sound audio alerts when an abnormally high temperature is detected. Because employee privacy can be a concern, the system can also be configured to create a non-audible alert that will display on a monitor located away from the area where employees are being screened. Management then has the freedom to decide how to proceed with alerting the employee and other staff.
In addition to audio and video alerts, thermal camera systems can be configured to send an automated email with a snapshot of the scan results to one or more supervisors or approved individuals. The results of the scans can also be integrated into an organization’s current video management software.
Tips for Success with Commercial Thermal Camera Systems
As with all elements of a commercial security system, it’s essential that thermal cameras be installed by experts and utilized properly for accurate results. The success of these types of cameras greatly increases when the individuals being scanned have been inside for several minutes (recommended minimum of 2 to 3 minutes) so their results aren’t reflective of excessively hot or cold temperatures outdoors. In addition, it’s important that individuals being scanned not be wearing a hat or have hot or cold beverages on their person.
In these quickly-changing times, it’s more important than ever for all organizations to implement a successful business security plan. For a growing number of large manufacturing, warehouse, and food processing companies, thermal cameras are a part of that plan. While the cameras must be used in combination with other strategies to be successfully implemented against viruses like COVID-19, they’re a big part of the puzzle when it comes to keeping employees safe and healthy.
At ProTech Security, we have a strong history of experience, innovation, and customer service. The ProTech Security Advantage is more than 35 years of service in Northeast Ohio and a strong commitment to providing quality, cost-effective protection for homes, businesses, educational institutions, and government facilities. To see what ProTech Security can do for you, contact us today.
