Issuu

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October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

Greetings to each of you We hope this finds you well. As a Safety and Security team, it has been a pleasure working with all of you. During these unprecedented times that we have all been able to successfully navigate the COVID-19 outbreak by staying true to the core values. One of the functions of Safety and Security has to been to ensure the continuity of physical operations as well as track access into each of our buildings. This has been done to ensure potential contact tracing in the event it is needed. As advisable precautions to be implemented when access to a building is needed. Many of these procedures are already in practice so this is just a bit of a tightening of our process.  Allowing entry to the building on an appointment-only basis.  Disinfecting commonly touched surfaces frequently.  If a staff member or vendor has a fever they are not to come to the site or enter the building.  Wearing disposable gloves when handling items if possible.  Delivering items (laptops, tablets, critical personal items, etc.) to families curbside or outside the building; please maintain social distancing as prescribed by the CDC.  Do not make physical contact with anyone outside of your immediate household.  Staff members assisting students or families should wear face masks and gloves whenever possible.  Safety guidelines should be observed, including social distancing and prohibiting gatherings of 10 or more individuals.  District and School Staff should consider setting student visitation by appointment only and delivering items curbside.

October 2020

As stated above many of these advisable precautions are in place already. Thank you so much for your cooperation and time. We are all working together to ensure the spread of COVID-19 is mitigated. It is a pleasure to serve each of you.

Never hesitate to reach out if we can be of assistance.

October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

CONTENT - OCTOBER 2020 INTERVIEW COVERAGE

EXPERT TALK

NITIN K GUPTA Chairman and Managing Director Rotax Electronics Pvt. Ltd.

Largest Supplier of Bomb Suits in India. Pg. 10

MR. SAMEER BHATIA COL DEEPAK KAJLA (RETD) Director-Asia Paciﬁc Consumer Business Group and Country Manager for SAARC & India Seagate Technology Pg. 12

Security Design Consultant SecureSec Pg. 14

EXPERT TALK

 We Believe In Nurturing Our Partner Ecosystem By Understanding Their Needs  Understanding Physical Security Risk Assessment  Fire Audit - An Urgent Need  Need of Cybersecurity in BFSI Segment in India  Need of Security Audits and Risk Assessment in Hospitality Industry  Managing Covid 19 Pandemic and Forest Fire in California  When Will We Monitor our Gaseous Ex nguishing Systems Properly?

 ZKTeco India Enforce Security at National Investigation Agency with walk through Metal Detector Featuring Body Temperature Screening Technology  Sanjivani Group of Institutes Ensure Health and Safety with Prama Hikvision's Advanced Temperature Screening Solutions

12 14 15 16 17 18 22

26 28

 United Arab Emirates Expand VdS Lis ng

 Holiday Safety & Security Technology  Covid-19 and The Future of Ci es: How are Public Space and Social Life Going to Change?

 Introducing Kapri Corp's UVC Based Conveyorized System KAP5530-UVC254  Johnson Controls Launches Smoke Detec on Technology Designed to Meet 2021 UL Standard  Prama Hikvision Introduces AX PRO for Comprehensive Wireless Alarm Solu ons  Hanwha Techwin Launches Wisenet7 Camera Equipped with Innova ve Technologies  Avians Innova ons Technology Pvt. Ltd.

40 41

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www.safesecuremagazine.com

EXPERT TALK

MR. RAJESH G. SHIRKE

MR. RAJESH KUMAR

Cer ﬁed Safety Professional Director NEBOSH (UK), NFPA 13 (USA), NSC (I) Netrika Consul ng India Pvt. Ltd. Milestone Safety Consultancy Services Pg. 16 Pg. 15

MR. KARTIK VIG

DR. MUKTA GIRDHAR

DR. CARL STEPHEN PATRICK HUNTER

Director Netrika Consul ng India Pvt. Ltd. Pg. 17

Disaster Management Expert Pg. 18

Chairman Coltraco Ultrasonics Pg. 22

SOLUTION ARTICLE

 From the Phone to Your Hands: Flame Retardants another Reason to Wash Hands  This New Technique can help Disinfect N95 Masks Uses a Combina on of Heat and Humidity to Try to Decontaminate Masks.  Extend Deadline for New Fire Safety Norms Till March 2021: Hotel Owners  22 Per Cent of School Buildings Old or Dilapidated: NCPCR Report

 See in the Dark with Varied Imaging Technologies

ARTICLES

 Will Covid-19 Change Airport Design Forever?  Use of Steam as Adjuvant-Treatment in Covid-19 Pa ents: An Observa onal Study

 Know Your Fire Ex nguisher Colour Code  Manufacturers of N95 Masks Seek Permit to Begin Exports

60 61

   

62 64 66 70

October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

Use of Gas-Fired Oven Cleaning Equipment Inside Vehicles Wireless Gas Detectors Bring Connec vity To Conﬁned Space Entries How to Measure, Evaluate and Strengthen Your Safety Culture The Importance of First Aid Training in the Workplace

INTERFACE

Rotax Electronics Pvt. Ltd. is the Largest Supplier of Bomb Suits in India.  Company Prole: Rotax Electronics (P) Ltd., established in 1978, is one of the leading Companies dealing with Security Equipment for last 40 years, supplying Bomb Detec on, Disposal and Counter Surveillance equipment to various law enforcement agencies in India. More than four decades of strong customer focused approach & con nuous quest for world class quality have enabled us to a ain & sustain leadership in this ﬁeld.

 Products: Rotax Electronics deals in a vast and diversiﬁed range of high quality products which Include ROVs, Mid-Size Cabinet X-Ray Scanner, Digital Flat Panel RTVS, Bomb Suit, Search Suit/An Mine Protec on Suit/Full body Protec on Suit, An -Riot Suit, NLJ D, Deep Search Metal Detector, Wire & Cable Locator, Water Disrupter, Explosive & Drug Detec on Kits, Telescopic Manipulator, Urban Warfare Tac cal Training Systems for Special Forces etc.

 After Sales Service Support: Rotax Electronics (P) Ltd. has a fully func onal service Centre at New Delhi equipped with latest state of art Test Instruments, Jigs, Spares and other test gadgets. The Service Centre in manned by qualiﬁed and experienced factory trained engineers to provide A er Sales Service support up to the last component.

 Future Plans: We have our plans in place to expand our security por olio with state of the art technology driven products which would provide maximum results with minimum eﬀort.

Our Latest and Future Products: (a) Soon Launching the only ROV in the world with a secondary small ROV to be deployed in creviced and 10

Difficult terrain. Our plans to launch it in 2020 have been delayed due to COVID. This is the only ROV with all terrain deployment op on enabling the handler to respond to aII kinds of threats effec vely. (b) TR15 We have recently launched a portable midsized Cabinet Scanner from UK to be deployed in the second/ third er of security. This system has been installed in the Singapore Consulate Mumbai. This equipment has the poten al to revolu onize the security environment amongst mul storey buildings, Hotels, Government offices and other targets. The portability saves mes, money over other cumbersome op ons and offers quick response to a number of unsavory situa ons. (c) Total Containment Vehicle (TCV) for quietly removing an IED from a crowded place to prevent collateral damage and loss of lives. The under threat building can con nue to work as usual with the IED containerized and removed away. Deployable at airports, large office complexes and public gatherings etc.

 Innovations and Trends: We are considering bringing a so ware based technology to India which would help us iden fy and prevent a poten al COVID situa on by applying Facial Recogni on Technology in the surveillance system at places like airports and railway sta ons etc. The so ware iden ﬁes an infected person from the exis ng database and transmits it through the camera grid to the enforcement agencies. This would eﬀec vely help in containing and restric ng the spread of the Virus.

 Our Commitments towards Make in India: We have designed and indigenously manufactured COFDM based Live Video (LV) Kit for the Bomb Suit imported from Canada. The LV Kit rivals even the best available across the world, sends uninterrupted video signals in High Deﬁni on (HD) even in the most congested urban built up areas. October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

We have also designed the communica on system of the Bomb Suit with all its accessories providing Command Post voice link to the Bomb Technician.

 Manufacturing Debut: We have recently commenced manufacturing Electronic Stethoscope and Live Video Kits besides communica on accessories for the Bomb Suit and security solu ons as above.

NITIN K GUPTA Chairman and Managing Director beside EOD10E latest Bomb Suit from Med Eng, Canada.

 Our Response to COVID 19 Challenges: Having installed Bomb Suits in nearly 60 airports across India we are bound by three years of warranty commitments. It is difficult to send our engineers during COVID mes to physically a end to the faults and repair them. We have resorted to video conferencing and have been tutoring the users to conduct repairs and even change parts in some cases. This has greatly saved me besides giving confidence to the user to handle first er repairs. The lessons that we learn from the pandemic is that we can have a no contact interac on with our customer most of the mes saving me and effort. It also imparts hands on training to the handler.

 Message for the Readers: Security Threat all over the world is seeing newer trends by unsocial elements which need to be confronted with an equally potent response. Our endeavor has been and would always be to provide our Security Forces and the Bomb Technicians with the latest and most eﬀec ve equipment promising their protec on and safety.

For more informa on visit: www.rotaxelectronics.com October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

EXPERT TALK

We Believe In Nurturing Our Partner Ecosystem by Understanding Their Needs Sameer added further, “With the growing business opportuni es, our focus con nues to be on engaging with the partners and distributors network. Our channel ecosystem con nues to grow in numbers and reach as we be er understand evolving opportuni es in the current market scenario and double down on our eﬀorts to engage with our partners and customers more closely than ever.”

Sameer Bhatia Director-Asia Pacic Consumer Business Group and Country Manager for SAARC & India, Seagate Technology

With an increase in the number of connected devices in the new normal, there has been excep onal growth in the crea on and consump on of data. Sameer Bha a, Director of Asia Paciﬁc Consumer Business Group and Country Manager for SAARC & India, Seagate Technology said,

“

Our strategic focus will remain on delivering the industry’s bestperforming drives, enterprise systems, and data management solu ons that oﬀer higher capacity, unprecedented performance, and unparalleled reliability, while maintaining a high degree of data integrity. We have always been at the forefront of advanced technology-enabled and purposebuilt oﬀerings, thanks to our con nuous research and innova on. We are commi ed to building future-ready and robust data management solu ons that deliver meaningful success.

“

 Challenges to Confront At a me when many people around the globe find themselves working from home, it is every company’s responsibility to do right by its employees and to fulfil its commitments to its customers even if it calls for restructuring. Sameer stated, “Improving data security is the most important factor driving the changes to how organiza ons manage central storage needs. Awareness about the data preserva on is another challenge that needs to be overcome to protect the organiza onal informa on. Managing data in the mul -cloud ecosystem, according to Seagate’s Rethink Data survey, is a top data management challenge expected over the next two years with managing data in hybrid cloud a close second. Improving data security from edge to core is the most important factor driving the changes to how organiza ons manage central storage needs.”  Business Strategies to Accelerate Growth Seagate has been a leader in the storage market since long me which has been possible due to excellent support from channel partners. Commen ng on partner’s contribu on to the success of the brand in India, Sameer said, “Our leadership posi on in storage space in the country has been possible with the constant support of our distributors and channel partners. Working towards our partners’ business success across all the ci es in India is one of the key focus areas for us at Seagate. We believe in nurturing our partner ecosystem by understanding their needs and guiding them with all the product knowledge and tools to enable their success in a compe ve environment. We connect with our customers and partners in the markets through the Seagate Insider partner program. This year, we will con nue to focus on providing comprehensive training sessions and seminars as well as working on co-marke ng ini a ves to be er iden fy evolving opportuni es in the changing norms currently.” “With the emergence of IT 4.0, our focus for this year is to help partners drive profitability by enabling them to embrace and mone ze the new opportuni es around edge compu ng and Ar ficial Intelligence (AI). In addi on to regular products and technology trainings, Seagate is also dedicated to providing its partners be er understand of its evolving opportuni es. As a brand, we believe in growing the partner ecosystem and right set of partnerships. A lot of our focus is on being close to the reseller partners, understand their needs and enable them with right set of knowledge and tools, so that they can keep pace with the latest products and offerings and serve their customers with right products. Our number of partners has definitely been increasing, and we are growing rapidly with the right partnerships,” concluded by Sameer. For more informa on visit: www.seagate.com October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

EXPERT TALK

Understanding Physical Security Risk Assessment

COL DEEPAK KAJLA (RETD) Security Design Consultant

Risk is defined as 'the possibility of loss resul ng from a threat, security incident or event' or 'something that might happen and its effect(s) on the achievement of objec ves'. Risk Assessment is 'overall process of risk iden fica on, risk analysis and risk evalua on' or 'The process of assessing security related risks from internal and external threats to an en ty, its assets or personnel'. It is very essen al for businesses to understand the risks they face and know how to deal with them appropriately. To best op mize your security program, you first need to fully understand your current security risks. A physical security risk assessment can cast light on what security risks your business faces-and what you and your employees can do to prevent them. A Physical Security risk assessment takes an in-depth look at the vulnerabili es your business faces. Physical security risk assessment professionals focus on three primary factors: Vulnerability, Probability, and Nega ve Impact. Is your building vulnerable to a threat? What would be the nega ve impact if such an incident were to occur? Finally, what is the likelihood that a situa on could threaten your staff, customers, and/or property? By carefully assessing risks based on these three factors, professional assessors determine which physical security hazards pose the greatest threat, as well as what ac ons should be taken to mi gate the problem. 14

It helps to conduct the assessment in a systema c manner covering all the four elements as given below:

Manpower

Physical Security

Processes

Technical Security

Organiza onal security, which includes manpower and processes consists of site level management of security func on, manned guards, guard patrolling system, security policies and procedures, access control procedures, visitor/contractor management, receiving goods, key control and employee security, ve ng and training.

The upfront cost of a physical security risk assessment is minimal in comparison to the return on investment you receive by improving your company's safety and security measures. Regardless of whether you operate a large commercial complex or a small oﬃce space, by iden fying probable vulnerabili es and taking steps to implement change, you can avoid threats that would decimate your business.

Physical Security is the infrastructure such as perimeter, perimeter access points, guard houses, basement access points, parking, building access points, roof access points, u lity services, security ligh ng and security control room. Technical Security can be arranged under barriers, screening, electronic access control, video surveillance and control room.

For more informa on visit: www.securesec.in October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

EXPERT TALK

FIRE AUDIT AN URGENT NEED

e are all aware of the saying, "Prevention is Better than Cure" in the same way, preven ng a fire is more sensible & profitable than figh ng a fire. Outcome of any successful fire figh ng depends on many factors, if one fails to ex nguish a fire in its ini al stage, then Lives & Proper es are at stake. Thus a Fire Audit is a preven ve measure, which needs to be carried out religiously. Carrying out a Fire & Life Safety Audit helps an organiza on to iden fy the source of inherent fire hazards & mi gate them at the first place. Its also a compliance requirement as per NBC 2016, Part IV, clause E 7, which states that ; a) Fire & Life Safety audit shall be carried out for all buildings having a height of more than 15 M. b) Such Audits shall preferably be conducted by a third party auditor having requisite experience in fire & life safety inspec ons.

Mr. Rajesh G. Shirke Cer ﬁed Safety Professional NEBOSH (UK), NFPA 13 (USA), NSC (I) rajesh@milestonegrp.com

c) Frequency of such Audits shall be once in Two years. Maharashtra Fire Services vide its Circular No. MFS/2015/10/1462 Dated 16th Sept 2015 has also recommended the same. The Fire Audit should be carried out as per the format men oned in the Maharashtra Fire Services website. The audit format has 20 main headings & 77 sub headings under it, which are to be thoroughly checked. (The Fire Audit format is available in Maharashtra Fire Services website). The Annexure 1 has a list of all building details, such as; • • • • •

Building Structural Details, such as Height, Area, Staircases, Open spaces etc. Permissions & Approvals, such as Fire NOC, OC, Approved Drawings, etc. Ac ve Fire Protec on measures provided at site Fire Preven on & Awareness measures Other informa on's, such as Fire li s, Fire doors, number of ﬁre staﬀ etc.

A Fire Audit should Consist of 04 Main Elements : 1. Checking of all documents such as Fire NOC's, OC, Drawings, SOP's, Test Reports, Service Reports given by Licensed Agency etc. 2. Physical Inspec on of en re premises & visual inspec on of ﬁre equipments & systems. October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

3. Opera ng & Tes ng of all fire safety systems, such as Fire alarm, Hydrant, Sprinklers, Ex nguishers, Fire li s, Emergency power supply etc. as per laid down parameters in NBC 2016 & Local Fire Laws. 4. Interview of facility & security staff to gauge their knowledge & understanding of the subject. CONCLUSION Organiza ons should be careful while selec ng an Auditor/Agency, as we all are aware that a Good Doctor can save lives, a Good Teacher can make a life. Similarly a Good Safety Auditor/Agency can spot hidden fire hazards and suggest innova ve & cost effec ve mi ga on measures, thus saving precious lives & property from the loss. 15

EXPERT TALK

Need of Cybersecurity in BFSI Segment in India - by Rajesh Kumar, Director of Cybersecurity - Netrika Consul ng India Pvt. Ltd.

Advanced Technologies have changed the modern way of banking, and so is equally true for crime and criminals. We all have come across a very popular storyline in movies, about goons ge ng into a bank, firing arms, and walk away with money. While banks today have put in enough physical security measures to check such events, a new form of crime has emerged where the BFSI sector across the world is s ll struggling. Further, the current lockdowns have irrevocably changed the world, and even le the tradi onal criminals jobless, fueling a shi toward cybercrime. Cybercrime now reveals a totally different face of hacker targets, methods of a acks, and even rise of state-sponsored threat actors. There is an increase in the numbers and sophis ca on of cybera acks. As more connected devices come into use and more business is carried out on the internet, this trend is expected to con nue. Banks in India, in the last one decade has been rapidly adop ng newer technologies and already seen a massive transi on towards digital pla orms. But there is a general percep on-adop on of advanced cyber security prac ces have not kept pace with the rate of evolu on of core business-enabling technologies. While in comparison to other sectors, though banks are proac ve in inves ng and improving security prac ce. However, with prolifera on of newer a ack vectors, and along with the sophis ca on of threat actors, the security measures are inadequate considering the challenges with the tradi onal approach to IT security, versus boundary less nature of modern age banking. Even the tradi onal mul layered defense that banks already have may not be adequate. So, this sector need finetune its cyber approach and include measures such as 16

 Proac vely detect threats to avoid/minimize breaches;  Build an advanced authoriza on ecosystem, in compliance to industry standards;  Customize security features to suit new age customer expecta ons;  Collaborate among the domain to iden fy threats faster and instant gra fica on;  Able to manage and secure their third-party integra ons and  Con nuously monitor the targeted APTs, and effec vely able to mi gate threats There is no doubt that there has been a rise in cyber security incidents and several of them have been largescale breaches, frauds and heists. The impact of such breaches does not end with just financial losses but, in most cases, poten ally impact the brand value. Even ins tu ons like RBI in India has realizing the inherent need for banks to strengthen their cyber security posture in the wake of the increasingly sophis cated nature and quantum of a acks. However, BFSI sector needs no complete overhaul to protect data and money, all they need is a robust cybersecurity prac ce and partner that can help them not only with compliance needs, but offer robust and round the clock scru ny, find and remove vulnerabili es, and advise on measures to counter these sophis cated threat actors and newer a ack vectors.

For more informa on visit: www.netrika.com October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

EXPERT TALK

Need of Security Audits and Risk Assessment in Hospitality Industry - by Kar k Vig, Director of Security & Risk Consul ng - Netrika Consul ng India Pvt. Ltd.

Does the hospitality industry need security audits and risk assessments? To put it simply, yes it does. Hospitality industry has never seen such a paradigm shi in the customers outlook in respect of safety & security. Safety & Security has mostly been taken for granted - hotel's star ra ng notwithstanding. The pandemic has changed this outlook. Today, star ra ngs alone - eluding to luxury and ameni es, are unlikely to a ract customers to a hotel. It is ever more relevant for a customer to seek out the safety and security stance of a hotel, and thus the first thing for a hotel to do is to update it's risk assessment. Risk Assessment forms the bedrock of any security stance. With the change in risks, the security stance needs to be updated to mi gate the risks. Security audits form a part of the methodology to assess the preparedness of the measures ins tuted to mi gate the iden fied risks. The pandemic has hit the hospitality industry hard, with many hotels being forced to shut down opera ons, lay off employees, make major changes to their opera onal modus operandi etc. Thus, opera ng with reduced manpower (for various reasons) and in a restricted environment have changed the risks for each hotel, and the hospitality industry in general, which need to be assessed and mi gated. It is per nent to note that one size does not fit all, and as such each hotel would have specific risks associated to its opera ons based on numerous factors, different from the other. Further, future of a hotel's security needs to move towards more technology friendly set of solu ons and a security October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

audit is best suited to advise on the same and the solu ons eﬀec veness. More than ever, it has now become incumbent on hotels to promote their security & safety stance and not just the luxuries & ameni es. Most of the starred hotel chains, world over, have incorporated procedures to ensure safety and security to conﬁrm to the guidelines issued by WHO and Governments, pertaining to COVID19 safety measures. They ensure the same by conduc ng surprise audits and checks. The need of the hour, however, is to conduct security audits through external professional organisa ons to increase the credibility of the audits. These audits would then help in increasing trust amongst the customers, which in turn will help in increasing business for the hospitality industry. In addi on to the conduct of audits by external agencies, another way is to be part of an interna onal ra ng system which rates the safety and security stance of a hotel and helps the customers make a more educated choice on where to stay - basis the luxuries provided (star ra ng) and the hotels safety and security ra ng. Needless to say, for hotels to be able to reach out to their customers along with their safety & security ra ngs, they have also to get their risk assessment/ security audits in place and hence the need.

For more informa on visit: www.netrika.com 17

EXPERT TALK

Managing Covid 19 Pandemic and Forest Fire in California by Dr. Mukta Girdhar, Disaster Management Expert

Introduction California state is located on the West Coast of the United States. It is the most populous U.S. state, with a popula on of 38 million people, and the third largest state by area (a er Alaska and Texas). California is bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east, Arizona to the southeast, and the Mexican state of Baja California to the south. About 45 percent of the state's total surface area is covered by forests and California's diversity of pine species is unmatched by any other state. Many of the trees in the Mountains are the oldest in the world; an individual Bristlecone pine is over 5,000 years old.

Fig-1 Map of US with California highlighted

As a part of the Ring of Fire, California is subject to earthquake, tsunamis, floods, droughts, wildfires, landslides on steep terrain, and also has several volcanoes. Forest fires in California are a common occurrence. They pose a great risk to life and infrastructure 18

brush and home played as a flammable material; air supplies the oxygen a fire needs to burn. lightening, burning campfire, hot wind and sun can also act as a heat resource. Fig-2 Satellite Image which indicates Topography

During all mes of the year, though mostly throughout the ho er months of summer and spring. In the United States, there are typically between 60,000 to 80,000 forest ﬁres that occur each year, burning 3 million to 10 million acres (12,000 to 40,000 sq. km) of land depending on the year.

Fig-3 Ac ve and contained ﬁre with reference to h ps://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/california-ﬁre-map

About Incidence Early in the year, there was a concern for the poten al 2020 fire season to be prolonged and especially grave due to the unusually dry months of January and February, one of the driest such periods of any calendar year on record. On March 22nd, a state of emergency was declared by California governor Gavin Newsom due to a mass die-off of trees throughout the state, poten ally increasing the risk of wildfires. Throughout March and April, rain began to consistently fall in the state which lessened the severe drying condi ons. However, Northern California was expected to have severe wildfire condi ons due to the moderate or severe drought condi ons in the area, whereas Central and Southern California were expected to have serious fire condi ons later in the year due to the late wet season and precipita on.

Uncontrolled blazes fueled by weather, wind and dry underbrush, wildﬁres can burn acres of land and consumes everything in their paths in mere minutes. Three basic condi ons are required to for a wildﬁre to burn that is fuel, oxygen and a heat source. Trees, grosses, October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

August 29th 2020

The 2020 California wildfire season is a series of ongoing wildfires that are burning across the state of California. The peak of the wildfire season usually occurs between July and November when hot, dry winds are most frequent. The wildfire season typically does not end un l the first significant rainstorm of winter arrives, which is usually around October in Northern California, and roughly between early November to December in Southern California. On August 19th, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom reported that the state was ba ling 367 known fires, many sparked by intense thunderstorms on August th th 16 -17 caused by moisture from Tropical Storm Fausto. Response and evacua ons were complicated by a historic heatwave and the ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic. The governor declared a state of emergency on th August 18 , 2020.

A wildfire northwest of Palm Springs flared up Saturday on 29th August. Thousands of people have been ordered to evacuated because many houses were in the path of blaze. Firefighters fought the blaze in tripledegree heat. Friday August 28th in Cherry Valley, an unincorporated area near the city of Beaumont in Riverside County. Flames leapt along brushy ridge tops and came close to homes while some 375 firefighters a acked it from the ground and air. The blaze, dubbed the Apple Fire, doubled in size overnight and is over 18 square miles. About 7,800 people have been told to evacuate over 2,500 homes, according to fire officials. Hundreds of people in foothill neighborhoods north of Beaumont fell under mandatory evacua on orders. Wildfires burned out of control th on Saturday 5 September in northern and southern California.

Nine people were found dead in and around the Northern California town of Paradise, where more than 6,700 homes and businesses were burned down by the Fire, forced hundreds of thousands to ﬂee their homes. About 500 miles (800 km) to the south in Los Angeles County, the 35,000-acre Woolsey Fire was threatening 75,000 homes and more than 200,000 people were under mandatory evacua on early on Saturday. Some of the evacua on orders were for residents within the City of Los Angeles in the West Hills area. It was unclear how many homes have been evacuated within the City of Los Angeles. As per the state's department of Forestry and Fire Protec on this ﬁre is most destruc ve blaze in California history. th

As of September 7 , 2020, a total of 7,452 ﬁres have burned 2,617,607 acres (1,059,308 ha), making 2020 the largest wildﬁre season recorded in California history, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protec on.

Few Major active incidents as of 9th September 2020 Name

S.N

Aﬀected Area

How much contained

SCU lightning Complex

396624 acres

95% contained

LNU Lightning Complex (includes Hennessey, Gamble, 15-10, Spanish, Markley, 13-4, 11-16, Walbridge

375209 acres

91% contained

Creek Fire

152833 acres

0% contained

CZU Lightning Complex (Including Warnella Fire

86509 acres

81% contained

Bu e/Tehama/Glenn Lightning Complex (Tehama/Glenn Zone)

69735 acres

58% contained

Apple Fire

33424 acres

95% contained

Lake Fire

31089 acres

95% contained

Sheep Fire

29570 acres

95% contained

Valley Fire

17565 acres

11% contained

El Dorado Fire

11259 acres

19% contained

Oak ﬁre

863 acres

10% contained

October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

Challenges 1) California forest fire is happening during a pandemic that has killed almost 12,000 Californians, forcing people to remain sheltered in place at home. And to make ma ers even worse, in the middle of a heat wave, they can't open their windows because air quality is now astonishingly bad as smoke con nues to pour into the Bay Area. there is so much smoke everywhere. “The agency is recommending that residents remain indoors with the windows closed, and that those with air condi oning units should only run them with recircula ng air. Having to stay inside with the windows closed carries heat exposure risks for the elderly. These risks include heat stroke (which can lead to loss of consciousness) and heat exhaus on (which can lead to dizziness and quick and shallow breathing). There is a need that, residents should seek out cooling centers facili es where people without AC can go to cool off. (While wearing a mask and keeping socially distant, of course.)” 2) Heat leads to the forma on of ozone, which conspires with smoke to erode local air quality. “Both pollutants together and especially if folks are already dealing with preexis ng condi ons is very dangerous, to say the very least,” Smoke may carry some risk during a pandemic. Covid-19 is at least in part a respiratory disease, and smoke inhala on may make the body vulnerable to infec on by tampering with the lungs' ability to expel viruses and bacteria. 3) California's firefighters are struggling to contain massive wildfires, compounded by logis cal challenges brought on by the pandemic. Outbreaks in prisons have taken invaluable firefighters out of ac on; inmates also help with logis cal support, like serving 20

food in camps that house crews and other support staff. Accordingly, California officials had to call in firefigh ng reinforcements from out of state. These fire camps can be absolutely massive and are usually set up in open spaces like fairgrounds they contain thousands of first responders, government officials, plus the media milling about. In the spring months leading to fire season, CalFire had to not only scout where to set up these camps should massive wildfires break out in the summer or fall, but also had to figure out how to set them up with adequate social distancing. “More tables for ea ng, more tents and space for the different areas of opera on within that fire camp. More hand-washing sta ons, more places where people can spread out.” 4) Another challenge is the overall lack of moisture in the air and the landscape. When things are dry. If a dry wind picks up, it can suck out whatever moisture is le in vegeta on, priming the landscape to burn. These fire condi ons can shi very rapidly. There local vegeta on is already extremely dry. That's making these lightningsparked fires par cularly difficult to douse. Temperature is rising and contribute for climate change. This type of fire is increasing every year and force fire fighter to work 24 hours a day. 5) Serious concern is peak fire season in California yet to come. Usually, the worst blazes arrive later in the autumn.In October 2017, the Tubbs Fire just north of the Bay Area destroyed 5,600 structures and killed 22 people. The next year, the Camp Fire, which destroyed the town of Paradise and killed 86 people, didn't arrive un l November. Last year's Kincade Fire

burned 120 square miles of Wine Country in late October. 6) Californians community feeling fa gue because of year a er year of increasingly massive blazes. This year very tough to evacuate people from their home. Despite lot of warnings to evacuate, they claim they've adequately prepared their home to resist fire, for instance by clearing away brush. Another reason is that they're afraid to go to evacua on centers because of Covid-19. “The thought of being stuck in an evacua on center with a lot of other people who are already coughing. Situa on is Pandemic collides with an age of flames”. Control Measures Fire fighters fight forest fire by reducing one of the basic elements of fire triangle. Tradi onal methods are water dousing and spraying fire reatardants to ex ngush forest fire. Removing dry grass and vageta on Many control measures were adapted to control the fire. Some of these can be seen below:

Chemicals were sprayed using Airplanes.

Water was sprayed using Helicopters

Crea ng Periphery Lines

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Forest fires are generally very devasta ve and harmful but provide some posi ve impact to nature • Nutrients return to the soil by burning dead or decaying ma er. • Forest fire also helpful to return nutrients to the soil by burning dead or decaying ma er. • They also act as a disinfectant, removing disease-ridden plants and harmful Insects from a forest ecosystem. • Forest fire allows sunlight to reach to the forest floor. This enables a new genera on of seedling to grow. Recommendations • Geospa al modeling can be developed and used to understand how small fire grow

into monsters and how mi ga on measures ca be used. • For the modeling important ingredients are weather, terrain, fuel, years of records, local topography. • This informa on will help which area is more likely to burn and where to deploy fire fighters. • Loca on of houses, roads and dams comes under buffer zone and help fuel for evacua on plan and many more. References 1. Megerian, Chris (6th August 2015). “Gov. Brown highlights climate change risks at site of Rocky fire”. Los Angeles Times. 2. “Rocky Fire General Informa on”. cdfdata.fire.ca.gov.

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3. “California wildfire burns nearly 66,000 acres as two highways forced to close” 4. Dolan, Jack; Chirbas, Kurt. “Northern California fire explodes; 24 homes lost, thousands threatened”. Los Angeles Times (in en-US). 5. “Rocky fire in Northern California swells to 60,000 acres; 12,000 evacuated”. Los Angeles Times. 6. Mar nez, Michael. “Thousands abandon homes as California fires spread”. 7. REUTERS/MAX WHITTAKER 8. www.CNN.com

#securecitiesreview 21

EXPERT TALK

When Will We Monitor our Gaseous Extinguishing Systems Properly ? Dr. Carl Stephen Patrick Hunter Chairman, Coltraco Ultrasonics.

access to firefigh ng and damage control equipment." Excellent, you may think. Regardless of the reason for the fire itself, a reason that the fire became uncontrolled … was because its fire suppression system had been shutdown and its compartment doors le open. For maintenance.

In this ar cle the Chairman of a highexpor ng UK manufacturer in the Fire Sector asks why people and property remain at risk because they do not monitor the gaseous ﬁre ex nguishing systems that protect them.

For a gaseous ex nguishing system to func on, whether liquefied, such as CO2, NOVEC™ 1230 or FM-200™ or non-liquefied, such as Nitrogen or Inergen, one needs two things: Firstly, sufficient contents to generate the design concentra on required to ex nguish the fire event, and secondly, compartmenta on integrity, so that the ex nguishing gas is contained within the space on actua on. Without either, the fire event risks escala on.

In July 2020, at the height of COVID19 in the USA, the USS Richard Bonhomme, a n a m p h i b i o u s a i r c ra c a r r i e r, developed a 5-day fire during a maintenance interval. It injured 68 military and civil personnel. It also made “out of service” a core strategic amphibious asset of the US Navy. It was one of only four ships in the US Pacific Fleet able to handle the F-35B 5th genera on aircra . "As tensions mount with China in the South China Sea, as well as with North Korea, the loss of this ship and her capabili es will make it more difficult for the Navy to meet all its war-figh ng requirements," said John Kirby, a CNN military analyst and former US Navy Admiral.

So how can one test that either exists ? To cater for the contents, one can shut the system down, dismantle it, and weigh each cylinder of ex nguishing gas. Then re-instal each of them. There can 600 45KG cylinders on a commercial ship, 100 on an offshore pla orm. Hundreds in a Data Centre. It takes 2 licensed fire technicians people 15 minutes to do this, per cylinder. On a good day. For the compartmenta on integrity, one can pressurise the compartment space, either by air or water, and see where it leaks out. Neither works when the fire technicians are away from the asset for the other 364 days per annum.

The top US Navy acquisi ons official said, "Anyone who steps aboard our ships must be ever vigilant about ensuring fire safety. I urge you to use the recent fire to ensure that our work spaces are clean, that unnecessary clu er is removed, that all fire safety measures are being followed and that there is unrestricted 22

This is how our industry has worked since gaseous systems were first developed. In 1924 the Walter Kidde Company developed the first CO2 ex nguisher and in the 1960’s DuPont developed the first Halon system. In the 1990’s DuPont developed FM-200™ and 3M™ NOVEC™1230 as “clean agents” to replace Halon, banned under the Montrael Protocol. A er that came the use of natural un-liquefied gases. We know them today as Inergen™. What unites all of them is that they are highly pressurised. Some of them up to 300 Bar, or over 4,350 PSI. And anything that is pressurised can leak. Hence the reason why BS EN ISO 14520 was developed – to check that their contents had to be checked, and checked for content loss. If they lost more than 5% the cylinder had to be re-filled. So our industry sensibly knows that anything that is pressurised can leak. That is science. Perfect physical principles. The mathema cs are clear. Do you know a matheme cian or a physicist in our industry ? The same with compartmenta on. Like any ship the USS Richard October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

www.coltraco.com Bonhomme is constructed to withstand damage. Since the principal reasons for ships loss at sea remains sinking and fire, all ships, offshore oil & gas pla orms, even offshore wind turbines, understand the need for “compartmenta on”. Below the waterline they are known as water ght compartment doors, and the areas between the water ght bulkheads, containing the electrical cabling that pass through every marine structure at sea, are called Cable Transit Areas, and they are designed to maintain compartmenta on integrity. Not just to prevent water ingress and sinking, but to stop fire passing between the compartments too. One way to test them is to fill them with water and to learn at what “head of water” the bulkhead collapses, or the water ght compartment door, bursts. But it is not very prac cal. Another is to pressurise the compartment by posi ve pressure and see where it leaks. All grand … on a cool calm day when no-one is inside the ship. Even be er in a lab. But here we are in our industry using gases for fire systems that are nearly 100, 60 and 30 years old, and we s ll test them inadequately. It is as if there has been no technological advance in any field other than our own. And the accidents keep coming. The fires keep hur ng and destroying and our regula ons gently modify themselves, all at a me of some of the highest-paced technological change the world has ever seen. A dairy farmer does not check a pregnant herd by weighing them. A bat does not fly through a forest at night by sight. A whale does not communicate hundreds of miles by using morse code. Submarines rarely see their adversaries or even the sea that they glide through. The blind “see” by hearing sound and in 4 of the above examples, October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

it is the use of sound beyond our audible range that enables them to “hear the [ultrasonic] sounds that others cannot hear”. A Cylinder containing a Clean Agent is in itself acous c. Like a bell. A compartment is a room. Unless it is an anechoic chamber designed to completely absorb reflec ons of either sound or electromagne c waves, it reflects them. And its leak sites let them pass through. So just as a vet, a bat, a whale or a submarine sonar, uses ultrasound to “see the sounds that others cannot hear”, so can our fire industry use ultrasound to test both the contents of its gaseous ex nguishing systems and the compartmenta on integrity of the spaces that they are meant to be “held” in. All we need are the mathema cs. Mathema cs is the language of the universe. It expresses the physical principles that enable it. And it can be at the heart of our industry too. It already is by some of you reading this ar cle. At Coltraco Ultrasonics we share a Bri sh legacy in ultrasound that began in 1916 when the Admiralty used it to hunt enemy submarines. It is 104 years since we have had it. It has taken over 80 years for the fire industry to use it in the portable and constant monitoring of gaseous ex nguishing systems, and the compartment spaces into which they actuate and protect.

To those of you who use it, I salute you.

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Sanjivani Group of Institutes Ensure Health and Safety with Prama Hikvision's Advanced Temperature Screening Solutions

Submi ed by Prama Hikvision India Maharashtra's pioneering educa onal ins tu on, Sanjivani Group of Ins tutes, has ensured the health and safety of all the stakeholders through Prama Hikvision's advanced temperature screening solu ons. It is one of the ﬁnest examples of back to the business applica ons being successfully implemented in the educa on sector during the COVID-19 pandemic situa on. Empowering thousands of young students through educa on in the rural Maharashtra is the mission. Sanjivani Group of Ins tutes situated at Kopargaon, Ahmednagar, is a premier ins tute for M BA, Engineering, Pharmacy, Nursing and Diploma studies. The Sanjivani Rural Educa on Society (SRES), was established by Honorable Shri. Shankarrao Genuji Kolhe in 1983, at Kopargaon, rural domain in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra, India. As the educa onal scenario changed and evolved with me, the management understood the need and added a number of courses under the umbrella of the Sanjivani Rural Educa on Society (SRES), which subsequently 28

established the Sanjivani College of Pharmaceu cal Educa on and Research, Sanjivani Senior College, Sanjivani Junior College, Sanjivani Group of Schools including, Sanjivani Interna onal school, Shirdi and Sanjivani Interna onal school, Navi Mumbai. Health and Safety Challenges When the pandemic crisis happened, around that me there was lots of discussion and delibera on among the Sanjivani Group's management. They were ge ng prepared for it, by analysing all the challenges faced during the lockdown and speciﬁc criteria for the situa on. "We are sure the educa onal ins tutes in the post lockdown scenario will be facing a whole new set of health, safety and security challenges related to temperature screening, social distancing and crowd ﬂow control. These challenges are rela vely new challenges compared to the tradi onal educa on security challenges. We decided to take these challenges head on, to match up to the expecta ons of all our stakeholders," said Amit N. Kolhe, Managing Trustee, Sanjivani Rural Educa on Society (SRES). Technology Innovations The management was looking for a temperature screening October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

solu onthatcanbeusedforteachingfaculty,staff,studentsand visitors to comply with the health and safety guidelines. The request for the proof of concept was floated in the market. It was a pleasant surprise, the OEM and SI partner were ready within a shortest possible me. They offered a robust solu on,theeffec venessofthetemperaturescreeningsolu on for opera onal safety was unmatched. The AI detec on func on ensured that there were no recurring false alarms. Temperature Screening Installations Many advanced Temperature Screening Systems were installed in Sanjivani Group of ins tutes to comply with health and safety guidelines. Ar ficial Intelligence (AI) Enabled Temperature Screening Solu ons were deployed. The seamless integra on of these solu ons was done to ensure students, faculty and staff should be safe in the ongoing pandemic situa on.

“Being on the management side, it was important for us to make sure that best of the best technology was given to students and stakeholders. We have given maximum focus on safety and security of the education ecosystem. We think it worked very well for us. We are really thankful to Prama Hikvision for providing all the solutions and lots of value added services. Installing security system is one aspect, but service is another, which is really an important factor. Prama Hikvision supported us by giving the excellent service,” said Amit N. Kolhe, Managing Trustee, Sanjivani Rural Education Society (SRES). Advantages The management did extensive study and research, they found out what are the cri cal requirements. The Sanjivani Group of ins tutes' campus on a regular day had 8000 students present, it was a gigan c challenge for the management. The temperature screening solu ons provided by Prama Hikvision really helped to do the temperature screening of the visitors. It also helped in bifurca ng and iden fying the unauthorized visitors coming to the campus. October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

“We have ensured that proper training is given to our security personnel and staff to handle the security systems, solu ons and IT solu ons back end. The Temperature Screening solu ons worked very well for our requirements, Earlier we had to screen the students and staff one by one, which was quite cumbersome. Now with the latest AI enabled temperature screening solu on we are able to screen a large number of students and staff at a much faster rate. It has really helped us a lot," said Amit N Kolhe. "Temperature Screening Solu ons project for Sanjivani Group of Ins tutes, Kopargaon was a great learning experience. We value Prama Hikvision's experience and exper se in providing the latest and innova ve security solu ons. They work very well with vendor partners to deliver solu ons that suit the requirements. Their professionalism and quality services are always appreciated. We find their objec ve advice very valuable, while designing security solu ons and selec ng equipment to install," said Prama Hikvision's System Integra on Partner Hemant Rokade - Director Sales, OM Agency.

For more informa on visit: www.hikvisionindia.com 29

United Arab Emirates Expand VdS Listing The VdS cer ﬁca on body bundles 112 years of loss preven on experience and German engineering skills in comprehensive prac cal tes ng. Approved components and systems are fully compa ble with NFPA installa on standards and are accepted by authori es around the world. The "General Headquarter Command of Civil Defense" of the United Arab Emirates has now extended its lis ng of VdS-approved products to also include gas ex nguishing technology.

The “Command of Civil Defense” of the seven Emirates extends its acceptance of products approved by Europe’s largest institute for safety and now also lists gas extinguishing systems certied in accordance with the Guidelines VdS 2454.

"The VdS Quality Seal proves highest effec veness and reliability directly at first sight", emphasizes Gunnar Bellingen, head of the VdS fire protec on laboratories. "We are delighted about this renewed apprecia on by the UAE ministries, which underlines the fully reliable services of both our test engineers and the approved manufacturers in the en re world". The Emirates are among the wealthiest countries on the globe. The already strong construc on ac vity in this booming region is expected to even increase due to the upcoming World Expo to be held in Dubai in 2021. Cap on UAE: VdS-approved products are accepted by authori es on all con nents. The booming United Arab Emirates have now extended their lis ng and also added gas ex nguishing systems (pictured a test in the German VdS laboratories). For more informa on visit: www.vds-global.com

”

ALWAYS DELIVERED MORE THAN EXPECTED ” : :

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“

As holiday season approaches, priority one security has a few suggestions for your wish list! We offer a wide range of technology solutions that not only make your home safer, but provide other enhancements as well.

For Your Home:  Panic & Nurse Call Systems and Medical Alert Systems: Alert the authori es or EMS in case of emergency through your keypad or specially programmed key chains.  Pet-Friendly Mo on Detectors: Have furry friends? Priority One's mo on detectors are pet-friendly so you can set your alarm without worry when leaving pets at home.  Not-So-Safe Smartphones: Small children aren't the only users who go on-line from new unsecured devices. From DROIDs to iPhones, many adults and teens will receive consumer smartphones they've been pining for this holiday season. And most will immediately start configuring them with usernames and passwords for Gmail, Yahoo!, iTunes, Twi er, Facebook, and perhaps a corporate Exchange server. Unfortunately, a far smaller number will protect those phones with strong authen ca on-much less data encryp on-crea ng an easy avenue for personal and business iden ty the . Always enable built-in smartphone security measures and fill any gaps by downloading third-party security apps.  Phone App Configura on: Some packages include app configura on for up to two devices. Our security app allows you to remotely arm and disarm your system and HVAC units, and it will send you emails and text in the event of an emergency in your home or if there's something going on in your neighborhood, like a power outage. 32

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Holiday Safety & Security Technology

 Hazardous Hotspots: Whenever you tap Wi-Fi at a coffee shop, train sta on, or ski lodge, beware of fake Internet hotspots. Surveys show that viral SSIDs like "FreePublicWifi" are adver sed by 5 to 10 percent of Wi-Fi clients used in highly-traveled public places. Most are fellow travelers that naively tried to connect to similarly-named fake hotspots in the past. But a few might be criminals looking to snarf logins and passwords. So avoid en cingly-named Wi-Fi peers or networks that are too good to be true, and always protect hotspot traffic using VPN tunnels or SSL/TLS sessions.  Latchkey Technology Through Total Connect System: Keep your children safe and provide yourself peace of mind with the Total Connect System. Features of latch key technology include: • No fica on when your child arrives home or if your child is not home by a certain me, • Camera compa bility so that you can access clips of who walks through the door with your child, • And ability to create limited-access areas (think, gun safes and liquor cabinets) while you are not home.  Whole Gouse Distributed Audio Capability: Priority One can install audio throughout your home, crea ng a zone for each room. You can then select your source of music from an in-wall keypad, iPad or other smart device.  Home Theater Systems: Install automated lights, curtains, motorized screens, HD projectors and more in addi on to the a/v solu ons we provide. October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

For Your Business:  Distributed Audio + Video Display Systems: Similar to our residen al oﬀerings, Priority One has the exper se to install mul media technology in your workplace. Available features for your oﬃce include: A/V enabled conference rooms, high performance theater systems, and outdoor/all-weather video and speaker systems.  Access Control: Managed through an online pla orm, an access control system can ensure employee safety. Priority One can install these systems for a one-site business or mul -site corpora ons. With this technology, you can cut back on re-keying needs, manage employee access and decrease walk-in threats. Basic Fire Rules:

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  

keep potholders and food wrappers at least three feet away from heat sources. Test your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, ensuring that they work at op mal level yearround. Replace ba eries, as needed. Know where your exits are located and hold regular ﬁre drills that include prac cing at least two evacua on routes from every area or building to your safe refuge area. No fy the property manager about exit lights that are broken or vandalized. Never prop open self-closing doors, as they are designed to keep ﬂames and smoke from spreading. Keep exits and stairways free from obstruc ons at all mes. Don't store things on or under stairways, or on landings.

We hate to be a Scrooge, but cybercrime doesn't take the holidays oﬀ.

 Fires peak, par cularly in kitchens, during the holidays, so remain alert when preparing meals and

Everyone should keep online safety in mind.

30 November 2020

October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

Thus, ci es especially densely populated ones will need to create and adapt public environments and infrastructures to be livable, safe, agile a n d a d a p ta b l e . H e n c e , ta c ca l urbanism short-term, low-cost, and scalable interven ons can play a big role in shaping and implemen ng pilot p ro j e c t s . L i ke w i s e , c o m m u n i t y involvement is essen al as it allows for the acquisi on of local knowledge while ensuring public compliance with policy decisions. 2 | Adapting Urban Environments to New Necessities

Covid-19 And The Future of Cities: How are Public Space and Social Life Going to Change? By Cristina Garrido, Eleonora Giorgi, Anna Gonzàlez & Mireia Tuduri | 2020 As it is known, the Covid-19 crisis will bring big social consequences which will radically change both our human rela ons and the spaces these inhabit. As the concentrated manifesta on of the contemporary world they are, ci es are going to be hit by this shi ing paradigm. Urban spaces will have to readjust their design and their infrastructures to the new reality. Also our social interac ons will change. We will no longer have so much interac on with others when we go out. Some cultures the warmest ones will even have to change more drama cally. We wonder: What will happen with the two or three kisses, tradi onal in some Southern European countries? Or with the shake of hands, used in Anglosaxon cultures? This situa on of “physical distance” will lead us to develop a more virtual life, where online pla orms will become, even more, the new public sphere.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, both urban facili es public transport, leisure, shops, etc. and public spaces will have to adapt so all preven ve measures are fulﬁlled. Indoors, regula ons will be more rigorous: cleaning and disinfec on will be done with higher frequency, new measures such as hand sani zers use or shoe sole cleaning will be implemented, and their capacity will need to be reduced to comply with physical distancing. Addi onally, protec ve equipment masks, gloves, screens, sensors, etc. and access control methods will be installed to avoid any risk of transmission and infec on.

How is the future in our ci es going to be? How is this crisis going to transform our public space and social life in ci es? We do not know yet. The only thing we can do right now is to assess what is happening and learn from the outcomes in order to make ci es be er in the future. 1 | Placemaking: Bringing People Together but Keeping Them Apart A big part of urban planning’s history has consisted of managing our way out of infec ous diseases and pandemics. Today, Covid-19 is challenging urbaniza on again, re-opening the debate regarding which city model is preferable: urban sprawl or urban densiﬁca on. While densely populated and hyper-connected ci es are more eﬃcient and sustainable, they can amplify pandemic risk of transmission. 34

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Local and interna onal mobility will be monitored and controlled, while ci es are already trying to reorganize ﬂows, reschedule working and school ac vi es to avoid concentra ons during rush hour. We will have to get used to new rou nes and social behaviors, which could radically change our way to use the public space. The psychological eﬀects of stay-at-home policies and physical distancing will be strong, especially in those cultures where gatherings and open-air ac vi es are at the core of social life. Everything considered normal un l a few months ago could drama cally change, not only because of the new rules and restric ons, but also because of people’s fear to physically interact with others.

3 | Housing as a Right & Multifunctionality as a Must Stay-at-home policies are exacerba ng inequali es as large parts of the worldwide popula on live in slums or do not have a home at all. To top it off, common places to find shelter or bathrooms libraries, gyms are closed. Consequently, as the coronavirus spreads, these groups are the most vulnerable. 5 | Physically Apart but More Connected than Ever? This leads to the conclusion that, a er Covid-19, the design of indoor environments will have to change. If people are to spend more me indoors, homes will need to accommodate more uses. Apartments will have to be properly ven lated and be er lit in order to improve living condi ons and avo i d e n re l y s e a l e d b u i l d i n g s recircula ng pathogens through their systems. Shared spaces will need to be rethought as well. 4 | Adjusting Everyday Life to the “New Normal” The pandemic affected almost every aspect of people’s life, and at the moment, going back to old habits does not seem a possible scenario. So what will the “new normality” look like? October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

The “new normal” will also have a direct eﬀect on the use of urban spaces, in a context where there will be a dras c shi from developing social life outdoors to being more conﬁned. A higher consump on of Internet-based ac vi es (online shopping, telemedicine, macro-events, arts and leisure, etc.) will become more usual. Despite the big challenges this shi will bring, it also represents an opportunity for all these ac vi es to reinvent themselves by means of innova on and new technologies. The counterside of this new virtual life’s technological high dependence will widen social inequality. As not everyone counts with appropriate Internet connec on and digital devices, this crisis is an opportunity to rethink the future feasibility of telema c educa on and work models improvised during quaran ne. In the applicability to the “new normal”, it will be essen al to set up regula ons that guarantee social inclusion. 6 | Care Economy: Building More Resilient Communities The health crisis has clearly revealed the vulnerabili es of the most disadvantaged groups. The need to respond to their necessi es during the 35

lockdown has demonstrated to be even more pressing than before. Many municipali es developed plans to support low-income families, elders or precarious workers, but at the same me bo om-up mobiliza on of neighbors associa ons and selfmanaged organiza ons revealed to be very important assets for local communi es. Nevertheless, as the lockdown ends, the structural socio economic problems that the coronavirus has revealed will stay. This demonstrates the importance of establishing safe ways to assist elderly people and to protect precarious workers or domes c caregivers, as well as suppor ng parents in reconciling their professional and personal life. Achieving this will represent a major step towards a more resilient society.

WHAT COMES NEXT? THE TIME FOR MORE EQUAL AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES AND ENVIRONMENTS The pandemic crisis of Covid-19 has been the trigger to make visible a series of pre-exis ng social and economic problems of contemporary ci es. Social inequali es and class differences have manifested more obviously – with “essen al” workers having to go out to work; housing condi ons being very different for everyone during the confinement or the impossibility to access new technologies for several social groups. Issues that have made even more clear the fact that we live in an unequal society that is suscep ble to collapse in front of any crisis. If in the last decades the way how governments and corpora ons gather data from individuals for Big Data purposes has been on the agenda of all discussions, the Covid-19 crisis will widen the debate. The need for more discipline and new regula ons can inevitably lead towards a situa on of social control. In this new context, there will be a need to find a balance between establishing safety, health and well-being for everyone, but respec ng the individual and collec ve freedom at the same me. However, despite the impact Covid-19 is going to have in ci es, we should really consider this crisis as an opportunity to rethink our ci es and create more resilient communi es and livable environments.

October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

Introducing Kapri Corp's UVC Based Conveyorized System KAP5530-UVC254 Kapri Corp was formed in 2005 to meet the growing needs of Government, its security agencies and the private sector in the ﬁeld of High End Security Solu ons as an answer to the scourge of terrorism and high incidence of criminal ac vity today. In addi on, early 2020, the COVID-19 virus posed a challenge to health and wellbeing of Indians. This emergency, of pandemic propor ons, brought about Kapri Corp's response by indigenously designing package sterilizing solu ons.

The KAP5530-UVC254

Today, Kapri Corp is the one of very few organiza ons to have successfully developed an indigenous machine capable of sterilizing mul ple baggage on a conveyor system using the Ultra Violet (UVC) light. 360° coverage with an effec ve treatment of over 95% of the surface area of the package is obtained using our signature “MESH” conveyor which allows the UVC light through to all corners of the ar cle being sterilized. The KAP5530-UVC254 is the safest design of UVC light incorpora ng the technology of steriliza on by UVC but with a difference. This model u lizes the UVC light band which is between 253Nm and 254Nm. It is the one of the most effec ve means to sterilize packages safely without any side effects or added by products of the process which is common when using any other means of disinfec on. Customization: The unit at present has a tunnel size of 55cm(W) by 30 cm(H) but can be customized to meet the needs of any client including CARGO services. The customiza on of the not just the tunnel but also the height of the entrance/exit trays as well as the length of the entrance/exit feeds can a be customized exactly to client requirements. Controls: A full LED panel with depression bu ons and an EMERGENCY STOP bu on form the controls of the unit. A sensor inside the tunnel detects any drop in the UVC light emissions to indicate a failure in the lamp thus ensuring that maximum exposure to the light is guaranteed at all mes. Advantages of the System are as follows: • At lower energies and less me, the disrup on to the Amino Acid (DNA) make -up of Viruses, Bacteria and Spores are immediately “warped” and rendered inac ve. • Where normal UV exposure from other wavelength types take over ten minutes to kill the Viruses and Bacteria, the UVC at about 20W output requires only few seconds of exposure to irreparably damage the DNA of the pathogen (Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi and Protozoa). • Our Signature “MESH” & Chain belt ensures that total exposure is given to the ar cle put within the tunnel, and the design is robust enough to carry weights of up to 150kg. October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

• Easy to maintain equipment. Modular design ensures that services, replacement of any failed part can be done in minutes. • Does not damage perishables such as groceries. • Does not damage plas cs / enamels / rubber. • It does not require special training. Simple start/stop func on with Emergency stop. • It can be synchronized with a baggage screening system to work in tandem and thus does not require any special accessories or infrastructure to be installed where there are already baggage screening systems in place. • All parts are made indigenously so there is no signiﬁcant down me for replacement of any failed parts. • Portable and easy to move with handles to li the system to points where it is needed. Where is it Useful? • Government Buildings, Malls, Hospitals, Airports Railway and Metro Sta ons. • Industry Packaging (Amazon, Flipkart etc.), Assembly Lines, Food processing lines. • Hotels, Grocers, Housing Complexes/Socie es, Private Homes, Marriage Halls. • Stadium, Bus Park, Any venue having some form of carry on. For more informa on visit: www.kapricorp.in 37

Johnson Controls Launches Smoke Detection Technology Designed to Meet 2021 UL Standard th

TrueAlarm Advanced Smoke Sensors Meet UL 268 7 Edition Testing Requirements Coming in June 2021 They use sophis cated algorithms to analyze par cles and determine whether they are generated by an actual ﬁre rather than smoke or steam from cooking. Sensor alarm points can be programmed for med, mul -stage opera on per sensor. A lower percentage alert can cause a warning prompt to inves gate the issue while a higher programmed percentage will ini ate an alarm.

“The design of our new sensors is based on decades of re detection experience and demonstrates our commitment to creating the most innovative and reliable products in the industry,” said Peter Ryan, senior The latest updates to UL 268, Standard for Safety of Smoke Detectors for Fire Alarm Systems, call for significant improvements to smoke detec on technology. Set to take effect in June 2021, the new UL 268 7thedi on standard requires smoke sensors, detectors and smoke alarms to pass more than 215 new or revised performance tests, including three new challenging tests: a cooking nuisance alarm test, a flaming polyurethane foam test and a smoldering polyurethane test. To sa sfy these requirements, Johnson Controls, the global leader for smart and sustainable buildings, has introduced advanced smoke sensors built upon the established performance of its flagship TrueAlarm Technology.

commercializa on manager, Global Fire Detec on Products, Johnson Controls. “These re-designed smoke

sensors reduce the number of nuisance alarms while providing early notication, when needed, to help building occupants evacuate quickly and safely during a re event.” The ability of the redesigned TrueAlarm sensors to intelligently diﬀeren ate between high-risk ﬁres and burning food or steam is especially important for commercial spaces such as hotels, dormitories, hospitals and other facili es that are prone to nuisance alarms. th The new 7 edi on compliant TrueAlarm sensors are available for the Simplex product line.

The UL 7 edi on polyurethane tests be er represent the type of smoke and flames produced in modern building fires due to the increased use of synthe c furnishing materials that can ignite and burn faster than other materials. The cooking test was added a er research showed people frequently disable smoke alarms due to nuisance alarms caused by cooking and shower steam. The new TrueAlarm sensors provide earlier detec on, be er fire type recogni on and fewer nuisance alarms. 38

For more informa on visit: www.johnsoncontrols.com October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

Prama Hikvision Introduces AX PRO for Comprehensive Wireless Alarm Solutions snapshots of detected ac vity to verify alarm no ﬁca ons, receiving alerts even before intruders realize that they have been recorded on video. The PIRCAM is also equipped with LED Illumina on for high-quality imaging in the dark.

Prama Hikvision, the India's leading video security solu on provider, has introduced a new genera on of wireless alarm systems - the AX PRO - delivering comprehensive alarm solu ons for both residen al and commercial applica ons. Comprehensive and Integrated Alarm Solutions The newly launched AX PRO product family includes a compact panel hub for a wide range of detectors and peripherals, covering intrusion detec on, video verifica on, smoke detec on, flood detec on, and home automa on. Developed with both the installer and user in mind, the system can be configured according to a variety of needs. Installa on complexity is minimal so the end user can easily manage the system with its intui ve user interface. AX PRO Panel Hub with Dual RF Chip Design The AX PRO hub itself supports several protocols for wireless integra on, welcoming the connec on of up to 210 peripherals. The panel has been designed with dual RF (radio frequency) chips, featuring Tri-X and CAM-X wireless technologies, to block interference across channels and enable high speed and reliable transmission of alarm messages simultaneously. Extensive Range of Detectors and Peripherals Options Alongside the panel, Prama Hikvision has developed an extensive range of detectors and sensors to tailor the system to different installa on needs, such as combined PIR-Glass Break detector, safety detectors, door contacts, smoke sensor, water-leak detector, etc. Also available is a wireless passive infrared PIRCAM detector, which detects infrared signals over a 12-meter range and collect snapshots of any moving object. With the PIRCAM, users can view those October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

Built with prac cality in mind, Prama Hikvision has created a wide range of peripherals to maximize user safety and assist their day-today ac vi es. Such devices include sta c and portable panic bu on op ons to keep occupants safe, while the wireless LED keypad or ergonomic keychain fob provide mul ple control op ons to suit the user's preferences. Intruder Verication as a Service If customers choose, the AX PRO hub panel can be linked to their IP cameras over the cloud or a sub-stream to ini ate Intruder Verifica on as a Service (IVaaS). This service provides live video verifica on or 7 seconds of video recording for users to quickly and efficiently confirm alarm events on the system. App Compatibility Users will take charge and stay connected using the AX PRO since it is fully compa ble with Prama Hikvision's proprietary HikConnect app. The app provides voice and video clip no fica ons for users, and allows them to remotely control and monitor their alarm systems. The AX PRO also supports the Hik-ProConnect app, which can provide full configura on assistance for installers and enable them to offer cloud-based security solu ons and services with customer's authoriza on.

For more informa on visit: www.hikvisionindia.com 39

Hanwha Techwin Launches Wisenet7 Camera Equipped with Innovative Technologies Wisenet7’s Lens Distor on Correc on technology corrects video distor on created through the use of wide angle lenses, delivering video that more closely resembles what is seen through the human eye. Cybersecurity is of the u p m o st i m p o r ta n c e i n t h e v i d e o surveillance industry. Based on Hanwha Techwin’s 30 years of experience in innova ve technology, it has released a product showcasing the industry’s highest level of cybersecurity policy. Wisenet7 cameras use Hanwha Techwin’s proprietary device cer ficate issuing system which embeds unique cer ficates into each product during the manufacturing process. Hanwha Techwin’s security policies, including Secure Boot, Secure OS, Secure Storage, and Secure Open Pla orm ensure product cybersecurity at each step of the way. Global video surveillance solu on provider of South Korea, Hanwha Techwin launches a new product lineup equipped with Wisenet7 to tap into the global markets. Wisenet7 is a SoC developed by Hanwha Techwin, which encompasses 30 years of the core of video surveillance solu ons and innova ve technology. The newly introduced Wisenet7 cameras (XNB-9002/8002, XND-9082RV/8082RV, XND-9082RF/8082RF, XNV9082R/8082R, XNO-9082R/8082R) offer up to 4K high-resolu on video providing clear and vivid images suitable for forensic search applica ons. In addi on to high-resolu on, various func ons such as ‘extreme WDR’, 'noise reduc on technology’, 'lens distor on correc on' were installed to improve overall video quality.

In addi on, Hanwha Techwin's this cybersecurity policies have been cer ﬁed by UL CAP (Cybersecurity Assurance Program), an interna onal cybersecurity standard. The UL Cybersecurity Assurance Program (UL CAP) aims to minimize risks by crea ng standardized, testable criteria for assessing so ware vulnerabili es and weaknesses in embedded products and systems. "Hanwha Techwin is thrilled to not only custom develop SoC, the most important aspect of the camera, but also introduce an excellent camera product to the market" said a Hanwha Techwin representa ve.

The Wisenet7 SoC includes improved extreme WDR technology that reduces noise which occurs during the WDR imaging process. This provides clear and well contrasted images even in extreme backligh ng condi ons. Advanced noise reduc on technology of Wisenet7 uses different filters for moving and s ll areas within a camera’s field of view. This minimizes mo on blur and improves edge and color defini on of objects, making them easier to iden fy when viewing live video and during forensic review.

For more informa on visit: www.Wisenet7.com www.hanwha-security.com

October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

LEAPTOR is based out of Pune and offers wide range of products from Turns le, Boom barrier, Flap barriers, swing barriers to Access Control Solu ons, These products are designed to create a difference to your secure premises and assures peace of mind to users. We have the LEAPTOR product series as below which will allow the access for 30-35 people per minute. In limited Access & Highly Security area. 1. Turnstile LEAPTOR 3-arm, tripod turns le only rotates an arm 120 degrees, enough to let one person pass, and then it locks. These turns les are o en also used for coun ng the numbers of people passing through a gate. There are tripod- Bridge or Pillar type Variants or the Full height turns les -Single & Dual lane available with us. Pillar/Bridge types Turns les being small in size can accommodate at less space to control the pedestrian access and also ensures discipline/aesthe cs in the office. Turns les are easy to operate & integrate with any access/BMS systems are very popular in every industry. Both turns les creates freeway in case of power failure & panic situa on automa cally to immediate escape. Turns les are very popular at security desks, governmental facili es, schools, banks, hospitals, universi es, sports and entertainment centers. 2. Flap Barrier LEAPTOR Flap barriers series are ar culately designed to suit the internal office layout and adds aesthe cs value to the recep on area. The ease to use & its simple integra on makes it very popular in every industry. SS 304 casing &acrylic flap which moves inside the casing in opera on makes it suitable for handling heavy crowd public places like Commercial office, Metro sta ons, Railway sta ons, Airports etc. As per site condi ons these can be either single lane/dual lane. These can be specially designed to have high width lane for handicapped entry keeping same aesthe cs & access control integra on system. These are installed in indoor applica ons like office, admin buildings, IT parks, large business facili es, industrial areas, etc. 3. Swing Barrier LEAPTOR Swing barriers Series designed with SS bent tubular sec on which acts as swinging sec on to allow/restrict the access. These have high performance drives & control system. These are available in Single & dual swing mechanism suitable for the various requirements. These are most popularly installed in corporate office entrance, Government offices & heavy crowd premises. As the number of visitors in the restricted premises get increasing on everyday basis, security guards and recep onists finds it difficult to keep track of October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

growing human traffic in a building. Swing barriers are more a rac ve & specially designed to match the premises. Swing barriers are either single/dual lane with metallic/acrylic flaps depending the site requirements. 4. P- Type Gate LEAPTOR, P type swing gate is an alterna ve solu on for pedestrian entries wherein trolley movements, material handling or handicap wheelchair entries in minimal space. The elegant design makes it suitable for lobby entrances & offers a low to midlevel security. These have pillar type design which accommodates in very less area & performs the heavy opera ons. These have facility to integrate with access control system for controlled & monitoring of entry & exit. 5. Sliding Barrier LEAPTOR Sliding barriers series are of SS 304 construc on having very sturdy design & high aesthe cs value. Sliding barriers are very popular in Airports/Metro sta ons & commercial premises. Various inbuilt sensors make these products very safe in opera on. Heavy duty drives & control mechanism is adding value to be used in crowded places. Sliding Flaps are majorly used for high speed opera ons & flap retracts inside the casing body in opera on. These can be either single/dual flap depending upon the requirements. 6. Boom Barrier LEAPTOR Boom barrier series comes in various form factors for varied applica ons and is sturdy & sleek designed in aluminum bar up to 7 meters for outdoor applica on and is designed for very high degree of opera ons. The Boom Barrier is corrosion resistant and power coated with casing of arrow Led indicator based profile. Based on the requirements & site condi ons these can be designed 90 deg folding arms for parking area. Boom barriers are used for heavy duty applica on like toll plazas, commercial premises can also be specially designed. There are Straight Type, Ar culate Type, Fence Type and Adver sing Barriers used for different sites based on the foo all and security parameters. For more informa on visit: www.leaptor.com 41

ROM THE PHONE TO YOUR HANDS:

LAME RETARDANTS ANOTHER REASON TO WASH HANDS

The authors were surprised to find higher levels of almost all halogenated flame retardants, all organophosphate flame retardants, and phthalate plas cizers on the surfaces of cell phones and other hand-held electronic devices like tablets, compared to non-hand-held devices like desktop computers. This included finding higher levels of long-banned Polybrominated Diphenyl ethers on new cell phones than on the surfaces of older desktop computers. The researchers suggest that these old chemicals got to the new phones by transfer from hands. Why are TVs a Source of Flame Retardants? The answer lies in the odd story of old "instant-on" cathode ray tube TVs manufactured in the 1970s.

Harmful flame retardants may be lurking on your hands and cell phone, according to a recent study. Once on your This technology, which involved warming the cathode ray tube cell phone, that surface provides an ongoing source of so that the TV would immediately project an image when exposure to these chemicals each me you touch your turned on, resulted in several hundred TV fires in the 1970s. cell phone. The response was to recommend flammability standards that led to large amounts of flame retardants added to the outside Harmful flame retardants may be lurking on your hands casings of the TVs. However, those same levels of flame and cell phone, according to a recent study. retardants con nued to be used as much as a quarter of the weight of the plas c case even a er the industry moved to Published in Environmental Science & Technology current TVs that pose a minimal fire risk. Le ers, the researchers found that halogenated flame retardants added to plas c TV cases can move from the Thus, recently manufactured TVs contain high levels of TV to indoor air and dust, to hands, and then to cell unnecessary and harmful flame retardants. We are exposed phones and other hand-held electronic devices. because the flame retardants are not bonded to the cases, but escape over me to contaminate our indoor environments. Once on your cell phone, that surface provides an ongoing source of exposure to these chemicals each "If a flame retardant is used in the TVs, we then find it me you touch your cell phone. throughout the house, including on the hands of the resident," said co-author Lisa Melymuk, an Assistant Professor "It's well-known that viruses are transferred between of Environmental Chemistry at Masaryk University. surfaces and hands," said co-author Miriam Diamond, a Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at the The COVID-19 Pandemic has taught us to wash our hands University of Toronto. regularly and well to avoid ge ng ill. The results of this study suggest that frequent hand washing can also reduce our "Our study shows that toxic chemicals like flame exposure to harmful flame retardants. "However, to reduce retardants do the same. That's another reason we health harm from flame retardants, the electronics industry should all wash our hands o en and well," the should stop their unnecessary use," said Arlene Blum, professor added. Execu ve Director of the Green Science Policy Ins tute. Halogenated flame retardants, such as Polybrominated Diphenyl ethers, are known to pose a health risk to children. Previous studies have found that exposure to these chemicals can cause lower IQ in children and behavioral problems. 42

“Fire Safety can be achieved by innovative product design and materials instead of the use of toxic chemicals that can remain in our homes and in us for years to come,” Blum added. October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

THIS NEW TECHNIQUE CAN HELP DISINFECT N95 MASKS Uses a Combination of Heat and Humidity to Try to Decontaminate Masks. They next sprayed droplets of the brew on a piece of melt-blown fabric, a material used in most N95 masks, and let it dry. Finally, they heated their samples at temperatures ranging from 25 to 95 degrees Celsius for up to 30 minutes with rela ve humidity up to 100 per cent. Higher humidity and heat substan ally reduced the amount of virus the team could detect on the mask, although they had to be careful not to go too hot, which addi onal tests revealed could lower the material's ability to ﬁlter out virus-carrying droplets.

Using a combina on of moderate heat and high rela ve humidity, researchers were able to disinfect N95 mask materials without hampering their ability to ﬁlter out viruses, including Covid-19.

"The ability to decontaminate several of these masks while doctors are having a coffee break will lessen the chance that masks contaminated with Covid viruses would expose other patients," said study author Steven Chu from the Stanford University in the US. According to the study, published in the journal ACS Nano, facing a shortage of the masks early this year, researchers considered a number of ways to disinfect them for reuse, including ultraviolet light, hydrogen peroxide vapours, autoclaves and chemical disinfectants. The problem is that many of these methods degrade the N95 masks' filtering abili es so that at most they could be reused a few mes. In the new study, the research team focused their a en on on a combina on of heat and humidity to try to decontaminate masks. The team first mixed up batches of SARS-CoV-2 virus in liquids designed to mimic the fluids that might spray out of our mouths when we cough, sneeze, sing or simply breathe. 44

The sweet spot appeared to be 85 degrees Celsius with 100 per cent rela ve humidity - the team could ﬁnd no trace of SARS-CoV-2 a er cooking the masks under those condi ons. Addi onal results indicate masks could be decontaminated and reused upwards of 20 mes and that the process works on at least two other viruses. Researchers have known for a long me that heat and humidity are good ways to inac vate viruses - there hadn't been an urgent need for a detailed quan ta ve analysis of something like mask decontamina on un l now.

"The new data provide some quantitative guidance for the future," Chu noted.

October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

Extend Deadline for New Fire Safety Norms Till March 2021: Hotel Owners st

The owners have requested the Delhi government to extend the deadline (from March 31 , 2020 to st March 31 , 2021) for the implementa on of the new norms that are currently under review As Hotels and Guesthouses in the capital gear up to reopen a er a lull of five months, owners of such establishments have a new reason to worry - a bunch of New Fire Safety Norms, which were no fied in May 2019. The owners have requested the Delhi government to st extend the deadline (from March 31 , 2020 to March 31st, 2021) for the implementa on of the new norms that are currently under review. A delega on of Delhi Hotel and Restaurant Owners' Associa on met Chief Minister Mr. Arvind Kejriwal in this regard for the new rules demand amendments to building bylaws to strengthen Fire Safety Norms. As per the new amendments, kitchen or cooking ac vity in any form is not allowed on roo ops or basements of buildings, and storage of inflammable materials or temporary roofing is banned in terraces. Besides, inflammable materials - like carpets and wooden or foam panelings - are not allowed on passages, corridors and staircases of buildings, and storage of gas cylinders in viola on of standards prescribed by the Na onal Building Code is also banned. A er a massive fire in Karol Baugh's Hotel Arpit Palace claimed 17 lives in February last year, the Delhi government had got all hotels in Paharganj and Karol Baugh inspected. The government had later no fied amendments to the building bylaws to strengthen fire safety norms in May 2019. The amendments, which are under review a er hotel owners raised concerns about certain provisions, were to be implemented by December 2019 but was extended ll March 31st, 2020. In November last year, the Delhi government had cons tuted a sub-commi ee, which was chaired by a special Commissioner of Police (Licensing), to review and make appropriate recommenda ons for fire safety of guest houses and restaurants. The commi ee is yet to submit its report, said a senior police official. 46

Mr. Mohit Shah, general secretary of Delhi Hotel and Restaurant Owners' Associa on, said, "The process got delayed due to the Pandemic. Our fire NOCs are not valid right now since the new norms were no fied. A er the recommenda ons of the commi ee are no fied, we need me to implement the New Fire Safety Norms in our mee ng with the CM, we requested him to extend the deadline for the implementa on of the new norms ll March 31st, 2021.” The Delhi Fire Service held a mee ng with the Delhi government's Principal Secretary (Home) to decide on the issue. A mee ng with Chief Secretary Mr.Vijay Dev was also held recently to discuss the ma er, said a senior official, reques ng anonymity. According to a senior official in the home department of Delhi government, the decision to extend the deadline for the implementa on of the new norms has to be taken by the urban development department. "So far no decision has been taken in this regard," said a senior official with the urban development department. Hotel owners say that they need me ll next year, as the industry is badly hit due to the pandemic and there is October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

shortage of labourers. “Implementa on of the new norms requires some changes in our building. But right now, construc on workers are not easily available. Moreover, we want to first restart our businesses,” said Boddy Lohia, president of Mahipalpur hotel owners' associa on. The hotel owners had raised objec ons to a few provisions in the amendment, such as installa on of Carbon monoxide detectors and fire check or protec on doors, and no fire NoCs to hotels with more than four floors. Former DFS chief AK Sharma said the new amendments were an outcome of the Hotel Arpit Palace fire tragedy as it was realised that these hotels need addi onal norms with respect to life and fire safety. He said that the new norms should be implemented in a me bound manner. “Not only in view of the COVID Pandemic, but even earlier also these hotel owner Organisa ons had requested me for implemen ng these mandates. Are we not playing with the safety of people? Since the government has decided to open hotels, the review commi ee should get it done on war foo ng and the report must be submi ed without delay. The same must be implemented in a me bound manner. Therea er, those who do not implement the new rules must be penalised,” Sharma said. Every hotel or a lodging house needs a licence from DCP (licencing) to run it, under the Delhi Police Act. For obtaining the licence, an applica on form has to be accompanied with land ownership proof, rent agreement and the site and building plan and the premise has to be inspected by the licencing branch. Joint Commissioner of Police (licensing) Mr.Suvashis Choudhary said the report is being prepared by the sub-commi ee and is in its final stage. It is expected to be submi ed vey soon. “The new rules issued by the fire department through a no fica on dated May 27th, 2019, were not being followed by many hotels at that me and therefore many of them were forced to shut down. Because hotel owners also had apprehensions towards the new norms, the commi ee was then set up in November last year to review them,” Choudhary said.

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Delhi police's public rela ons oﬃcer Eish Singhal also did not comment on the ma er. A Delhi government spokesperson said, “The government will consider their proposal and decide a er examining all the details.” October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

22 Per Cent of School Buildings Old or Dilapidated: NCPCR Report The report on 'Safe and Secure School Environment' was based on a survey of 26,071 schools across 12 states carried out by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) to examine the safety and security of children in schools in terms different indicators. About 22 per cent of schools across the country are opera ng from old or dilapidated buildings, according to a report by the apex child rights body NCPCR. The report on 'Safe and Secure School Environment' was based on a survey of 26,071 schools across 12 states carried out by the Na onal Commission for Protec on of Child Rights (NCPCR) to examine the safety and security of children in schools in terms different indicators. The states covered are from north, west, east and northeastern parts of India. Several districts were covered in U ar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chha sgarh, Haryana and Rajasthan while a few districts were covered in Odisha, Mizoram, U arakhand, Meghalaya, Jharkhand and Chandigarh, the report said. The survey showed that 22 per cent of schools are opera ng from old or dilapidated buildings, while 31 per cent schools reported cracks in structures. Nineteen per cent of the schools were located near rail tracks, whereas only one per cent has speed breakers with zebra crossing sign for safety and security of children. Another major finding in the report was that only 74 per cent schools have in-built water facili es in toilets and in the rest students have to carry water from outside. "This is an alarming situa on. It puts student's health and physical safety at risk," the report said. It further found that only 49 per cent schools have disabled-friendly toilets. "In terms of inclusiveness, provision of disabled-friendly toilets within the premises is an equally significant indicator. As per our data, only 49 per cent schools have such a facility. It is an issue that needs to be addressed," it said. 48

On mid-day meals (MDM), the report said only 57 per cent of children are sa sfied with the quality of food. As per U-DISE data, 81.5 per cent of the schools in the states covered in this report provide mid-day meals. However, the report said that only 56 per cent of those 81.51 per cent is providing food as per the prescribed menu. "Only 57 per cent of children are sa sfied with the quality of food. There have been cases where the food was not even fit for consump on and children have been sick. They are not even being provided food in the required quan ty (61 per cent). It is not surprising that if the food was not prepared as per the menu, the nutri ve value in the food provided is only 60 percent of me," the report noted. U-DISE is a database about schools in India. The database was developed by the Department of School Educa on, HRD Ministry. Checking the provisions for inclusiveness, protec on and safety of children with special needs (CWSN) at the school, the report found that only 40 per cent schools had facili es like classrooms, play areas, toilets accessible by wheelchair. It was also found that in only in about 47 per cent schools C W S N were being assisted in the form of being accompanied by a teacher or a endant while using toilets. "This is alarming. As only a handful schools have speciallyabled friendly toilets. Sixty-one per cent of schools have obstruc on free corridors and staircases. This could impose a serious threat to safety of children in rest of the schools," the report said. It also found that only 32 per cent of schools have provision for blind students. The report found that not all schools had October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

electricity and out of the total schools with electricity, 77 per cent had a proper working electrical ﬁtment in classrooms and corridors. Seven per cent schools having electrical connec on face problem of shocks while nine per cent have faced problem of short circuit/shock a week before the survey, the report said.

30 per cent of them are government schools and 70 per cent private schools. "While enquiring about safety of a child when the child is in the transport bus, it was seen that only 18 per cent have any teacher and a endant with students on buses," it said.

"One of the safety concerns emerged from the survey is in around 22 percent schools, high voltage wires/ transformers within or adjacent to the school premises pose a safety challenge. Although the electric shock cases are low, however it is s ll dangerous," it said.

On the issue of Cyber Safety in Schools, it was observed that not all schools visited had computer rooms, and of the 55 per cent of schools where they have computer rooms and technological devices only 44 per cent schools have security systems in place to restrict internet and 42 per cent have blocked access to social media use by students, the report said.

On fire safety in schools, the report said that 63 per cent schools have fire ex nguisher, 43 per cent schools have emergency steps in place in the school to meet any fire emergency.

Discouragement and Prohibi on of all kinds of bullying was being observed at 90 per cent schools, the report said.

"Data shows that the preparedness of schools against ﬁre safety is weak and needs to be worked on," it said. On transporta on facili es, the report found that there is a transporta on facility available in 28 per cent schools

October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

"Only 60 percent schools said that they have pla orm for children to discuss and share their concerns related to safety and protec on as against 75 per cent schools that said to have a policy against child abuse and 68 per cent schools that said to have a clearly laid out procedure in case of child abuse," the report said.

SOLUTION ARTICLE

See in the Dark with Varied Imaging Technologies Submi ed by Prama Hikvision India The need for crisp and clear video images in low-light environments always exists. The data confirms it: when commi ng crimes like burglary and vehicle the , criminals 1 definitely prefer to hide under the cover of darkness. So to both prevent and tackle crime, it's vital to have security cameras that can record quality, discernible footage in a variety of light condi ons, especially in near total darkness. For years, improvements in sensor technology and algorithms to enhance the image have helped deliver be er surveillance in low-light condi ons. Besides IR illumina on, other availabili es include the addi on of visible light in the vicinity of the field of view, the use of image intensifiers, low-light lenses, and thermal cameras. In this ar cle, we talk you through different types of cameras - including some of the latest Prama Hikvision technologies - to help you understand the workarounds for low-light and pitch-black monitoring. See in Low Light Low light means anything down to 0.002 Lux – that's the same condi ons as a moonless, clear night. Many surveillance cameras built today for low-light performance can deliver usable and high-quality images by applying be er op cs and advanced sensors. To put it simply, the lens used thereby gets as much light as possible onto the image sensor. In this way, Hikvision has two op ons. The first is the Prama Hikvision ColorVu cameras, which is ideal for monitoring at a closer range. With an F1.0 super aperture and an advanced sensor, these intelligent eyes pull in four mes the light of a conven onal camera, for daylight-like color images in low-light condi ons. Should light levels fall to zero, the built-in warm supplemental ligh ng ensures the camera can s ll capture vivid color images within up-to 40 meters range. If you need low-light security monitoring over larger distances, then Prama Hikvision's DarkFighter camera range

are ideal. Featuring a large-sized progressive scan CMOS sensor and a DarkEye SLA lens with a super large F0.95 aperture, DarkFighter cameras can deliver excellent HD high color images down to 0.002 Lux.

Conven onal Camera

DarkFighter Camera

The camera's increased field of view allows security opera ves to pan around and cover a large area of a en on, par cularly ideal for city streets monitoring, and open environments like ports, squares, parking lots, etc. See in Total Darkness When there is zero ambient light, there is one industrystandard op on: Infra-Red Cameras. Security camera manufacturers have created true day/night cameras that add IR illuminators to capture monochrome images when the light level falls to zero lux. Specifically, IR illuminators emit infrared light that is reflected by objects and is further collected by the camera sensor to produce a sharp, black and white image. Today, the vast majority of cameras on the market come with built-in IR illuminators. But if you want to take things a step further, it's worth considering the Prama Hikvision DarkFighterX camera range. Based on the human eye, these cameras use a single lens featuring two sensors: one for IR imaging – ensures that video footage is bright and sharp, and the other for visible light – allows video images to be reproduced in full and vivid color. Both signals work together to create a single, bright, full-color image in light condi ons as low as 0.0005 Lux. In zero light, the cameras enable the mixed supplemental ligh ng to render color images.

h ps://www.securitymagazine.com/ar cles/90384-murder-robbery-and-driving-while-impaired-happen-at-night

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See in all Weather Conditions But what if it's pitch black, and your view is obscured - by rain, fog or even thick foliage? If you're trying to see in the most challenging of condi ons, there's one trusty op on: Thermal Cameras. Rather than using light, thermal cameras measure heat - or thermal radia on - to generate images from their field of view. In this way, the rendered image is far less affected by rain, snow, fog, smog or indeed anything that can obscure light. The way thermal cameras "see" allows them to pick up movements with high accuracy, giving security opera ves eyes on objects, vehicles and intruders. Combined with Video Content Analysis (VCA) technology, thermal cameras can offer a range of perimeter security solu ons, such as linecrossing detec on and intrusion detec on. This means they can easily detect intruders moving through bushes or under the cover of complete darkness.

Op cal Image

Hard Copy Available

Thermal Image

Prama Hikvision oﬀers a range of cu ng-edge thermal cameras, including those that deliver the best of both worlds: Bi-Spectrum Cameras, which combine thermal and op cal images to create a hybrid image, making it easier to ﬁnd hidden objects and document unusual events.

www.visionmediahitech.com

For more informa on visit: www.hikvisionindia.com October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

ARTICLE

Will Covid-19 Change Airport Design Forever? The airport environment will need to undergo drastic changes to limit the spread of germs

The Coronavirus Pandemic has Driven A Global Shift in the Way Many Public Spaces are Perceived, and Airports are No Exception. Scott Gorenc, Studio Design Director for Corgan’s Aviation Studio, Discusses How Airports may Approach Design Differently in Years to Come. Covid-19 brought the travel industry to a stands ll. Borders were shut and ﬂights were dras cally reduced as countries acted to limit the spread of the virus. Countries are now beginning to consider reopening to foreign visitors, but for the air industry, it is likely to be a long, turbulent route back. The airport environment will need to undergo dras c changes to limit the spread of germs and help passengers to feel safe. Through its Airports Adapt series, architecture and design ﬁrm Corgan has been exploring how airport design can be altered to help the avia on industry adjust to this new reality. We spoke to Sco Gorenc, studio design director for Corgan’s avia on studio, to discuss the impact Covid-19 is likely to have on traveller expecta ons and how this will alter the way airports are designed.

 Airport Design to Encourage Social Distancing Over the past few months, healthcare experts have repeatedly warned people to avoid crowded spaces and maintain up to 2 m of space between each other. Social distancing measures will eventually 54

be relaxed. However, Gorenc an cipates a “new defini on for personal boundary” that will force airports to adapt. “Airport design will be more about the efcient use of the space available on both the airside and landside of terminal facilities, so that we can improve the usage of high-density areas such as holdrooms and concessions seating,” Gorenc explains. To reduce occupancy in these areas, airports must find ways to a ract passengers to a typical terminal spaces. Corgan believes that this can be achieved by offering unique ameni es that encourage passengers to venture away from gates and holdrooms. The 1,14,000 aquarium at Vancouver Airport offers a grand example of this. However, Gorenc believes that simpler addi ons, such as lounge sea ng or experien al pop-up retail, could also help to improve the distribu on of passengers. October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

The future of holdroom design consists of passenger focused amenities that provide for hospitality while also accomodating for additional room for passengers to deﬁne personal boundary.

Personal Space Phone booths can provide for a dense seating option for the business traveler or solo traveler looking for private space.

Dynamic Group Seating Exploration of furniture types that redirects where passengers face can also be a simple way to create a sense of privacy.

Evolved Seating Beam seating will incorporate side tables for extra spacing to discourage seat spoilage.

However, in some cases, encouraging social distancing will prove more challenging. Crowded departure gates, for example, will be hard to avoid. Corgan believes making changes – both temporarily and permanently – to sea ng would help to reduce any risk. Adap ve components could be used to block off seats while simultaneously crea ng new spaces to place luggage, and in turn, freeing up more floor space. However, providing a variety of sea ng op ons could offer a more long-term solu on. Personal, phone booth-like areas would offer a safe space for solo travellers, for example. Likewise, dynamic sea ng, designed to ensure passengers face away from each other, could be used to accommodate larger groups. October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

 Emerging Technology to Create Touchless Processing Covid-19 has served as a catalyst for contactless in many of our dense public spaces, and airports are likely to see similar changes. From having your passport handled during the check-in process, to passing through security, to making purchases inside the terminal, various touchpoints could poten ally transmit germs between passengers and employees. While processes such as check-in queues or pat-down procedures may seem unavoidable, emerging technologies are providing new solu ons that can help to make airport processing procedures touchless, safer and more ﬂuid. “To achieve a touchless processing experience, there will be many hurdles to overcome,” Gorenc insists. “Technologies such as biometrics, automation and blockchain will play a key role in overcoming this.” 55

Automa on technology can provide quicker processing without impac ng security. Technology detec on systems, which is providing addi onal security at Airport can screen up to 800 people per hour.

Airside, restrooms will be fully automated using sensors, removing the need to touch door handles, taps, and ﬁxtures. Customers will complete transac ons using tokenised mobile payment methods, and mobile ordering will provide food delivery throughout the terminal.

The system can detect metallic and non-metallic items of interest without requiring passengers to empty their pockets or remove items such as laptops. Such systems could signiﬁcantly speed up the process, and subsequently reduce queues during check-in and security.

Mobile no ﬁca ons will alert passengers once it is me to head to the departure gate. There, a series of biometric checks will be carried out, as well as behavioural analysis and 3D imaging to ensure passengers are safe to board.

Automa on oﬀers yet more poten al in the form of automated baggage handling and inspec ons, while biometrics would speed up the process further by reducing the need for manual iden ty checks. To address concerns about the privacy and security of biometrics, blockchain could help to maintain and protect such data.

According to a report published by marke ng agency Mower, just 16% of US adults would be willing to travel immediately a er restric ons are li ed. Just under half would s ll be unwilling to travel two months later.

 Alleviating Passenger Fears

 Envisioning a Tech-Driven Airport Departure Experience Vision for a touchless departure experience envisions guests checking in via a mobile device and drop off luggage at a selfservice bag drop. Landside, facial recogni on technology will scan passengers to determine whether they are travellers or wellwishers. Ar ficial intelligence will scan crowds for suspicious behaviour and flag passengers for addi onal screening.

“Aside from the physical modications to the build environment, we really need to tap into travellers’ psychological comfort,” Gorenc says. “For the majority, travel by air is a choice, not a necessity, and we will have to go above and beyond to gain passengers’ trust so they feel safe to y again.”

Clear Entry

Entry into the restroom facilities should be done through a hallway as opposed to a door.

The design of restroom facilities moving forward will be focused on improving sanitation protocols via data analytics and redeﬁning the restroom experience.

Data Analytics

Occupancy sensors can provide real time feedback to the passengers on restroom availability as well as be an operational tool for scheduling appropriate cleanings.

Access to Disinfectant

Hand sanitizer should be provided throughout the restroom facility, particularly after touchpoints.

Automation

Certain ﬁxtures can be made touchless via sensors such as toilets, faucets or paper towel dispensers.

Ample Circulation

Passenger ﬂows need to be provided so that passengers can circulate around each other.

October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

Industry organisa ons such as the Interna onal Air Transport Associa on have already issued various guidelines and recommenda ons for the avia on industry to implement in the wake of coronavirus, such an increasing the frequency and extent of cleaning opera ons. While no significant changes would be required for this to occur, It is believe that redesigning the layout, circula on, fit and finish of airports would ‘lay the founda on’ for providing a clean and sanitary environment. Solu ons such as occupancy sensors to monitor the use of an area and improve cleaning schedules, widening entryways, and providing access to disinfectant around touchpoints. It is also believe that giving passengers “ownership” of how this experience evolves through the use of feedback loops that allow passengers to provide feedback to cleaning staff would help to further reassure passengers. “By calming anxiety and assuaging fear, it would streamline and drive commerce in the terminal, but

October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

perhaps most importantly, it would allow the passenger journey to return to what it was at the beginning, which was an adventure, not a burden.”

 Does Covid-19 Represent an Opportunity for Positive Change for Airport Design? Covid-19 will force the avia on industry to adapt. However, these changes won’t just help to address new issues created by the coronavirus, but also pain points that have existed in the avia on passenger experience for some me. There are likely to be few complaints about improved hygiene, fewer queues, and less intrusive check-in and security processes. “Not only are many of the solutions benecial as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic, but they align with the aspirations of the modern traveller. “A tailored experience that maximises the user experience for both passengers and employees elevates the airport beyond the expectations of today into a contemporary experience for tomorrow.”

ARTICLE

Use of Steam as Adjuvant-Treatment in Covid-19 Patients:

An Observational Study  Aims and Objectives Steam has been used for centuries as a means of treatment for Influenza virus or common flu. Coronavirus is structurally similar to influenza virus and SARS corona Virus. Previous studies on corona virus and influenza virus show a strong heat correla on.

Dilip Pawar MD, PhD, Honorary Consultant Seven Hills Covid Hospital, Mumbai. Balkrishna Adsul MD, Dean, Seven Hills Covid Hospital, Mumbai. Rusy Bhalla MS, Consul ng Laser Surgeon Advanced General Hospital, Mumbai. Smita Chavhan MD,DNB, Seven Hills Covid Hospital, Mumbai.

Inﬂuenza Virus

Covid-19 Virus

SARS Corona virus

 Materials and Methods The study was divided into 2 groups. Group 1 was consis ng of asymptoma c pa ents exposed to covid-19 pa ents either through travel or direct contact. This group included doctors and Nurses. These pa ents were advised to take steam twice daily by inhala on through ordinary steamers available on the market or by simple boiling of water and inhala on of resul ng steam.

D Bhonsale MD, Addi onal Professor, Radiology, Cooper Hospital, Mumbai.

This study was conducted at Seven Hills Hospital which is a Dedicated Covid Hospital managed by Municipal Corpora on of Greater Mumbai.

Seemantini Bhalla MS, Data Researcher.

Group 2 pa ents were further divided into Mild and Moderate

Harshalkumar Mahajan MD, Assistant Professor, Seven Hills Covid Hospital, Mumbai. 58

This study was aimed at studying through ra onal observa on the eﬀect of heat and humidity on Covid-19 virus infec on.

Mil symptoms were of only 1 area like nasal, throat or bronchial. Moderate symptoms were where 2 or more areas were involved October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

ARTICLE

Severe pa ents were where there was dyspnea and required ven lator or oxygen support.

5 days at temperatures of 22-25°C and rela ve humidity of 40-50%, that is, typical air-condi oned environments. (1)

Severe symptoms pa ents were excluded from the trial.

However, virus viability was rapidly lost (>3 log(10)) at higher temperatures and higher rela ve humidity (e.g., 38°C, and rela ve humidity of >95%)

The pa ents con nued the treatment as per hospital protocol Pa ents were tested for covid -19 a er steam therapy a er 5 days and ll covid was nega ve for 2 consecu ve tests. Group 2 consisted of Symptoma c pa ents tested posi ve on the standard Covid-19 test. Most of these pa ents were medical staﬀ which included doctor and nurses from Public hospitals who had contracted covid in the line of their work. The number of pa ents in group 1

25 Health Care workers

No of pa ents in group 2

80 Pa ents and Healthcare workers

 Steam was administered in following doses Group 1 - Steam twice daily or more for 5 minutes by nasal route with intermi ent breathing by oral route. Group 2 - Steam inhala on was administered by nasal and oral route every 3 hours for 5 minutes.  Results None of the pa ents in Group 1 showed any sign of progression to Covid symptoms a er a follow-up ranging from 14 days to 2 months. In Group 2 Mild symptoms regressed in 3 days to normal and in moderate symptoms it took 7 to 10 days to return to normal. The covid-19 test done a er 10 days was nega ve in 65 cases.

Steam has a temperature of about 700 to 800.Celsius which is well above the instability temperature of SARS Corona virus. Influenza virus studies in humans and Guinea pigs also show a similar pa ern. Most of influenza virus is inac vated above 300 Celsius (2)(3).  Conclusion The Covid -19 virus symptoms dras cally reduced a er the administra on of steam. No further transmission was observed in pa ents taking steam. The reversal of symptoms in pa ents which were covid-19 is a welcome sign. It was concluded that steam can be permi ed as an adjunct to social distancing, sani zers and masks and PPE for an effec ve treatment for precau on as well as cure for covid-19 infec on. This is an observa onal study. It warrants an extended random Control trial to see the full effect of steam on a larger group of pa ents and medical staff. Further studies are required on a larger scale in Asian and Western countries for their popula on.  References 1. Chan KH1, Peiris JS, Lam SY, Poon LL, Yuen KY, Seto WH. The Effects of Temperature and Rela ve Humidity on the Viability of the SARS Coronavirus. Adv Virol. 2011; 2011:734690. doi: 10.1155/2011/734690. Epub 2011 Oct 1st.

In 2 cases it took 18 days for Covid test to return to nega ve.

2. Anice C. Lowen, John Steel S. Schultz-Cherry. Roles of Humidity and Temperature in Shaping Inﬂuenza Seasonality. Editor DOI: 10.1128/JVI.03544-13

 Discussion The stability of the virus at diﬀerent temperatures and rela ve humidity on smooth surfaces were studied. The dried virus on smooth surfaces retained its viability for over

3. Lowen AC, Mubareka S, Steel J, Palese P. - Inﬂuenza virus transmission is dependent on rela ve humidity th and temperature. PLoS Pathog. Oct 19 , 2007; 3(10): 1470-1476.

In 13 cases it took 14 days for Covid test to return to nega ve.

October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

WATER

DRY POWDER

FOAM

CO2

CHEMICALS

THEY COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE

KNOW YOUR FIRE EXTINGUISHER COLOUR CODE Running a business, either big or small, is a busy venture and it can be hard to cover all bases. Fire safety is particularly important to understand and to mitigate against. Here we will go through the potential hazards you may have in your business and what you should do to protect your employees and customers. Fire Hazards For a fire to take place there have to be 3 things present: Fuel Sources • Petrol • Paint • Wood • Paper • Plas c • Rubber • Gas • Waste rubbish • Building fixtures and fi ngs Ignition Sources • Matches • Lighters • Electrical appliances • Sockets • Space heaters • Welders • Grinding tools • Cigare es • Naked flames Oxygen • Air • Chemicals • Cylinder oxygen 60

Identify your Hazards and Evaluate the Risks Iden fy the fuel and igni on sources such as those itemised above. You should also iden fy who might be at risk including staff, customers and others. Write these down and have a record of them for planning purposes and for when you have to train your staff in fire safety. Next you have to Evaluate the Risks and Try to Take Steps as to How to Prevent these Risks Becoming Reality. • Think about how a fire could start • Try to keep igniters and fuel sources away from each other • Take steps to avoid accidental fires by doing a sweep of your work-site and aler ng all area managers to their responsibili es • Take steps to make sure fires cannot be started deliberately. Do not leave fuel sources lying around or una ended In Case of Fire • Fire alarms - how will a fire be detected and are all areas of the workplace being sufficiently monitored. • In the event of a fire how are people to be alerted - fire alarm, management protocol, etc. • Is there fire figh ng equipment on site such as fire ex nguishers or fire blankets • Are there clearly iden fied escape routes that people can use and sufficient fire doors in place. • Is there a dedicated fire safety representa ve always on site to manage the situa on of a fire. • Is there protocol in place to make sure everyone is helped out such as older people or children. • Is there a protocol in place for ringing emergency services and a dedicated assembly point away from the workplace. • Have these precau ons been tested with fire drills. October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

Training •

•

In order to make sure that a fire incident does not result in damage, injury or worse it is important to train your organisa on to respond. The first step is to record the hazards that you have iden fied on site including fuels, igniters and other dangers. These records should be made available to all involved in the planning of fire safety. The next step is to plan for a fire, or rather, to plan for no fire! This risk assessment should be available to all on site if they wish and the most important points should be on display for staff in a common area such as a canteen. Training should then be provided for all staff and this should be repeated regularly to keep the informa on fresh. This can be done face-to-face or online but

•

whichever way should include informa on about the hazards and instruc on in how to mi gate against them. Finally, prac ce the ﬁre drill regularly and review the main actors such as the Fire Oﬃcer rou nely to make sure everyone is up to date on company policy in this regard.

Risk Assessments In most countries a ﬁre risk assessment is a legal obliga on on employers. If you follow the guidelines above you will have a risk assessment document in place and on record. It is, essen ally, a document seeking to eliminate, reduce or control the risks associated with ﬁre in your workplace. A con nual review system should also take place of the risk assessment itself, especially a er any incidents or changes in the workplace.

Manufacturers of N95 Masks Seek Permit to Begin Exports The Textile Hub in Tamil Nadu, Tirupur Alone Can Manufacture Over 3 Crore Pieces of N95 Masks Monthly Besides Regular Cotton/2/3 Ply Masks.

“

said A Sakthivel, chairman of AEPC.

“

A Nurse Wearing an N95 Mask.

On an average, over 50 lakh N95 masks are being manufactured daily in India. The textile hub in Tamil Nadu, Tirupur alone can manufacture over 3 Crore pieces of N95 masks monthly besides regular cotton/2/3 ply masks. On seeing the abundant supply from Tirupur and all over India, we urged the union commerce ministry to allow free export of N95 masks like other masks and PPE kits.

CHENNAI: Manufacturers of N95 masks in the country have urged the Centre to remove all export restric ons imposed on the product since they are losing export orders worth crores or rupees and have been unable to cash in on a massive business opportunity in the overseas markets.

If the export limita on is removed, he added, then India could see over Rs 3,000 crore in business annually. “We are not able to receive export orders, but globally the demand of N95 masks is rising with each passing day,” he said.

Currently, the Centre has a ﬁxed a monthly export limit of 1 crore N95 masks, but the Apparel Export Promo on Council (A E P C) claims that N95 manufacturers are facing diﬃcul es due to oversupply.

 Extend Moratorium The AEPC has also requested ﬁnance minister Nirmala Sitharaman st to extend the moratorium on term loans up to March 31 , 2021, considering the slowdown in business and the dras c fall in apparel exports.

October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

Use of Gas-Fired Oven Cleaning Equipment Inside Vehicles Key Points to Know: Around 27 Million Vehicles Running on Auto LPG Globally. In India, Transport is the Third Most Greenhouse Gas Emi ng Sector. Turkey Accounts for 11% of the Global Consump on of Auto LPG with a Network of 10,000 LPG Sta ons. In Turkey, More Cars Run on Auto LPG than on Petrol. In Australia Around 615,000 Autogas Cars are Running on the Roads. South Korea was one of the First Countries to Promote Auto LPG Way Back in the 1970s.

Introduction

Actions Required

Awareness from safety issues with gas-ﬁred (LPG) oven cleaning equipment ﬁ ed inside vehicles, following an incident whereby a van exploded.

In order to operate the gas-ﬁred equipment safely within vehicles, users should ensure: • The LPG cylinders are carried upright in the vehicle and securely strapped to prevent movement.

This safety alert provides details on how this equipment should be supplied, installed and used and is targeted at suppliers, installers and users of gas-ﬁred oven cleaning equipment provided inside vehicles.

•

During transporta on, cylinders are carried in a separate gas storage locker/compartment that is fire protected (a minimum of 30 minutes fire resistance), gas ght to the interior of the vehicle, ven lated to the outside (at high and low levels with the free area at least 1% of the compartment floor area or only at low levels with the free area at least 2% of the compartment floor area) and is in accordance with the design requirements of the UKLPG Code of Prac ce 24 - Part 3: Use of LPG for Commercial Catering Events, Street Food and Mobile Catering. Or alterna vely, the cylinder can be stored outside the main body of the vehicle (in open air).

•

Access to the gas cylinders is ideally external, although the loading of cylinders may be internal, providing the compartment door is gas ght and safe Cont. to Pg. 65 ven la on exists to outside.

Background Mobile oven cleaning services typically use a van equipped with a dip tank to soak oven parts in hot cleaning solu on at the customer's property. This solu on is generally heated either electrically or by a gas burner supplied from a Liquid Petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder carried inside the vehicle. This safety alert solely focuses on the use of gas-fired equipment within these vehicles. HSE has found that many vehicles fi ed with gas-fired oven cleaning equipment are not being set up and used safely, giving rise to the risk of a gas release incident such as a fire, explosion and/or asphyxia on. 62

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WIRELESS GAS DETECTORS BRING CONNECTIVITY TO CONFINED SPACE ENTRIES Wireless Gas Detectors are Changing The Way We Work in Conned Spaces The way that we test the atmosphere within a confined space is changing. Although con nuous monitoring of the atmosphere within a confined space has always been considered a best prac ce, many companies have tradi onally found it difficult or imprac cal to implement. The a endant assigned to the entry can monitor the atmosphere inside the space with a portable gas monitor, but this is o en cumbersome and requires addi onal equipment (a sampling pump and a piece of tubing or a probe). However, this setup only tests the atmosphere in one small area. Con nuously monitoring the atmosphere throughout the en re space or in the area where the work is being performed is much more challenging. This is all changing thanks to wireless connec vity. Wireless mesh technology embedded within some connected gas monitors enables the instruments to communicate with each other at a peer-to-peer level. Entrants inside the space carrying a gas detector enabled with peer-to-peer connec vity will share their readings with a connected area monitor or personal gas detector sta oned with the gas tester or a endant outside the space, allowing them to "see" the readings and monitor the atmosphere through each of the entrants' instruments. Seeing the gas readings within a confined space is not just convenient: it saves lives. You've probably heard confined space horror stories like this a million mes: the person inside of a confined space becomes unresponsive. The a endant responsible for monitoring the work goes into the confined space to check on his partner and is overcome by the same deadly gas. It's a tragic story of trying to help a co-worker based on gut reac on rather than proper safety protocols. According to OSHA, these would-be rescuers make up 60 percent of confined space fatali es. But with shared data on gas hazards, the a endant watching the hole in this example would have known what 64

caused his partner to become unresponsive without being exposed firsthand. He could then take appropriate steps to rescue his peer, without pu ng himself in danger. On top of that, the repea ng capabili es of instruments in the mesh network allow workers go deep within a confined space, away from the entrance, where they could never be seen directly. Even in these loca ons, they can s ll communicate atmospheric readings back to the entrance of the space with the help of peer-to-peer wireless technology. With this increased flexibility, peer-to-peer wireless technology in gas detectors is expanding the role of the a endant in confined space entry. One a endant is typically assigned to monitor the entrance of every confined space; however, wirelessly sharing gas readings allows one a endant to monitor the ac vi es of mul ple confined space entrants from a central vantage point.  Practical and Legal Ramications Many ques on both the prac cality and legality of this approach. Technology certainly makes mul -space watching prac cal, and the legal posi on is defined clearly in the Occupa onal Safety and Health Administra on (OSHA) confined space entry regula on. 29 CFR 1910.146 defines the a endant in a confined space entry as "an individual stationed outside one or more permit spaces who monitors the authorized entrants and who performs all attendant's duties assigned in the employer's permit space program." The standard further states in 1910.146(d)(6) that "attendants may be assigned to monitor more than one permit space provided the duties described in paragraph (i) of this section can be effectively performed for each permit space that is monitored." One a endant for mul ple spaces clearly isn't a new concept, but it is one that the use of wireless devices enables in a new and safer way. If we can wrap our minds October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

Cont. from Pg. 62

around the use of wireless tech n o lo gy in t h is ma n n er, it presents a tremendous advantage in efficiency and cost over conven onal confined space entry procedures. The confined space entry permit itself will be impacted by wireless te c h n o l o g y a s we l l . D i g i ta l permi ng or electronic permi ng systems are being developed to automate and simplify the permit issuing process. An electronic form on a smart device will be accessed at the point of entry and have all the appropriate procedural checklists completed. The gas readings from atmospheric tes ng with wireless enabled gas detectors will be transferred to the permit automa cally, and all entry personnel will sign off on the permit electronically. A wireless system used to assign gas monitors and other traceable equipment to the entrants will automa cally record the names of the entrants on the permit. The permit will be uploaded to a database where it can be viewed during the entry and stored permanently. The permit will be automa cally updated with gas readings from con nuous monitoring or periodic tes ng and as the work progresses or entry condi ons change. Digital permi ng is simply another example of how wireless technology can increase the efficiency and reduce the cost of entering a confined space. Although it may seem like only yesterday for some, it really has been 27 years since we were first required to complete a confined space entry permit. If we con nue to embrace wireless technology and the benefits it brings us, maybe those confined space entries tomorrow won't seem so confined. October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

•

Due to the risk of oxygen deﬁciency, the driver is physically separated from the gas cylinder compartment, gas cylinder and gas ring. This can be achieved by ﬁ ng a gas ght par on bulkhead.

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There is no source of igni on within a zone extending 1 metre horizontal radius outside the vehicle and from ground level up to 0.3 metres above the cylinder compartment vent when the gas is in use. Shielding is provided, where necessary, to prevent exhaust pipes becoming an igni on source.

•

The gas appliance (burner) is fi ed with a flame supervision device (these shut off the gas supply automa cally if the flame disappears).

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Suitable hoses and clips are used to prevent damaged hoses (e.g. smooth not serrated clips and hoses are suitably protected, such as, by armour or over-braiding).

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At least one quick ac ng (quarter turn) gas isola on valve is provided, to isolate any ﬂame prior to cylinder isola on.

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The vehicle is ﬁ ed with at least one 2kg dry powder ﬁre ex nguisher.

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The rear door of the vehicle complies with The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regula ons and consists of a red diamond showing a ﬂame and wording "Extremely Flammable LPG".

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All persons that use the gas equipment are trained in how to use it and how to carry out visual checks for obvious faults.

•

Equipment is not in use while the vehicle is in mo on and the gas supply is turned oﬀ at the cylinder. The gas hea ng of liquids is only allowed when the vehicle is sta onary, and the doors open for ven la on.

•

Prior to ﬁrst use, the gas installa on is veriﬁed by a competent person (e.g. gas safe engineer).

If gas can be subs tuted with a substance or process which either eliminates or reduces the risk, then this should be chosen where it is reasonably prac cable to do so. Equipment found in use that presents a risk of serious injury to the users and/or persons in the vicinity will be subject to enforcement ac on. The expected standards above are not compulsory to follow, and you are free to take other equally eﬀec ve ac on but if you do follow these standards you will normally be doing enough to comply with the law in respect of those speciﬁc ma ers that the standards give advice. 65

How to Measure, Evaluate and Strengthen Your Safety Culture Values

Communication

SAFETY CULTURE

Self-veriﬁcation

Ownership

Rules and Procedures

Leadership

Recognition

Building a Safety Culture Safety Culture is a product of individual and group eﬀorts in the workplace. It's the a tude or beliefs that employees share in rela on to the handling of safety issues in the workplace. It's not built on safety policies alone. It's also about how you handle safety issues when they arise. How well do you listen to your employees when they bring up problems? Successful workplace safety cultures are two-way streets. In today's world of social media and business savvy, employees are no longer willing to tolerate a "my way or the highway" approach.

It's one thing to develop a workplace safety program. Developing a workplace safety culture is another matter entirely. A safety program can be built in a few meetings. A whole new culture involves diligent work and ongoing cooperation at all levels. Here's how EHS departments can build successful safety cultures and improve on the cultures they already have.

blame. When accountability is done right, it has an en rely diﬀerent focus. Backward-looking accountability is the type that involves blame. In this type of accountability, you're more focused on assigning blame to someone for making a mistake than preven ng the mistake from happening again. Some mes, blame is helpful. But if it devolves into a witch hunt, it's no longer a learning experience. Instead, strive for forward-looking accountability. This type of accountability focuses on the changes that need to be made to prevent the same mistake, rather than reprimanding an individual for making a mistake. 2. Management

Coopera on and openness are the founda ons of a good workplace safety culture. You can put in all the policies you want. If you don't prove to your employees that you're willing to step up to the plate to keep them safe, those policies won't mean much.

Everyone likes to believe they're a good boss. But if you're looking to build a strong safety culture, it starts by looking within.

Here are three things you need to start building a strong safety culture.

Companies with strong safety cultures aren't reac ve. They don't need to be. Safety is a part of daily ac vity-and a part of day-to-day management that leadership recognizes as an ongoing responsibility.

1. Forward-Looking Accountability Many people think accountability is synonymous with 66

Unfortunately, many managers get too caught up in safety metrics to move beyond reac vity. Metrics do play an October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

important role in your safety culture-they tell you what you need to improve. But if you want to improve those metrics, you have to look past them. Look at root causes and see how you, as a manager, can help eliminate problems before they arise. 3. Strong Relationships In case you hadn't already guessed, strong rela onships are the bedrock of any las ng safety culture. If your employees don't believe that they can have honest conversa ons with you, they won't feel comfortable coming to you with problems. And if they don't feel comfortable coming to you with problems, nothing will ever change. The good news is that being a good leader and building good rela onships go hand-in-hand. Don't just point out p ro b l e m s - p o i n t o u t g o o d w o r k a s w e l l . S e e k understanding and listen ac vely when problems arise. Seek feedback on your own effec veness-and act on the feedback you receive. Reducing Workplace Incidents Workplace Safety and injury preven on are worthy of serious investments. By crea ng a safe workplace and making it your top priority, your organiza on can prevent injuries and improve opera onal efficiency. You can also help employees stay informed about various ways to keep the environment safe through proper workplace safety techniques. By following the ps below, you can help ensure your staff is commi ed to building a safe work environment for everyone. 1. Visualizing Safety: By pos ng flyers in common areas kitchen, prin ng areas, stock rooms, and maintenance halls - you can help your staff understand proper safety techniques and provide them with different resources. Hang posters where your employees can see them so they clearly know where the first aid kit is located, along with fire ex nguishers, fire doors, and fire alarms. Also, designate fire wardens to give updated informa on and check ex nguisher expira on dates. 2. Demonstra ng Safety: When you have employee mee ngs, take a li le me to have someone come in to discuss ergonomics, proper li ing, and ways to avoid hazards in a workplace atmosphere. You should have flyers made with details on workplace safety and proper li ing, or dra an email with details on proper li ing techniques, how to dispose of hazardous October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

materials and fire preven on safety. Demonstra ng proper ways of disposing toner waste cartridges or chemicals is another great way of showing how to follow safety procedures. 3. Teaching Responsibility: Make sure to delegate team leaders to help with rou ne checks to ensure there are no hazardous areas. They should report things such as seeing overloaded outlets, spills or waste cartridges that haven't been disposed of properly. This can include things like improperly throwing liquids or glass in the trash. 4. Using Ergonomic Tools: Employees should be given access to adjustable monitors, wrist supports and adjustable keyboard trays. Reducing neck strains can help cut down on headaches and migraines. 5. Promo ng Sustainability: Encourage your employees to recycle by having clearly labeled bins at their disposal. That way you'll know your staff is doing their part to protect the environment. They should also make sure all recyclable materials are separate from trash, and both should be taken out and disposed in their proper receptacles. Housekeeping staff should also be on board with your recycling efforts. How to Evaluate a Safety Culture in 3 Steps What makes a Safety Culture succeed? Is it a list of policies? Your PPE? Your number of incidents? The drivers behind a successful safety culture are complex. They essen ally boil down to how you communicate safety and how your employees perceive safety in rela on to management priori es. As such, evalua ng your safety culture is all about assessing context clues. Here's how to evaluate a safety culture in three easy steps. 1. Review Your Programs and Policies The first step is to take a long, hard look at your safety programs and policies. This sounds simpler than it is in prac ce. We're talking about taking a deep dive into all of your documenta on. These are the documents that spell out the real lay of the land for your communica ons channels, work order processes, incen ves, and incident inves ga on, among other processes. This is also the home of your program language, which is more important than you think. Remember, your programs are the first tool of safety communica on. 67

If your programs are designed in a way that is inherently puni ve and the language reflects this, you're already at a disadvantage when trying to encourage a culture of openness and communica on. 2. Communicate with Leadership and Employees This leads into the second step, which is communica ng with leadership and employees. This is your first opportunity to take a step toward ac ve culture assessment, and it needs to be handled with care. A culture of employee engagement is cri cal to the health of your safety culture, but the role of management is more forma ve than many people realize. Employees tend to follow their manager's lead, even through cues that managers don't realize they're sending. For example, ordering all employees to wear hard hats in a certain area falls flat if managers never wear hard hats in that area. The key at this step is to assess how you're communica ng safety. In other words, what messages are your managers sending, regardless of whether or not they mean to? And how are your employees interpre ng those messages? 3. Assess Your Safety Training Finally, take a good look at your safety training, as this is one of the most overt forms of safety communica on you have in your toolkit.

"good housekeeping" prac ces through a well-planned campaign. Use posters, mee ngs, and/or social media and emails to reinforce the overall campaign. 2. Perform Regular Job Safety Analysis A job safety analysis (JSA) is a breakdown of every step involved in comple ng a par cular task, along with the hazards that are present during each step. Finally, the ac ons your employees can take to mi gate those hazards can reduce incidents and improve overall safety. 3. Schedule "Toolbox Talks” Toolbox talks are casual gatherings that focus on one small aspect of safety. They are very speciﬁc talks, and are o en led by an employee. These are not long mee ngs, but rather 15-minute gatherings so everyone can bone up on par cular safety issues you'd like to point out. 4. Rally the Troops Around PPE for a Month The personal protec ve equipment (PPE) in use at your company is necessary when hazards just can't be removed or avoided. Make sure everyone remembers the protocol for their PPE: what to use and when, plus proper maintenance. 5. Don't Leave Your Contractors Out of the Conversa on Contractors who perform their work at your job sites are part of your safety culture, too. Everything that applies to your regular employees can be applied to your contractors as well, when it comes to safety. Should Remote Workers Be Part of Your Safety Culture?

Training employees demonstrates your commitment to safety, but it also gives employees clues as to the ﬂavor of your commitment. If trainings are rote and tend to be doled out puni vely, it tells employees that you think of safety as a box to be checked, not a core value. 5 Ideas for Promoting a Culture of Safety at Work

On-site hazards aren't the only threats to your safety culture. If you have remote workers, you s ll have the obliga on of keeping them safe on the job. Keeping remote workers safe on the job is an up-and-coming challenge that many companies ﬁnd they are not prepared for - or even realize they need to be prepared.

When it comes to cul va ng a culture of safety at work, the right training procedures can make all the diﬀerence in the world. Safety tools come in all shapes and sizes. Here are ﬁve techniques to help your team adopt a responsible a tude so safety becomes ingrained in your company culture.

When employees work from home, you're no longer able to control the quality of their work environment. Things like a suitable workspace, smoke detectors, and the absence of trip or safety hazards aren't guarantees. But some states deem that this lack of ability to regulate the work environment is irrelevant.

1. Prac ce "Good Housekeeping” Workplace safety is greatly aﬀected by the diness of the work environment. From workplace ergonomics to literal diness, workers can be made aware of

Workplace Safety Issues for a Remote Workforce

You might not realize it, but telecommuters are covered by your workers' compensa on insurance in some states. October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

If a worker trips and becomes injured while on their way to check an email, or breaks a leg tripping over a dog while trying to retrieve a briefcase from the car, your company could be held liable. These examples sound a bit far-fetched, but similar instances have been ruled compensable. If you have remote workers, you need to consider the safety of their work environment. The ﬁrst place to start is by checking yo u r state ' s wo r ke rs ' co m p e n s a o n l aws a n d requirements, as these will vary by state.

can put to use in their home workspace, such as best prac ces for si ng at their desk, taking breaks, and doing safety sweeps of their work area. Offer recommenda ons for ergonomic chairs, mouse pads, and other office equipment. If it's in the budget, offer to reimburse all or a por on of their purchase. It's the same as purchasing equipment for your on-site workers, plus it helps reduce the risk of workers incurring an injury while working from home. Why It's Important to Focus on Remote Worker Safety Now

Best Practices for Work at Home Safety Managing the safety of remote workers is new territory for many companies. The following best prac ces can help you integrate your telecommuters into your safety culture. Conduct physical inspec ons of an employee's remote work environment. Define the boundaries of a home office. Without establishing these boundaries, employers could be held liable for any incident on the employee's property. Have your remote workers work a specific schedule. Not having regular working hours (regardless of when those hours are worked) could also put you at liability for any incident that occurs within the employee's workspace. Maintain a specific list of employee responsibili es and scope of work. This prevents an employee from claiming an injury in their workspace unrelated to their work. Consider offering flexible remote work rather than a permanent work-from-home posi on. Having workers onsite for part of their work week limits the amount of me they're working in their own, unregulated environment. Provide safety training to remote workers just as you would your on-site employees. Read this guide to learn more about safety training strategies and tools. Require remote workers to a end safety mee ngs and get them involved in safety-related campaigns, even if it's via Zoom. Provide telecommuters with a list of safety prac ces they

October 2020 - www.safesecuremagazine.com

Remote workers may not play a role in your organiza on right now, but that may change in the near future. Studies predict that by the year 2020, nearly half of the country's workforce will operate remotely in some capacity. Of course, the number of remote workers in your company will largely depend on your industry and job requirements. But even if you don't foresee a burgeoning remote workforce, don't think you're completely immune to it. There's a growing demand among workers for more flexible hours and work arrangements, which has heralded an equally growing flexibility of companies to offer such benefits. No one's forcing you to join these companies, but not doing so could mean becoming unable to a ract or retain top talent. This is a huge problem for EHS leaders because high turnover and low employee sa sfac on affect the strength of your safety culture. It's in your best interest to start preparing for a poten al shi now before it becomes a focus later. Ge ng your remote workforce involved in your company's safety culture should be as much of a priority as keeping your on-site team safe on the job. Their produc vity and performance can s ll be affected by off-site hazards, which impacts your company as a whole. It's up to you to keep them engaged, even when you're not able to see them in person. Helpful Tips With these safety culture best prac ces, you'll want to apply crea vity, pa ence and an open mind when it comes to ge ng the safety message across. Remember: cul va ng a safety culture at work is a lot like growing a garden: it takes me, consistent effort and all the right condi ons in place for growth 69

The Importance of First Aid Training in the Workplace

Your Company Strives to Keep Your Employees Safe. But When Push Comes to Shove, Ask Yourself: Is Your Team Prepared to Handle An Emergency?  First Aid at Work If someone got hurt, would your team know what to do? Would they respond quickly and efficiently? Or would they panic and leave someone at greater risk? Effec ve first aid training in the workplace can have a huge impact on your company. Here are four ways first aid training can improve your company.  Reduce Workplace Accidents One of the most obvious benefits of first aid training is that it helps improve your workplace safety. In par cular, it helps prevent workplace accidents and limit their severity when they do occur. When your employees are trained in first aid procedures and safety protocols, they're more aware of safety issues around them. That level of safety awareness lets them be more careful in the workplace and spot problems before they can take a turn for the worse. That kind of safety culture isn't just good for your employees' physical wellbeing. It's good for the overall health of your company.  Cost-Effectiveness Did you know that US companies pay $62 billion each year for workplace injuries? Think about the overall cost of a workplace accident-legal fees, lost produc vity, and workers compensa on, to name a few. The cost of periodic first aid training may be discouraging, but compared to the cost of injured and discouraged employees, it's prac cally a spoonful of sugar. The truth is, your bo om line can't afford to have injured employees. The cost starts with an injured employee. You have to deal with lost produc vity, workers compensa on, and may even need to hire a new employee or a temp to cover their absence. The cost of hiring a new employee is far higher than the cost of keeping an employee for years. 70

Worse, if you have a pa ern of accidents, workers will start to get demoralized. They won't be willing to s ck around a workplace where they don't feel safe. And that means you'll have to deal with the cost of constantly replacing employees.  Employee Morale You know you can't afford to replace employees. In order to keep them, though, you need to keep your employees happy. First Aid Training to bolster your employee morale is a great op on. First Aid Training is more than a morale Band-Aid. It's not cosme c. If you consistently hold first aid training and hold the en re workplace accountable for upholding safety policies, your employees will no ce. And your employees will be a lot happier in a workplace that makes them feel safe doing their jobs. That will translate into your bo om line. Happier employees are more produc ve employees.  Building Team Relationships So really, when you get down to it, first aid training is as much about building team rela onships as it is about anything else. When you train your whole team at once, first aid training becomes a real team building exercise. It's a chance for your employees to bond and get to know each other. Most importantly, it helps your employees learn to feel safe in the workplace because they know that their coworkers can step up to the plate in the event of an emergency. Utilizing First Aid Training in the Workplace So the real ques on is, why haven't you started using first aid training in your workplace? It doesn't just keep your workplace safe. It helps you build a stronger workplace, one employee at a me. And that's something that's worth the investment. October 2020 - www.visionmediahitech.com

Want Big Sale for Your Business and Built Brand Get Planned!

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October 2020

Volume XI - Issue 10 - October 2020

Volume XI - Issue 10