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Securing a chemical facility from the risk of terrorism is a vital task, made even more so by the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standard (CFATS) created in 2006 to establish security standards for facilities considered to be at risk.
The guide for developing a security plan is covered in a set of 18 published Risk-Based Performance Standards (RBPS) developed by the Department of Homeland Security. RBPS cover a variety of areas including perimeter security, securing set assets, screening, access control and monitoring.
There are a variety of products, services and technologies that are available to help chemical facilities effectively meet these standards and provide a comprehensive level of security and safety. Integrating these elements into an overall security plan is essential and it means looking at a number of critical areas starting with perimeter security.
Perimeter security
Restrict Area Perimeter is the first RBPS and one of the most important elements in petrochemical facility security. It is the first line of defense and there are a lot of new and evolving technologies available.
Fencing is a logical first step in securing a perimeter and there are options for each situation and level of security needed. Fenced perimeters have even gone high tech using fiber optics to detect and locate potential intruders. The fiber optics can be buried in the ground creating an invisible perimeter or can be attached to conventional or high security fencing. For more critical areas there are high security steel fences that are rated to stop a 15,000-pound truck traveling at speeds up to 50-miles per hour. These fences hold a K-rating which is a measurement of how much kinetic energy or speed plus weight they can resist.
Video surveillance is also an essential tool in perimeter detection and security. Video analytics can detect certain movement or behaviors and send an alarm. For example, if an object crosses a predefined perimeter it will send an alarm notification and record the event. These systems are sophisticated enough in most cases to distinguish between a person and a vehicle or an animal such as a deer. Thermal video is also becoming more and more affordable. Thermal imaging, coupled with effective analytics software, can accomplish nighttime detection while saving the customer money by not having to install traditional lighting. In some cases, a facility may require maritime and ground radar applications that detect all moving objects within a large targeted area. These applications have also saved customers money they would have spent utilizing other technologies.
Access control
In addition to locking down the perimeter, critical access points at a chemical facility need to be carefully secured and controlled. This can be accomplished with integrated security systems that include concrete and K-rated barriers in combination with access cards and readers, as well as vendor and visitor verification systems. Temporary badging systems allow visitors to be screened prior to entry and correctly identified as they move throughout the facility. There is also technology available that can screen each new badge holder for a criminal background, their citizenship, etc. before the card officially activates.
Controlling access within a facility is another key element of security. Integrators need to have a solid background in the latest in access cards, readers and biometrics. High security areas should use a combination of access control technologies. Fingerprint, hand geometry or retinal scans can be used to effectively limit access to areas with the need for the highest levels of security.
Safety
The security system should not only provide a level of safety for the surrounding community, but also for the employees and staff at the facility. Making sure that all employees are safe in an emergency is essential. Muster station technology works hand-in-hand with access control systems and badging. In the event of an emergency these systems help to account for everyone in the facility and mass notification or warning systems can give clear instructions on the nature of the emergency, how to safely exit the facility and where to meet so that no one is left behind. There are also interactive notification systems available that allow a company to know in real time where their employees are and that they have reached a safe zone. These interactive systems work through a variety of ways such as cell phones, email and text messaging.
Integrated central command center
All of the elements of the security system for a chemical facility or plant need to be integrated and centralized in one location. A security integrator needs to know how to bring all of the pieces together and make them work as one system. Each component provides vital information and in combination they help to effectively manage and secure a facility on a day-to-day basis. The command center should be the heart of the security and safety operation and should provide a central location for monitoring all of the video, sensors, card readers and analytic data being collected by the system. For an integrator, putting together this type of integrated security system center means working with the facility management to develop a customized layout that fits the location and its functions. It takes experience and knowledge of the technology, software and equipment available.
Article contributed by Ryan Loughin, Director of Petrochemical & Energy Solutions for the Advanced Integration division of ADT. Ryan can be reached at petrochem@adt.com
To learn more download the paper: Understanding CFATS: What It Means to Your Business visit www.adtbusiness.com/petrochem
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