Production operators, subcontractors and maintenance technicians working in the water industry need easy access to various remote sites where Locken has fitted thousands of access control systems.
In complex settings, where a drop of water travels through miles of pipelines, pumping stations, tanks, treatment plants, then sewers and waste water treatment plants to complete the water cycle, controlling the process and securing these highly sensitive sites is challenging.
Water industry facilities usually comprise many scattered sites. This means maintaining tens of thousands of facilities across the country in urban and often remote areas (home to the largest clean water production plants). These plants are often far from any power supply, adding further complication to the access control solution.
Autonomous access control, the very latest in cable-free technology, offers the perfect solution for access points and doors, as the padlock and lock cylinders are passive. Keys provide the necessary power and hold the access rights data. Electronic cylinders can easily replace existing cylinders and do not require any special maintenance, making it especially suited to remote sites and clean water aqueducts.
Stéphane Conreux, CTO of Locken, a subsidiary of the Iseo Group, explains why this new technology is particularly well-suited to the water industry.
Many water companies and large service providers in the water sector work with us to control access to sites that are scattered across vast areas, with access required at facilities such as wells, water abstractions and distribution systems, reservoirs, production plants and waste water treatment plants. We see an average of 45,000 accesses per month within the water sector.
Thanks to new Bluetooth technology within our electronic keys and since most staff have a smartphone, now it is possible to update their access permissions in real-time, thereby guaranteeing a high level of security without installing a wired access control device (card reader and electronic lock).
With our software innovations, we also facilitate the management of access requests from subcontractors. Through a web portal, and after prior authentication, it is possible to request the owner of the infrastructure to grant access. The Access Manager just has to validate the request with a single click, if all the requirements are met. Afterwards, the software automatically creates an access right and it can be downloaded onto the key through a smartphone or a fixed terminal to update access permissions.
We deliver an effective access control response to multi-activity sites with just one electronic key working for countless locks. Officers no longer need to carry large keychains between sites – they can access the right place at the right time with one key and guaranteed maximum security.
For further information about LOCKEN visit https://www.locken.eu/, find us on LinkedIn or telephone 0203 691 1610.
