Case Study - Commercial - Gelder Group
Intruder System, CCTV System, Access Control, Monitoring, Integrated System
Smartphone access for security guards is the latest innovation in a sophisticated integrated security system that is now protecting sites across Lincolnshire for the Gelder Group of construction, plumbing, building supplies and recycling companies, one of which was recently redeveloped prior to a Royal visit.
The brief for security at Gelders was to overhaul and bring together a fragmented mix of different systems that had developed over the years, to create a single, integrated solution across a number of sites, each with very different needs. Crucially, Gelders were keen to develop their own internal security team and needed to be sure that any supplier would be happy to develop flexible solutions which could fit with that ambition, and allow Gelders' own personnel to be involved as much as they wished in the operation.
Following the successful completion of earlier phases by GB Security Group, the third and latest phase of the project is now complete – with an installation at the Gelder Group's head office in Sturton by Stow, where a new 15 acre environmental initiative was officially opened by HRH the Duke of Gloucester.
This security installation provides a new CCTV system, designed and installed to BS 8418, with an innovative PC based access system integrated to control two new gates around a new site access road. Each gate can be controlled remotely from the remote control room, but primarily on site via a network based access control system. The gates are fitted with two proximity readers, one at car height and the second at lorry height. Access is supported with connections to the intruder alarm and a logic system and it is all backed up with instant remote access for guards to check any situation via their hand-held PDA, alongside the 24hour remote monitoring and access management.
The Project
Gelders has been operating for 20 years and as the company has grown to include a number of divisions covering construction, plumbing and heating, recycling, building supplies and training it has developed a bigger property portfolio with fragmented security systems and many different alarm suppliers.
When group training manager Mike Johnson joined the Group with a background in the security sector, he set about reviewing the systems and the various operating sites, many of which were particularly vulnerable as they were rurally remote and open with stocks stored on them.
"We needed more protection and so the first step was to look at how we could integrate all the systems and ideally work with just one supplier," explained Mike Johnson.
Having put together a specification to meet their requirements, they invited a number of companies to tender and chose GB Security Group on the strength of their proposal and offering, backed up with an in depth interview. Since then, GB director Neil Jackson has worked alongside the Gelders team as the project has evolved, and now sits in on the company's internal security meetings to help them improve their security across all their sites.
Said Mike: "GB Security convinced us of their expertise and advised us in areas where we were uncertain. We were concerned to ensure that systems like the CCTV could be developed over time to match future growth. We also wanted to develop our own security team internally, including managing aspects like keyholding. We needed a system which could be developed to allow us to see what pictures the cameras were receiving, and which could be accessed via a remote system. Neil Jackson brought a lot of ideas to the meeting and gave us solutions for all these sorts of challenges."
The first phase involved covering the Group's Greentech recycling plant which is two miles from head office, where the installation is providing for both security and safety.
The company also wanted to be able to expand ways in which it could manage incidents remotely or from the desk and that was when Neil Jackson came up with the proposal of remote development through laptops and PDAs.
All of the sites are installed to BS 8418 and are monitored at the GB Security Group control room. If an intrusion is detected, the remote monitoring team will deal with this in the normal way and will contact the Gelder security team. At this point the keyholder can use his PDA to view the problem and make a decision whether he needs to attend on his own or requires back up, or can simply deal with the matter remotely.
"The great advantage of using PDAs for access is not only to monitor the CCTV but it means that our guards feel safer in any potentially dangerous situation. It also means we can tell the GB monitoring team quickly if we have overlooked something our end that may have triggered a false alarm," said Mike. "The idea was a breath of fresh air for us, being able to keep in immediate communication with our team was vital."
The second phase involved bringing the Group's Aisthorpe site online, where the Century Plumbing and Heating Division is located. Here again, CCTV is integral to the management of this remote site, with monitoring and record providing very successful for Gelders.
The final phase has been to provide security for latest developments at the Group's head office, which includes a big car park area and an open environmental area for staff to enjoy, including a one acre lake. The position demanded security gates and a supporting CCTV system with perimeter protection to satisfy the complex demands of the Head Office site.
The entrance gate is opened and closed automatically at a set time each day via the access system. When the gate is open, the CCTV system will automatically disarm and when the gate automatically closes the system will rearm - providing the intruder alarms in the office, workshop and stores are set.
When the gate is closed and the system is armed, entry to the site is made through the entrance gate using a valid proximity tag. This opens the gate and disables the CCTV system for a period of time to time for the person to drive onto site and get to the building without triggering the system. When the person leaves the site they arm the intruder alarm in the associated building. This then sets the CCTV system after 5 minutes, allowing the person to leave the site through the exit gate without the system being triggered.
The exit gate is left permanently closed to prevent unauthorised entry. Instead, the gate opens automatically when a vehicle approaches from within the site during the daytime, via an induction in the ground. When the CCTV system is armed or the main entrance gate is closed, the induction loop becomes inactive and all vehicles exiting have to present a tag to open the gate,
"We strongly believe the operation of this system will help us with our false alarm management," added Mike "Our security team can even open the gates remotely from their PDA, something the emergency services welcomed."
The system used to control the gates is a network-based IP access system which can be configured by programming time zones which control the gates automatically and also by restricting user access at certain times if required.
Further control is provided via a Logic controller which monitors the outputs from the gates and intruder alarms to provide complete integration of the CCTV, intruder and access system.
Customer Comment
Mike Johnson, Group Training Manager said "We wanted to be hands on with our own security and GB Security Group were flexible enough to help us achieve that. They understood where we wanted to go and worked very professionally to help us get there. They came up with ideas we had never thought of, like using PDAs, which was a breath of fresh air."
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