When installing a real time location system (RTLS) for worker safety, it is not uncommon for personnel to feel it is an attempt to track their every move, catching them out any time they run over a coffee break by thirty seconds. The fact is location tracking is designed to increase worker safety and ensure that in the event of an emergency, all on-site workers are looked after to avoid serious injury or loss of life. Worker safety becomes even more important when you consider that personnel in process industry environments face a variety of risks over and above their counterparts in other industries. ‘Hazards of the job’ are that much more serious, with a higher potential risk. Fire, working environment collapse, and explosion of flammable gas and dust are potential threats and whilst large-scale […]

Covid-19 has forced every business to evaluate their working conditions. At Extronics, we have been asked a lot recently if our Real Time Location System (RTLS) products can be used to provide a contact tracing and social distancing solution. With so much noise out there online, how do you know you are getting the facts about the different options available to you? Extronics has been providing RTLS solutions to hazardous industries for over fifteen years. We specialise in developing and manufacturing ATEX, IECEx, and North American certified equipment for use in hazardous areas, and rugged industrial products for harsh environments. We serve customers around the world from industries such as oil and gas, chemical, pharmaceutical, and mining. We have created this article as a guide to some of the most common technology available, and the […]

Received signal strength indication (RSSI) location principle uses received signal strength to determine the location of the transmitting device. A wireless device sends a signal out and that signal is received by a gateway or access point. Multiple access points will pick up the signal and from that a received signal strength is determined by each access point. The further away the access point to the transmitting device the weaker the signal. In comparison, the closer the transmitting device is to an access point the stronger the received signal strength. Location is determined by receiving the signal from multiple access points and taking the different measurements to make an approximation of location by trilateration. The approximate location can then be positioned on a map. For example, an asset or a worker wearing a Wi-Fi RTLS […]

Turnarounds on refineries and other process facilities can be a huge logistical headache. They typically cost significant sums of operational expense and can result in lost opportunity because of reduced production capacity while the facility is shut down. It is essential that turnarounds are managed efficiently to safeguard workers and ensure costs are tracked. If poorly executed, turnarounds can cause significant disruption after startup. This article describes an RTLS case study for a large petrochemical company turnaround project. Background A large petrochemical company were working with a management consultancy to ensure efficiency and profitability during their turnaround. Turnaround Requirements During the turnaround, the client had thousands of additional contractors on site – as well as their own workers. They wanted to locate everyone on the site to ensure safety, but also to monitor contractor invoicing […]

John Hartley, CEO of Extronics, talks about the next generation of site wide Real Time Location Systems (RTLS) using hybrid technology for improved worker safety and asset tracking. Why is location tracking important for worker safety? The safety of workers, whilst always important, is moving higher up the list of priorities for investment. Companies operating within the process industries are always looking to ensure their workers are safe whilst making sure they are getting the biggest ROI possible. Back in 2005, when the first intrinsically safe Active RFID Wi-Fi RTLS tags were made, the goal of the oil and gas industry was to use technology to improve worker safety. This is still true today, though adoption has been slow for various reasons, such as the maturity of available technology and concerns over costs and benefits. […]

A Real Time Location System (RTLS) monitors the location and status information of personnel and assets in real time, providing the latest business intelligence to inform everything from crisis decision-making to route planning and work schedules. It can often also integrate with existing solutions, such as access control and PAGA systems, as part of a site-wide IIoT connectivity program. An RTLS typically consists of wireless RTLS tags attached to objects or worn by people, and a fixed reference point that receives wireless signals from tags to determine their location. There are several key technologies that may be used to create an RTLS. Different RTLS Technology Active RFID An active RFID RTLS uses battery-powered tags that emit an ID signal at regular intervals. The signal is picked up by readers; depending on the radio frequency, this […]