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Powerful security for African Explosives

African Explosives (AEL) recently completed a major upgrade of its security at its facility in Johannesburg.

The installation of the new access control system was carried out by Basix Technologies who won the contract after an extensive tendering process.

Mari Gravett, head of security for AEL says, "Our previously installed access control system was old and ineffective and did not allow us to comply with the Explosives Act and the National Key Points Acts. Basix designed and installed a system that ensured we complied with the requirement of these acts and this proved to be more cost effective than the alternative of updating the existing system."

The access system is monitored and controlled by an AXxess NS security management system manufactured by MAXxess Systems. This allows the integration of each component of a security system and presents information from any of the deployed equipment on a single screen. AEL has integrated part of its CCTV into the system that provides the capability to connect, manage and view video images from different equipment, regardless of the equipment's manufacturer. The video images can then be viewed simultaneously on a dedicated portion of a screen whilst operators are viewing other data from an access control system or other security equipment at the same time.

AEL staff and contractors have all been issued with HID iClass smartcards to allow them to gain access to areas not open to the public.

Gravett adds, "We monitor the system 24 hours a day and we enjoy the additional benefit of using the data captured for time and attendance purposes. We can even assist our external contractors by providing information that allows them to calculate the pay of their employees."

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