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Security tap tightened

Founded in 1980, ISCA is a South African manufacturer of high quality brass taps and mixers for all domestic applications.

It operates from a head office and factories in Johannesburg with sales and service offices in major metropolitan areas around South Africa, as well as in Botswana, Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

ISCA’s product range is aimed at all market sectors, from the low- to the top-end of the market, with various finishes, including satin chrome and gold plating.

As can be imagined, a company of this size employs a rather substantial crew. Thus the need for robust, accurate time and attendance solutions is of the utmost importance to empower the company to prevent theft and to properly track employee time and attendance.

Before ISCA decided on a biometric access control system, the company used a card-based solution, which allowed for all kinds of dishonest behaviour, such as buddy-clocking, costing the company thousands of rands.

The solution provider, Timewatch, has been working with ISCA for over two years and it endeavoured to deliver a solution that would solve the above problems in ISCA’s existing and new premises.

The proposed solution was a rather complex one, with Turnstar turnstiles at the entrance points, complete with handheld metal detectors. Sagem MA500, MA100s biometric finger scanners were installed at workplaces throughout the factory to monitor time and attendance. These were linked into the access control system. The system would then monitor if an employee has clocked in for duty. Furthermore, if he or she is on duty, the system would prevent the employee from exiting the building until the shift ends.

The main benefactors of a biometrics solution will be the manufacturing and administration departments. A reduction in theft, stricter control over time and attendance and improved security are the benefits to be gained from this solution.

Timewatch had a system design architect overseeing the entire implementation to ensure that everything was done according to specification. ISCA is happy with the solution: theft is down, time and attendance is accurate, and overall it is deemed to have been worth the money.

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