ALLVAULTTM HIGH SECURITY ENCLOSURE UNMATCHED IN STRENGTH AND DURABILITY A guide to protecting and managing people and assets in digitally transforming mines mining securi y solu ions 2023
Andrew Smart Mining Security Solutions 2023 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor should be addressed to Andrew Seldon at [email protected]. Sending material to this publication will be considered automatic permission to use in full or in part in our Letters column. Be sure to include your name, e-mail address, city and postal code. We reserve the right to edit all letters. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, adapted, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd, Reg No. 2005/034598/07 A division of Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd Wild Fig Business Park, Block B, Unit 21, 1494 Cranberry Street, Honeydew Tel: +27 11 543 5800 ISSN 1562-952X Editor Andrew Seldon: [email protected] Contributors Dr Craig Donald Lesley-Anne Kleyn Johan I. van Wyk Advertising sales Tracy Wolter: [email protected] Heidi Hargreaves: [email protected] Subscription Services For address changes, orders, renewal status or missing issues, e-mail: [email protected] Subscribe online: www.technews.co.za Design and layout: Technews Production Department Disclaimer While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements, inserts and company contact details are printed as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material. FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK www.securitysa.com Published by Welcome to the Smart Mining Handbook 2023. Security and risk management have always been an important component of extracting wealth from the earth, but mines today face an extraordinary onslaught from criminals, from the petty to the well organised and, sadly, to the downright violent and murderous contempt for life that is becoming common in South Africa. The stories one hears ‘off the record’ are horrendous, sometimes bordering on what one would expect to read in an apocalyptic science fiction story about a dystopian future. Given the level of corruption and incompetence from authorities, the only skills needed to succeed in the current regime, mines (and the rest of us) are more often than not on their own when it comes to security. This is simply an added burden to management as they also face the challenges of digital transformation and threats from the cyber realm, as well as crumbling power, road and rail infrastructures, to name only three. The real security issues in mines go far beyond what one can contain in a single handbook, but we have tried to highlight a few issues that are pertinent to mining security today. Above all else, the ‘old way’ of handling security simply does not do a good enough job anymore, and mines need to develop a complete risk framework that incorporates all aspects of the business into their security calculations. Not a simple or quick task. However, with the criminal innovation apparent in syndicate operations, mines need the ability to adapt to changing circumstances in real time. Mining conference Later this year, Smart Security (the new branding for Hi-Tech Security Solutions) will be holding a full-day conference dealing specifically with risk and security Mining is the easy part on mines. The event will expand on what we have in the handbook, and address other issues as well. (If you would like to be notified of the date and other details later this month once we have the format and speakers finalised, please let me know at [email protected], and I will let you know – no spam!) Additionally, as this is our first handbook aimed at the mining sector, comments and criticisms are very welcome; our goal is to make the editorial relevant to the realities on the ground today, and your input is valuable. This publication is biased towards South African mining due to our location, but in future we plan to include more about African operations in general as the continent is no stranger to similar challenges. Once again, feel free to contact me at [email protected]. I hope you enjoy the first Smart Mining Handbook.
www.securitysa.com Smart Mining Security Solutions 2023 3 Editor’s note..........................................................................2 The importance of the operator’s frame of reference................................................................4 Dr Craig Donald writes about the importance of the operator’s frame of reference and situational awareness in dealing with CCTV surveillance in the mining industry. Women in Security: The art of drive and focus..................6 From typing pool to control room: Riette Smeda did not find security, security found her. Risk Management..............................................................10 Smart Security talks to Kelly McLintock on the topics of AI, risk management and frameworks. Security by drone...............................................................14 Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, have become a critical component of security in many industries, with mining leading the pack. Communications................................................................20 From 5G to Wi-Fi and even legacy analogue radios, you’ll find them all on mines, all over the mines. The correct selection of communications technology has a significant impact on digital transformation processes. Security surveillance..........................................................26 Smart Security asks what the latest in surveillance technology is and how it can make a difference to security operations in mines, including the benefits of AI and risks of cybersecurity. Allbro Allvault The Allvault is an advanced high security enclosure made from Glass Reinforced Polyester (GRP). The enclosure withstands aggressive environmental conditions and resists tampering. Its unique design ensures equipment safety, access control and is an ideal solution for reliable IoT component security. OUR COVER Access & identity management.........................................34 Access technologies, especially fingerprint and facial biometrics has changed the game with respect to identity verification on mines. Case study...........................................................................42 A dispersed mining operation relies on AxxonSoft for centralised video management. Digital transformation.......................................................43 Electronic security in mining can be challenging, due to the size, the remote and often inhospitable locations, and the resources that need to be protected. Products & solutions..........................................................44 Directory of product and solution suppliers to the mining industry.......................................................46 CONTENTS A guide to protecting and managing people and assets in digitally transforming mines mining securi y solu ions 2023
4 Smart Mining Security Solutions 2023 www.securitysa.com OPINION I’ve worked in the mining industry almost all my life, either directly on shafts, or for research purposes, and consulting and training in security. An opportunity to get involved with the human factors in the first wide-scale introduction of CCTV and electronic access control systems used in South Africa at De Beers, set me on a course where I shifted into, what would become, a mainly security focus in the rest of my career. Involvement in mining runs in your blood once you get into it, and I’ve spent much time consulting and training surveillance in mining operations around the world since then. It’s a tough industry where people work hard in extreme conditions, even on surface, in pursuit of minerals which include some of the most valuable things in the world and are highly likely to be targeted by criminals. The industry has become more difficult and the criminal more pronounced on an ongoing basis since then. Even the less valuable minerals such as coal and chrome have been increasingly targeted by syndicates in recent years. By Dr Craig Donald. The importance of the operator’s frame of reference The operator’s frame of reference and situational awareness in dealing with CCTV surveillance in the mining industry. People typically think of theft of diamonds, gold and platinum when looking at mining security, and rightfully so. However, the mining infrastructure that gets put in place to retrieve these kinds of minerals creates almost unlimited opportunities to steal across large areas and spread-out operations. If a criminal can’t get the precious stuff, a vast range of other things become targets to steal. Mining operations have become one of the most difficult environments for an operator to work in, with potential rates of detection being one of the highest of any industry, except possibly city or town centre surveillance around areas of nightclubs and pubs on Friday and Saturday nights. The rules of the game have changed Detection tasks are not just required within the normal operations, a parallel industry of illegal mining needs to be dealt with, which also impacts the operation. As mines are often in more remote areas, the potential for syndicates and gangs in surrounding communities grows with the increase in syndicate and illegal operations, again, spilling into, and targeting, the mining and production areas. Direct attacks on mining operations and the control rooms themselves are also showing that the rules of the game have changed and operators need to be aware of broader threats to the operations they are working in. When an operator sits down in their chair in front of the CCTV monitors in a control room of a mining company, they need to have an appropriate frame of reference about what they should be doing and what they should be looking for. This will be influenced by a range of factors including their familiarity with the mining environment, how their job activities are formally defined, their observation and crime analysis skills, and supporting information that allows them to address specific issues. Quite simply, the better the operator’s frame of reference and the more informed they are, the more successful they are likely to be in surveillance. The familiarity of the operator with the mining environment should include the
www.securitysa.com Smart Mining Security Solutions 2023 5 OPINION mining area, the infrastructure and what happens there, the processes of the mining production environment, the people who work there and what kind of work they do and where they are supposed to be. In addition, the nature of assets that may get stolen and risk factors associated with that, surrounding areas around the mine and what kind of threats they can pose, perimeter protection measures and counter measures, and factors such as safety issues will all give the operator an informed perspective of what they are looking at. In the same way that a casino dealer who becomes a CCTV operator has a high familiarity when looking at tables, somebody who has worked in the gold plant will have a greater insight into the processes going on and where things can potentially go missing. It doesn’t mean that somebody who has never worked in the industry cannot do this, it just means they will need to gain the environmental awareness as they work and from others they work with. The first time I physically picked up a gold bar, I couldn’t believe how heavy it was and I immediately thought of all the movies I’d seen where robbers were supposedly throwing them around and easily packing them into cars. Companies should also include familiarisation tours of the areas that operators are supposed to be monitoring so they have a first-hand experience of what happens and the physical layouts and implications that are involved when viewing from behind the monitors. The fence lines, stores or cable yards, diesel storage, auditing of high-risk activities such as shipments or spillages, expected vehicle movements, exit points and waybills handling, purchase of machinery, and rules and procedures in high-risk production areas should all become part of a knowledge base. Familiarity with industry processes The job requirements and supervisor assignments generate specific structured activities that personnel are responsible for and underlies part of the framework for an operator. This can include infrastructure auditing, process monitoring where the operator views the adherence to procedures of things like process monitoring, where reviews of perimeters or fence alarms or alerts are done. It would include monitoring of high activities such as shipments, gold pouring, diamond sorting, clearances of vehicles at gates and monitoring guard behaviour, monitoring response vehicle reactions to incidents, and vehicle tracking. Alarm monitoring and responses would also be included in these kinds of activities. Without an appropriate understanding of the production process being monitored, the nature of the product at each stage, and ways in which product can be accessed and taken away, many of these activities may become rote. Having insights and the ability to identify and interpret things that are not appropriate or deviate from standard is key to the operator’s frame of reference. A key element of any operator’s mental framework when viewing is picking things up through personal intuition, a sensitivity to body language, their natural awareness of crime behaviour signs or knowledge gained from surveillance training, as well as techniques in crime analysis. This adds to the knowledge of operations, expected activities of people in the workplace, personal knowledge of lifestyle inconsistencies or dubious associations. Ideally, operators should have an appreciation and knowledge of tactical strategies adopted by criminals. Things like hosing down or sweeping techniques that may be associated with illegal concentration of fines for later retrieval, or using methods to displace materials to other areas, or frequenting areas such as dumps, where concentrations of valuable material may occur, without a reason to be there, are all issues. Add to this an awareness of the signs that somebody is involved in a suspicious activity because of the way they are looking around, showing anxiety, or the way they are moving and concealing something, can all lead to enhanced detection of incidents. The provision of intelligence information into the operator’s frame of reference allows: the defining of suspect people who should be observed in more depth, areas or transactions that may be suspect or vulnerable and need to be monitored and audited; or looking out for known techniques that are being used to steal. In addition, by identifying possible or know membership or associations with syndicates or related personnel, one can spend more time on viewing people who are most suspicious. It can also lead to specific targeting of high-risk events based on early viewing of conditions and a prediction of what people are likely to do. For example, predicting what illegal gold miners will do and what is their target based on leaving settlement areas early in the morning and the direction of movement out of these know living areas. Identifying of resupply points and access methods for illegal miners can also lead to early apprehension. Protecting the control room The actions of criminals taking over control rooms in some mining situations has led to an Dr Craig Donald is a human factors specialist in security and CCTV. He is a director of Leaderware which provides instruments for the selection of CCTV operators, X-ray screeners and other security personnel in major operations around the world. He also runs CCTV Surveillance Skills and Body Language, and Advanced Surveillance Body Language courses for CCTV operators, supervisors and managers internationally, and consults on CCTV management. He can be contacted on +27 11 787 7811 or [email protected] expansion of the frame of reference to direct threats. Control room security has always been something that security management have been concerned about, but there is now an increased demand on keeping an eye out for signs of threat to the control room, or bigger levels of threat to the whole operation in the form of armed robbery or incursions into mining areas. This does raise issues of whether to move the control rooms to remote monitoring sites to reduce exposure to this kind of risk, as well as to reduce the chance of operators being potentially compromised by syndicates or intimidation. These views need to be offset against the benefits to the operator’s framework of local knowledge and familiarity in observation. In particular, where they have to provide support to response personnel, which would include clear and rapid communication on the status of incident situations, directions to assist in apprehending suspects, warning of potential threats, and ongoing monitoring of suspect responses. The past few years have shown very real threats to control room staff and response personnel within the mining industry and the ability to work as a team is an important consideration in control room management. Enhancing the operator’s frame of reference will ensure that the operator goes about surveillance in the best way possible.
6 Smart Mining Security Solutions 2023 www.securitysa.com Continued on page 8 South Africa is the most expensive country in the world for mining gold, with numerous organisations whittling their SA activities down in recent years. Meanwhile, the mining industry at large consumes up to 30% of Eskom’s power supply, making electricity (after labour), the standout cost (Reuters, 2022) and while many mines have been implementing innovative responses to these challenges, there is some way still to go. Specialist security companies that serve the mining industry must remain innovative. It is in this space that we find our feature Woman in Security, Riette Smeda. WOMEN IN SECURITY By Lesley-Anne Kleyn. From typing pool to control room: Riette Smeda did not find security, security found her. The art of drive and focus Entrepreneurially minded folk are a special kind of person – determined, innovative, creative, motivated, and completely unafraid. Riette displays these qualities in excess. I am not surprised to discover therefore, that she has indeed started up and sold numerous entrepreneurial endeavours in a career that has spanned decades. Riette is the Technical Manager for Xone Integrated Security, a specialised security service provider with a niche focus on maximising the value obtainable through the control room environment. Her company’s offering to the mining community aims at reducing losses, syndicate arrests, decreased risk, enhanced productivity, and improved health and safety, with measurability tools and detailed professional reporting the likes of which is somewhat unique. My first question of Riette is the pivotal question: “How on earth did you end up working in the security services sector?” Her answer is one frequently expressed: Riette did not find security; security found her. Her intention had been to complete a BCom after she matriculated, but circumstances at the time meant that she needed to start working immediately after school. She applied to First National Bank, securing a position in the typing pool, where she worked until she married. Then, when her only son started Grade 1, it was back to work for the young mum. She was offered a position as a salesperson with a Xerox distributor. Her only exposure to printers until then had been a wary approach to a little dot matrix unit. Yet, here she was, being offered the opportunity to sell Xerox printers, valued at the time at a good eighty-thousand rand a pop. Riette did what any entrepreneurially minded woman would do, and leapt at the opportunity. If a housewife can do it … Then, three days into her new role, she became extremely ill, which meant missing her initial on-job training. Riette was home and in bed recovering when she received her first phone call from a prospective client. She had no product material on hand and absolutely no industry knowledge. Neither really did the client. What she did have, was a pricelist, and bucketloads of gusto, so she hustled her way through that first call and ended up selling not just one but all three of the high-end units that she had been allocated to sell. Her new company advocated her as its star employee, telling the sales team, “If a housewife can do this, so can any of you.” (Riette and I had a good chuckle at that one.) The pressure was on to sell. Ever resourceful, Riette purchased a bakkie, driving as far afield as Polokwane, with printers loaded in the back. She soon became one of the top sales executives in the business, which led to a call from a software solutions provider looking for a great sales rep, so she made the move from hardware into software. Several successful years later and newly divorced, Riette felt the need for a career change. She approached a recruiter for help. A twenty-minute initial interview culminated in the consultancy asking her to join its team the same day. So began a successful shift from direct sales into recruitment. Shortly thereafter, however, the consultancy was unexpectedly sold, and its recruitment division closed. Suddenly, this single mum found herself unemployed. Riette did what any entrepreneur would do; she started her own recruitment company with Riette Smeda.
8 Smart Mining Security Solutions 2023 www.securitysa.com nothing but an old laptop and a vision. Eyetla Placement Solutions was thus born and Riette did incredibly well in the recruitment space for the next several years. Which brings us to how the security industry found Riette. You cannot hide from security One of her Eyetla clients put her in touch with another client, which just so happened to be looking for a set of very specific skills. That company turned out to be the Fidelity Services Group. Curious about what Fidelity was after and keen to see if she could help, Riette visited Fidelity’s Roodepoort offices just before Christmas. Yet again, she was offered the role on the spot. Riette took another leap. Her new role essentially involved the on-site training of all staff on the company’s new online OB system. Hardware, software, sales, recruitment and now training. An excellent security industry generalist was clearly in the making. Only manpower operations was missing from the mix. A series of circumstances presented Riette with the opportunity to start up her own security manpower company and she fondly relates how she found and secured her very first client. She had driven past an engineering organisation and noticed that the security at its main gate seemed a little sub-standard. She decided to test her impression, managing to talk her way through the gate, past reception, and right into an office corridor. Venturing into the first office to her left, she found herself face to face with the security manager himself. She quoted. He accepted. Project management and SOPs Now, having secured the contract, she needed to recruit, train, uniform, design processes, and place a compliment of 21 officers, all within the space of two weeks. She convinced her new client to pay his first invoice in advance, and the rest, as they say, is history. Riette feels that her success as a security manpower provider lay in the fact that she was extremely strict about the requisite registrations, and that she has always understood the importance of processes on a site. Indeed, as we chat, it seems to me that project management and security operations simply come naturally to her. Riette acknowledges that she was out of her depth when first recruited to Xone in 2016. She made use of every opportunity provided by the product manufacturers and distributors, both for training, and to build relationships with these product experts, on whom she knew she would need to lean on. “Working in technology, everyday there is something new to learn – just when you think you have finally figured it all out.” As a woman without a qualification in a STEM field, it took some time before male technicians were willing to accept her leadership on projects. She has had to work hard to earn the trust of her colleagues, but she has tackled this challenge with as much gusto as she tackles every other, and ultimately a warm mutual respect has resulted. It was also necessary to help both clients and technicians to understand that she is not expected to be the technical expert in a detailed sense, but rather to be the project manager, which requires an overarching approach. Her project management acumen has seen Riette form part of the team starting up many of Xone’s sites in the mining space. The recruitment process for the mining industry is particularly rigorous and she has drawn on her range of experience to add her unique skillset to the many hours that go into onboarding a site. Riette is convinced that a team must be well trained, well managed, and that a Continued from page 6 WOMEN IN SECURITY
professional project plan is imperative. “In security, you simply take no shortcuts.” Support and opposition in the security industry I asked if she has experienced any challenges as a woman within the industry at large. Riette admits that there have been times when she has felt approached as ‘just a woman’. Her Director, Frik Wiese, however, has been phenomenal in his support, and Xone, itself, has gone so far as to decline to continue to work with one client in support of Riette, after one particularly nasty misogynistic incident. In terms of the challenges that she faces on-job, Riette feels that syndicates are a pressing problem. “It is not a question of if, but rather of when staff will be approached to collude.” Hence, her company’s strong focus on modern data analysis. If there are a few things that she would like to see change within the industry, top of her list would be the introduction of the words ‘risk management’ rather than ‘security’. She also believes that there is still much misunderstanding amongst clients about the importance of integrating manpower and security via a benchmark command and control operation. Like many of the women whom we have interviewed, Riette is also saddened by the fact that security is still approached as a grudge purchase in South Africa, causing the country to fall further behind global trends. I ask Riette if she would encourage other young women to become involved in the industry and the answer is an emphatic “Yes!” She does offer a caution: the security industry can be cutthroat, and regardless of role, security services is definitely not an eight to five career. However, Riette feels that any woman with great communication skills, focus, attention to detail, the ability to stand her ground, and oodles of patience, can make a success of a career in the security space. In fact, she frequently encounters female control room operators who display all of these qualities and more. The most important quality? “Oh, that is absolutely that you must have the right mindset.” Riette believes that without a driven mindset, the security space will be daunting for many. Today Riette is re-married to the ‘goodnatured Quinton’, and her son is almost 26. I ask her about her interests outside of work and the security industry, and she relates without hesitation how, during the sometimes dark and difficult weeks of COVID lock down, she decided that she really needed to bring some colour into her life. With a chuckle, she tells me that she decided that painting would be a better option for the figure than baking; she rooted out a kit, gifted to her years before, bought a canvass, and began watching You Tube tutorials. I head over to her Instagram profile, to discover that the results of her acrylic pouring work are beautiful. Not bad for a budding artist who, until three years ago, had no idea that she was one. Riette Smeda can be contacted on +27 72 987 2044, [email protected]. Lesley-Anne Kleyn is a consultant working across a range of sectors, assisting clients to build their businesses into profitable, impactful and enduring entities. With many clients in the security services sector too, she is a member of the board of ASIS International, heading up Women in Security. To join the conversation, contact her on +27 64 410 8563, or reach out on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesleyannekleyn. Xone is at www.xone.co.za. WOMEN IN SECURITY
10 Smart Mining Security Solutions 2023 www.securitysa.com Famous bank robber in the 1930s and 40s, Willie Sutton, is believed to have said that he robbed banks because ‘that’s where the money is’. When it comes to mines, that’s also where the money is in the form of cash and the actual goods mined, but also in terms of equipment, supplies (like explosives) and various components used in the mines’ business processes (like copper) that can be turned into money. It is no surprise that criminals are attracted to mines, especially in South Africa where crime pays. Mining security staff are involved in a literal war on crime 24 hours of every day. While every form of crime is to be found on mines, from petty theft to opportunistic attempts by the homeless to make a buck, the real fight is against organised syndicates that, in many cases, are better organised and equipped than the security contingent on the mines. Kelly McLintock, Chairman of Blacklight Group, recalls a time when he was talking to a mine about the endless security risks they face. He looked up a hill using a handheld thermal viewer and saw a Zama Zama looking back at him through his own thermal viewer. (For those who do not know, Zama Zama’s are illegal miners). Some even have their own reconnaissance drones in operation. A spin at the wheel Looking at the security operations on mines, it is clear that these have evolved dramatically over the years in the endless pursuit of the ingenuity and ruthlessness of the organised crime gangs. McLintock says that security operations today cannot be the same as AI, risk management, and frameworks By Andrew Seldon. A risk management framework is a necessity in the war against crime. they were in the past. Mines need to take a risk management approach to address the full spectrum of risks they face. With the risk framework in place, better use can be made of the resources the mine has at its disposal, specifically using them where they add value and do not just cost money. Most importantly, it should not be a case of using this year’s budget for the technology, or human security enhancements you planned for a year ago. Just as risk is adapting in real time, security operations must be designed in a way that adapts with the threats; what worked last year is not a good plan for the year ahead. Additionally, security leaders should not be doing an Oliver Twist and going to the mean executives with their empty budget bowl and asking “please sir, may I have some more.” Using an example of a roulette wheel, security is too often a case of having only one ball in the wheel, which means you are ready for specific risks, but you will be caught with your pants down if any of the others happen. Mines need many balls in the wheel to be able to deal with multiple threats, and they need to be flexible enough to adapt when a different number comes up. Of course, McLintock admits that this is easy to say, but for those in the trenches it is a very different story. The old adage of ‘security having to get it right all the time, every time, while criminals just have to get it right once’, applies. Having more balls in the wheel means making the most of what you have while always looking ahead to what you don’t have and (perhaps more importantly) what you don’t expect. This applies to manpower and technology, specifically to the effective integration of different technologies and their subsequent integration with people. A false alarm There is no one solution against crime, but McLintock gave Smart Mining insight into one way (of many) to make the best of what is out there. The first was the growing efficacy of artificial intelligence (AI). AI and its various disciplines, such as machine learning (ML), data science, neural networks and more, are very overhyped at the moment, but this detracts from the fact that it is already making a significant difference to security operations. He uses false alarms as an example. False alarms that cause tactical teams to be sent out to see what is happening are an expensive waste of resources. Using the correct technology to detect and reject false alarms saves money in that your resources are used where they are actually needed. Many video management vendors are adding AI to their systems, but buyers should be aware of the difference between those who are doing it because it is expected to be part of the package, and those companies that offer a service specialising in false alarm detection that can integrate into existing management platforms. He also advises security decision-makers to differentiate between video analytics and AI. This may seem counterintuitive, as almost all video analytics providers have suddenly got an AI sticker on their boxes. The difference is that AI learns and adapts without constant pampering, and the computing resources required for AI systems are declining instead of increasing. (The initial training of AI is resource intensive, RISK MANAGEMENT
but once trained to a certain level, the processing power required decreases slightly). With effective AI systems in place, the need for expensive cameras is reduced and cheaper, ‘decent’ cameras can do the job just as well because of the AI in the back-end – as long as there is a good image to work from. This does not mean buying the cheapest available, but it does mean you do not need the most expensive. Of course, there are places where specialised cameras are required (such as thermals or very long-range cameras etc.). Compounding risk The risks mines face today are growing and compounding, almost like Moore’s Law, which held for decades. (Moore’s law says the number of transistors in an integrated circuit (IC) doubles about every two years.) All industries are at risk and need to prepare, and the risks we face go further than crime. Key to this is integration. Integration has been a buzzword in security for many years, but it is more important than ever today, and not just in terms of technology. Effective riskresponse scenarios require everything riskrelated be integrated and managed as a whole, which will allow for the flexible and adaptable responses mentioned above (integration of technology, people and each other). This includes service providers used on mines. McLintock says it is no use having the best service provider for each portion of your security operation (fencing, cameras, power, access control etc.) without the systems and people being integrated into a synergistic whole. McLintock (also the chair of ASIS SA), recommends the ASIS ESRM (Enterprise Security Risk Management) approach to risk. ASIS defines ESRM as a “strategic security management tool of its kind, elevating the security function by establishing a partnership between security professionals and business leaders to manage security risks.” “The objective of ESRM is to identify, evaluate, and mitigate the likelihood and/or impact of security risks to the organisation with priority given to protective activities that help enable the organisation to advance its overall mission. ESRM positions the security professional as a trusted advisor to help guide asset owners through the process of making security risk management decisions.” (A short article with further links is available from ASIS via the short link www.securitysa.com/*asis1.) Security today involves manpower and technology, but data and the information derived from it (or intelligence, including situational awareness intelligence) plays a much broader role than ever before. Using the ESRM principles, McLintock says that mines can build a risk framework that is fluid enough to adapt to changing circumstances and continually adapt mitigation strategies to match both old and new threats. A last word from AI Since Mclintock noted that AI is critical in future security operations, we end the article with ChatGPT’s answer to our request for a layman’s explanation of ESRM, specifically focused on physical security. The answer is printed below without alteration. “ESRM stands for “Enterprise Security Risk Management” and is a comprehensive approach to identifying and mitigating risks across an organization’s entire enterprise, including physical security. In the physical security industry, ESRM involves a strategic approach to identifying and managing risks to an organization’s assets, such as buildings, equipment, and people. Rather than RISK MANAGEMENT Kelly McLintock. solely relying on traditional security measures such as guards and access control systems, ESRM takes a more holistic approach by considering the entire enterprise and the potential risks that could impact it. ESRM involves a five-step process: 1. Identify the assets that need to be protected and the risks they face. 2. Assess the likelihood and impact of those risks. 3. Develop a risk management plan. 4. Implement the plan, including the use of appropriate security measures. 5. Monitor and review the plan on an ongoing basis to ensure it remains effective. By taking a comprehensive approach to risk management, ESRM can help organizations better protect their assets, reduce the likelihood of security breaches, and minimize the impact of any incidents that do occur.” (Source: https://chat.openai.com/) For more information, contact Blacklight Group, [email protected], www.blacklightgroup.co.za
14 Smart Mining Security Solutions 2023 www.securitysa.com SECURITY BY DRONE Complex, but critical partner in security By Andrew Seldon. Smart Security looks at how drones can be applied effectively in mine security. UAVs, or drones, have become an important element in the security arsenal for many companies in many industries, and mining is no exception. The ability to quickly gain a birds-eye view of a situation, whether security, safety or operational in nature makes drones a significant value-add to mines, which are hampered by the amount of ground they have to cover and the time it takes to get to places where security teams are needed. From intercepting and following perimeter intruders and identifying the type of threat they pose, to checking conveyor belt functionality, or even watching over vehicles at work, drones have a number of services that are of use to mines. However, using these devices is not simple or easy given the regulations in South Africa, so simply buying a drone and putting it in the air is not how one does it. Matthew Gordon, CEO of Sky Guard, says mines are an ideal candidate for drone security. “Their vast size, complex operations and nature of business make airborne surveillance and protection essential in guarding critical infrastructure and personnel.” He adds that drones are extremely versatile and can be used to assist with perimeter security and patrols as well as for pinpointing and assessing security beaches and hot spots safely from the air before deploying ground personnel. Because mines cover large areas, drones are a cost-effective way of reaching and monitoring distant areas quickly. Their cameras are able to record scenes for evidence-gathering and forensics and can be used at night to effectively see in the dark with thermal cameras. “In terms of safety, many mines use drones to conduct routine inspections of infrastructure like masts, towers and buildings,” Gordon adds. “The business case for drones is strong but it’s important to manage expectations, particularly in the initial phases of deployment; it typically takes around three months to get through the administrative legalities of setting up airborne security operations at any facility.” Dramatic drone impact Johann Fourie, who currently holds a dual function within the Bidvest Group, with his core specialty of security risk and solution management being added to his role as Chief Sales & Marketing Officer at UAV & Drone Solutions, says, “The impact that drone technology had on the day-to-day operations of our clients has escalated and evolved dramatically over the past seven years. The flexibility, speed of response and ability to make informed decisions has proven to be invaluable in our client’s security as well as general operational management plans. “The integration of drones, as a surveillance tool, provides our clients with the ability to improve safety and security through providing an impact on the overall deter, detect, delay and detain principles of security. The integration of drone technology (as part of the overall safety and security management plan) enables fast, visual verification and detection of potential safety and security threats, enabling risk appropriate responses to these threats.” Originally drones were applied as a primary surveillance tool, in essence a flying camera, he adds. This had an immediate positive impact on criminal attacks, however, as per any new technology applied within security, the way that drones are used needed to adapt to mitigate the changing criminal behaviour. Drones became a vulnerable tactical tool within the larger security plan and therefore needed to work as part of the tactical armed response teams to remain effective. Drones have proven to be a highly effective tool to support security, not only with surveillance functions, but have also provided a tool to guide and assist response units during security incidents and crime prevention operations. “Safety drones are applied from a more traditional perspective to do various tasks that traditionally required manual inspections,” notes Fourie. “These tasks include blast clearance inspections, high-site inspections, environmental inspections, and other production-based analytics. Monitoring and observation of safety behaviour, especially contractor monitoring has become an integral part of the drone services applied at mines.” The long legalities With the mass of legalities and regulatory requirements required for drone operations, many companies forgo the hassles of setting up their own ‘drone department’ and look to third parties to provide a service. This can be a cheaper option as professional drones are costly, as is their upkeep, never mind the staffing costs. Gordon explains that there are several ways to structure drone operations. “Drone operators require a Remote Operating Certificate (ROC), a licence issued by the SA Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) in order to fly commercially. The ROC is notoriously difficult to achieve and requires deep pockets, strict operational oversight and regular audits. It’s not a core competence in most operations.” Some companies opt to do it in-house, but it can take years to be issued with an ROC, so most outsource the operations to third party commercial drone operators. They have the systems, experience and professional personnel to keep operations legally compliant and insured. Fourie seconds this, noting that RPAS operations are highly regulated by the SACAA under Part 101 of the Civil Aviation Regulations. He says some of the larger mining houses opted to implement an in-house drone capability and applied for operating licenses from SACAA. This is a very tedious process and the back-office cost of maintaining these licences becomes an expensive exercise. Then there is the cost of the drones. In a normal operational environment (security) it is advisable to have multiple drones within the fleet to ensure continuity. As per any vehicle or aircraft, drones need to be serviced and Continued on page 16
16 Smart Mining Security Solutions 2023 www.securitysa.com SECURITY BY DRONE maintenance records must be available. This can take a single drone out of operation for up to seven days and even longer. Drones do crash and/or malfunction and thus to ensure service continuity, multiple drones are required. Then there is the matter of RPL certified pilots currently required under legislation to be included in all drone operations. This becomes a costly exercise and if the mines or any commercial user is prepared to establish the infrastructure to support the drone service then it may make financial sense. Unfortunately, the cost of operations goes far beyond the cost of drones, thermal cameras and other payload items as well as the cost of drone pilots. “Aligned to modern day practices within the mining industry, the benefits of outsourcing the drone service currently outweighs the cost saving envisaged through insourcing of these services,” Fourie states. Beyond the perimeter The legalities are important since, while mines are private property, what happens when following criminals or suspects beyond the perimeter, or to keep abreast of civil unrest and riots? Gordon says drones can naturally be flown across a perimeter with ease, but prior written permission must be obtained from the landowner whose property is being overflown if you don’t want to break the law. The same applies when overflying public areas, like roads for example. Additionally, he says, “for ‘Beyond Visual Line of Sight’ operations, the pilot does not have to be able to see the aircraft while it’s flying as is the case in most other drone deployments. A special endorsement to the ROC is required for these operations and pilots have to be specially licensed to fly under those conditions.” More specifically, Fourie explains that the legal use of drones requires flight schedule approvals from SACAA as well as the property owners where the drones will operate. “Specialist third-party drone providers, that have the required ROC approval can apply to use the drones in security operations beyond their perimeter fences, however this needs to be managed within the legal guidelines as per the SACAA.” He says the following are critical components and approvals required to operate a drone within commercial or mining environment as per the SACAA approved Operations Specifications: • Day and night operations. • Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations up to 25 km from the remote pilot station. • Fixed wing. • Multi-rotor. • Operations within controlled airspace. • Operations within restricted and prohibited airspace. • Operations above 400 ft above ground level. • Operations overhead any person or group of people or within a lateral distance of 50 m. • Operations within a lateral distance of 50 m from any structure or building. • Operations over a public road, along the length of a public road or at a lateral distance of less than 50 m from a public road. • Operations adjacent to or above a nuclear power plant, prison, police station, crime scene, court of law, national key point or strategic installation. • Operations within a radius of 10 km of an aerodrome. • Use of a public road as a place of take-off or landing of an RPA. Choice, flying time and communications There are naturally many options when it comes to drones, from store-bought consumer grade kit to more professional systems designed for security and other operations. Gordon says there are three general categories: multiple-rotor, fixedwing and VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing). Multi-rotor machines are popular because they are relatively inexpensive, quick to deploy, and many licenced drone pilots are rated on these. They usually remain in the air for around 30 to 45 minutes before a battery change is required, but on newer machines these batteries can be hot swapped, so it literally takes seconds before they are airborne again. Fixed-wing drones are typically higher-end machines that are able to cover large areas and stay aloft longer – sometimes as long as three hours. VTOL is the newest technology and is a hybrid of a multi-rotor and a fixed wing. They can take off and land vertically with multi-rotor technology and then fly on wings while moving forward with a petrol-powered motor. This gives them unbeatable endurance and they can be aloft for up to eight hours, depending on the vehicle selected. These are expensive, technically advanced and very capable machines which, until recently, were only available for the military. They are mainly used for BVLOS operations. Fourie adds that choosing the right drone type for the specific task is crucial to be successful in the security environment. When it comes to communications, Fourie says that the current state of communication requires the drone operator to have line of sight with the drone, thus a high point with no interruptions within the operational area that may affect the connectivity between the drone and the operator. The footage is transmitted to the drone operator, normally operating from a mobile flight station at larger mines. The footage is then transmitted via Wi-Fi, 5G or other available connectivity to the mine control rooms. At smaller sites where there is sufficient space available, drones are currently operated from the control room. Future developments of drones include the application of self-deploying drones that transmit directly to the control rooms; however, this is still a long way off in being approved for operations within the South African environment. Integration requirements As with security in general today, no single product or solution provides everything a mine needs, and the same applies to drones. Integrating the drone operation into the overall security strategy as well as control room operations is therefore important, but how doable is it for these devices? Gordon says security, particularly at large installations, is a team effort and Sky Guard works closely with existing security providers to augment and enhance their services. “It often requires a bit of a rethink in terms of security strategy, but adding drone operations generally reduces costs, radically improves response times and keeps ground personnel from harm by getting to a dangerous scene first. The situation can be assessed from a safe distance before personnel are deployed. Drones also perform an important monitoring function by recording incidents as they unfold.” He also adds that drones can be used for a number of tasks besides security. For example, they can be used to monitor the progress of construction – it’s easy to geolocate a drone in a specific position day after day or week by week and perform time-lapse photography. Or the same technique can be employed in an opencast mine to monitor movement. Fourie agrees, noting that Bidvest has integrated its drone services at mines and is Continued from page 14 Matthew Gordon.
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