One of the world's leading manufacturers and suppliers of commercial explosives and initiating systems, African Explosives (AEL), has standardised on Motorola two-way radios to centralise its security operations. The radios also play a significant role in synchronising production and distribution and ensuring staff safety.
At 800 tons per day, the AEL nitrates plant in Modderfontein (north-east of Johannesburg) produces nitric acid and ammonium nitrate which are used to manufacture explosives and fertilisers. Two-way radios are used across the plant to manage various stages of the manufacturing process.
Johann Lessing, rail maintenance manager at AEL, says two-way radio provides instant communication, keeping locomotive drivers and shunters in contact at all times. "Whether we are bringing raw material into the plant or transporting the finished product from the bagging shed through to the exchange yard, communication is key to co-ordinating operations and avoiding accidents.
"The shunters need to know exactly which trucks to couple or uncouple and where to direct them. They also have to guide the locomotives because the drivers cannot see what is happening behind the train. In the past we used hand and light signals but these methods were not as reliable as having two people talking directly to one another, which is now possible at the push of a button," he explains.
A remote speaker microphone allows the user to maintain communication with other people while his hands are free to continue working. This is particularly important in potentially hazardous work environments.
If a fault occurs, the maintenance division can be alerted instantly, which reduces costly down-time, and in an emergency situation the one-to-many communication capability of two-way radio ensures that all staff receive a message simultaneously, saving critical time and possibly lives.
Mari Gravett, manager for security and emergency services at AEL, adds that two-way radio allows her to manage all internal and external access points and keep in contact with foot patrols across a site that spans some 4000 hectares.
"Each plant on the site has a dedicated radio for use in an emergency situation. We use a 5-tone and 2-tone decode system which sends an alert directly to the control room. The system allows the sender to simply push the PTT (push to talk) button on the radio and it automatically sends out a 5-tone emergency signal that is decoded by security and emergency services to identify exactly where a problem has occurred. A 2-tone signal is also sent from the control room on a daily basis to each plant to ensure their radios remain in operation at all times," notes Gravett.
"If we need to react to an alarm, incursion or safety alert, our response has to be carefully co-ordinated. With a two-way radio, you do not have to contend with a loss of signal or waste time trying to look up someone's telephone number - it is instant. It is also cost-effective because you do not pay per call."
"Motorola's two-way radios are tested to American military standards, so they are tough enough to withstand extreme temperatures, dust and shock," notes Len Bohnen, owner of Radio-Pro & Industrial, a Motorola authorised dealer.
"On a couple of occasions, the radios have accidentally been dropped in acid and they still worked afterwards. The only maintenance we have to do on a regular basis is to replace batteries due to the fact that ammonium nitrate is an oxidising agent which results in corrosion of the batteries," says Bohnen.
"We have had some of our Motorola radios for years and they still manage to withstand intensive wear and tear, providing reliable communications at all times," concludes Gravett.
For more information contact Johann Lessing, African Explosives, 011 606 2725 or Mari Gravett, 011 606 3222; or Nik Patel, Motorola CGISS, 011 800 7800.
© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd. | All Rights Reserved.
printer friendly version