| EON coal importing facility relies on Tensor for smart card time and attendance | Fri 18th February 2011 |
The Norec Limited Liverpool Bulk Terminal dock at Bootle is a coal importing facility and supplies the various power stations of the energy giant E.ON. Norec stores and distributes the coal via road and rail, and runs and performs maintenance on the Merseyside site on behalf of E.ON.
Jimmy Finch, deputy supervisor and engineering planner, explained to the Tensor reporter the requirements the Terminal had for a reliable smart card attendance and security regime, “As this is an E.ON site, we do get the occasional threats from people, such as protestors. People are visiting us all week, and we needed a secure access and time and attendance system that would match our special requirements”.
After checking various products available on the market, the depot chose a Tensor smart card time and attendance and access control system, which also incorporates a fire roll call monitoring facility. The system was installed in early 2005. No problems were encountered with the installation of either the hardware or software. The dock’s employees use the contactless smart cards to clock in out, or to book jobs and absences.
Jimmy said, “With the Tensor smart cards our employees are the only ones allowed on site. They can gain access and then use the clocking system”. He further went on to explain how the Tensor access control system triggers the opening and closing of the site’s security gate. “Tensor had no problem in connecting the new gate to the access system – the guy sorted it out and it was up and running within three days” he remarked. Jimmy particularly likes the fact that the control of the safety gates is automatic. His other comment was, “Now, no-one can get onsite without using a card to go through them, so the system works very well as far as security is concerned”.
Another feature of the system is the way in which the fire roll call print-outs are now produced in the gatehouse and in the workshop. Jimmy explained that this was an important feature of the system as they have a lot of sub-contractors arriving and leaving site. The Tensor fire roll call works by automatically printing out a report in case of an emergency or drill, and staff on site can be safely accounted for since their smart cards – which are used to exit the premises when evacuating – register their presence on the report. Jimmy pointed out that the Tensor fire roll call system was “essential” for health and safety purposes.
Describing the process of adding new employees or contractors to the system, Jimmy said, “It is quite simple to add new people and allocate new cards - we’ve had no problems with that.”
When asked if he would recommend Tensor to other energy companies or companies with special security requirements, Jimmy replied, “I would have no problems recommending Tensor as the system is working well and suits our needs for security, time monitoring and fire roll call”, and summing up his experience of the Tensor product, he concluded, “It has been working great!”
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Customer Information
Norec Limited
Liverpool Bulk Terminal
SE1 Gladstone Dock
Bootle
Merseyside
L20 1BE
Tel: 0151 933 0860
Web: www.eon-uk.com/generation/liverpoolbulkterminal.aspx
Liverpool Bulk Terminal (LBT) is a coal importing facility situated within the Port of Liverpool at Gladstone Dock. It is capable of handling five million tonnes of coal from vessel to stock and then reclaiming to rail or road loading hoppers.
A major feature of the Terminal design is the environmental controls designed to minimised coal dust emissions. This involves dust suppression sprays fitted on fixed conveying plant and around the coal stockyard. In addition a water bowser is used for spraying coal stocks to prevent dust.
The Terminal is designed to store, treat and reuse water. The drainage system has been designed to collect all water run-off from around the site into a large concrete sump. The water is then pumped through a water treatment system that removes the solids and stores the clarified water ready for reuse. All water discharged into the dock complies with consent limits imposed by the Environment Agency.