The security firm Quadrant Security Group (QSG) were among exhibitors at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s (NDA) Estate Supply Chain Event, on November 1 at EventCity in Manchester. The installer reports having supported multiple nuclear-licensed sites in the UK.
One aspect under scrutiny at nuclear facilities, the Nottingham-based firm says, is having suitable mustering procedures in place to ensure the safety of personnel in the event of an incident. Being able to manage incidents and control the movement of people under abnormal operating circumstances is essential and requires effective evacuation procedures and mustering protocols to ensure everyone is accounted for in a critical situation, particularly given the vast and complex nature of the estates.
There are numerous technologies available to support effective evacuation and mustering, from access control systems that automatically shut down unmanned areas, thermal cameras that can identify lone workers in restricted areas or in a man-down situation, and tracking devices that combine radio-frequency identification (RFID) and GPS for real-time visibility of personnel. The key, however, is to select the right technologies as part of an integrated solution to meet best-practice mustering procedures, the firm says.
Mark Pennington, Managing Director at QSG, says: “We work with our customers to conduct a complete assessment of their site and processes to produce an appropriate risk-based design. This means we look at the complete security landscape – from risk, to process, to cost – in line with regulatory standards. From a capital investment perspective, we ensure the design is optimised for lifecycle management.
“Nuclear facility operators are under increasing pressure from regulatory authorities, evolving technology, and the need to mitigate financial risk. As a systems integrator, we partner with leading technology providers to ensure that we deliver the right solution to meet the needs of our customers, both now and in the future. We are looking forward to exhibiting again this year as we’ve found this event to be an ideal way to learn about emerging trends, and generate ideas for long-term strategies through engaging conversations made possible by this gathering of industry leaders.”
On last year’s event, Chris Keane, Business Development Manager at QSG, said: “Since the event is open to everyone within the nuclear sector – i.e. not just those in security – it provided us with the opportunity to connect with individuals throughout the supply chain and learn more about the challenges and issues they face.”
