The tension between safety and security on an 800-hectare site
Of course, safety is a top priority throughout the entire location, but at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus, hospitality is also high on the agenda. In addition, we must comply with sustainability and GDPR regulations.
Multi-user site in the south of Limburg
Sitech Services helps companies in the chemical and energy sectors get the most out of their factories. With the Chemelot site as their playing field, the organization is close to the factories. On that same playing field, a close partnership between Sitech Services and Nsecure has formed over 13 years ago.
Sitech Services was created in 2008 by combining various DSM departments that provided on-site services. The Chemelot site has grown into a multi-user site divided into two parts: the industrial park with over 150 chemical companies and 60 factories, and the Brightlands Chemelot Campus, a rapidly growing open community of innovative startups, businesses, and knowledge institutions. On this multi-user site, each party has its own requirements when it comes to security and access control.
“Of course, safety is a top priority throughout the location, but at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus, hospitality is also high on the agenda. In addition, we must comply with sustainability and GDPR regulations. Together with Nsecure, we strive to find solutions to serve all parties and end users optimally and cover all disciplines,” said Sjef Gorissen, Senior Security Officer, Projects & Access Control at Sitech Services.
Statistics at a glance:
- Over 8,000 people work on the site daily
- During turnarounds, up to 2,000 contractors are added
- More than 27 different nationalities
- 150 companies and 60 factories
- 800 hectares with 60 km of rails and its own harbor
Chemelot is not only notable for its size but the site is also located around the intersection of the A2 and A76 highways between Stein and Geleen, surrounded by residential areas.
The Sitech Services and Nsecure partnership
The environment in which Sitech Services and Nsecure operate has changed in recent years. Access to the location used to be assessed by supervisors based on forms and an access control system. The result? Long queues at site entrances or before work could start.
The previous access control system contained too many custom modifications, which meant it did not have the scaling capabilities to fit with the growth ambitions of Chemelot. The 150 companies located at Chemelot receive streams of daily visitors of thousands of people from different nationalities who need to gain access quickly and safely. A future-proof solution was therefore necessary. In the search for a new access control solution, Sitech Services and Nsecure found each other in 2006.
Access control system complying to strict requirements
With Nsecure, the solution for the new access control system was found in an AEOS security management system. Gorissen states: “AEOS complies with the strict requirements set by all parties:
- High availability
- System speed
- High capacity for processing thousands of requests for access to the site every day.
The size of the AEOS access control system has quadrupled since its introduction, from 200 to 850 card readers. All companies on Chemelot and the Brightlands Campus use this solution.”
The digitization of access processes has led to the interconnectivity of domains, techniques, and systems. Although the way access is granted has been transformed, it remains important for access processes to be secure, efficient, and user-friendly. In addition to the access control system, Dataclient also supports this as a service. The Nsecure workflow solution has been proving its added value for several years now.
“Previously, the registration process for visitors or contractors was done through various channels, such as via email, by phone, and was therefore not structured. This process was centralized as visitors and contractors are now pre-registered in Dataclient. The information that arises from this is transferred to AEOS. This digital way of registering and accrediting results in enormous time savings. This is also beneficial for contractors because long queues are avoided. Required certifications or documents to perform work are centrally stored. This provides faster access to the site and ensures that safety standards are met while offering a hospitable reception of our visitors on location,” says Sjef Gorissen.
Valuable insights from data
Data from security systems is extremely valuable, especially during major operational maintenance stops (turnarounds), where up to 2,000 contractors visit the site over a very short period. Thanks to time registrations from Dataclient and AEOS, Sitech can better understand the number of vendor resources physically present each day to verify if the number of invoiced hours corresponds. This is especially valuable for clients to identify where potential savings can be made, especially in times of scarcity of qualified personnel.
Innovation is paramount to ensure safety on site
Together with YIM, we continuously look at which new applications suit Chemelot. Both parties attach great value to proven technologies and know the organizational impact.
Gorissen: “It is a close collaboration where we address complex security issues and the need for safety. Especially onboarding (the process of visitors following safety instructions in advance) requires a lot of attention. Safety is our top priority, but how do we implement it from a hospitality service perspective? While security is based on protecting and locking locations or spaces for unauthorized persons, safety focuses more on keeping them open in case of emergencies. Within this tension, legislation on topics such as sustainability and privacy are inevitably linked.”