The Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati, responsible for managing Hamilton County, Ohio's wastewater transport and treatment, utilises a diverse array of vehicles and equipment. This operation requires meticulous control over 180 keys involved in the daily duties of around 150 district employees.
A KeyWatcher® key management system ensures effective organisation and accessibility of these keys. Three cabinets situated side-by-side in the large, continuously operating district garage provide 24/7 access to the employees, ensuring keys are available even during night shifts. Additional cabinets are strategically placed within the maintenance shop, another building wing, and the mechanics' area.
Enhanced key management with RFID technology
Each cabinet, accommodating up to 48 keys, is systematically arranged by job function: customer service, repair work, inspection and cleaning, and heavy equipment. Employees gain access by scanning an ID badge equipped with an RFID chip. While the majority of the workforce can access the keys, some remain restricted to particular individuals or teams for added security.
According to Rahn A. Wuest, Wastewater Collections Supervisor, prior to implementing this key control system, keys were kept on a pegboard with spares stored in boxes. "Theoretically, supervisors kept a log of who took what keys, but the system was not accurate and didn’t work very well. Employees would often take keys home or put them in a locker, and no one would know who had which keys."
Efficient tracking with KeyPro III software
The KeyPro III software manages the SmartKey rings by linking them to specific vehicle numbers
The KeyPro III software manages the SmartKey rings by linking them to specific vehicle numbers. It records key usage and alerts employees if a key is not returned in a timely manner, sending notifications after a 20-hour absence.
The software's reporting feature offers valuable insights into vehicle usage patterns, identifying potential issues such as speeding or traffic violations by revealing which employee was operating a vehicle at any given time. Employees can also swiftly locate available vehicles via the system.
Streamlined operations and reduced key loss
Since the system's implementation, incidents of lost keys have decreased, reducing the need to deploy spare keys. While employees typically maintain primary responsibility for certain vehicles, the system's flexibility allows for shared access in emergencies, like a sudden late-night call.
The introduction of KeyWatcher has not only simplified the accessibility and control of the district's extensive key collection but also enhanced operational efficiency and security for both vehicles and equipment.
The Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati serves the wastewater removal and treatment needs of Hamilton County, Ohio. The Sewer District uses a variety of vehicles and equipment, including vans, bulldosers, cranes, service trucks and cars. Operation of the equipment involves a total of 180 keys, used as needed by the district’s 150 or so employees.
A KeyWatcher® key control and management system makes it possible to keep up with the keys. Three cabinets are located side-by-side on a catwalk in the Sewer District’s large garage. The garage operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so employees have access to the cabinets anytime, including the middle of the night. Three additional boxes are located elsewhere in the department – one in the maintenance shop, one in another wing of the building and one in the mechanics’ area.
Embedded RFID chip
Each cabinet has a capacity of 48 keys, organised by group: one cabinet is set up for customer service, another for repair, a third for inspection and cleaning, and a fourth for heavy equipment. About 150 employees have access to the keys, although some keys are restricted to individual employees or small groups. Employees access the key control system by scanning their employee ID badge/access card, which has an embedded RFID chip.
“Before the key control system was adopted, keys were stored on a pegboard in the Sewer District with spare keys kept in a box,” said Rahn A. Wuest, Wastewater Collections (WWC) Supervisor of Cincinnati’s Metropolitan Sewer District. “Theoretically, supervisors kept a log of who took what keys, but the system was not accurate and didn’t work very well. Employees would often take keys home or put them in a locker, and no one would know who had which keys.”
Assigning several vehicle keys
The KeyPro III software is programmed to assign SmartKey rings to a vehicle number. The software tracks the keys and sends emails when a key has not been returned. It also handles assigning several vehicle keys to a limited number of employees who have access; most vehicle keys can be accessed by any employee. The system is set up to send an email if a key is kept out of the box for more than 20 hours.
Reports supplied by the software can list how often a vehicle is being used, along with who’s using what equipment. The system can also tell who was driving a vehicle at a certain time, which is helpful information if there is a report of a district vehicle speeding or running a traffic light. If someone is looking for an available vehicle, it’s easy to jump on the system and see what’s not in use.
Making work easier
Now there are fewer lost keys in the District, with no need to put spare keys into service. People are still assigned “ownership” of the vehicle they use most of the time, but if there is a call in the middle of the night, the vehicle is available to be used by someone else.
The District’s many keys are easier to access and control now with the KeyWatcher system in place – making work easier and more convenient for employees while keeping vehicles and equipment safe and secure.
