Bosch Security's AVIOTEC presents vigilant video for fire safety inside and out

The first signs of fire can be spotted 24/7 even in challenging outdoor conditions on a manufacturing complex, due to an algorithm-driven video camera, AVIOTEC.

Risks to people and premises

The fundamental purpose of manufacturers is the efficient output of parts and products for delivery to partners or consumers. These vast work environments, however, pose huge challenges to safety managers. They not only accommodate a large workforce whose occupational safety must be protected from identified hazards.

The sites typically store valuable materials and facilities for business operations in outdoor depots on site, some of which are highly flammable. A severe lack of effective solutions which include outdoor fire detection means innovative, reliable fire detection cameras with state-of-the-art technology are a welcome development for safety managers responsible for reducing risks to personnel and business continuity.

What’s on-site?

Manufacturing storage space may house large stocks of flammable or combustible substances, like solvents, or materials that kindle rapidly, like wooden pallets or wood chips. In addition, combined waste from diverse production activities may be stored nearby in large quantities, creating a high fire load.

Materials and equipment typically stored, and for how long, depends on the specific industry and operations, for instance:

• Pulp and paper - timber, wood chips, paper, solvents
• Agriculture – fertilizers, pesticides, hay, animal feed
• Automotive – tires, Benz, welding materials
• Recycling – card, paper, plastics, residues of substances in discarded materials

Protection of premises

Many storage areas for manufacturers are sheltered, but open, outdoor perimeter areas, rather than locked warehouses with fire-proof exteriors. This makes them vulnerable to vandalism, theft, or arson by intruders, so additional security measures are essential for the protection of premises.

Another danger is that strong sunlight, wind speeds, or the storage of a hazardous mix of materials and substances means fires or explosions could occur spontaneously.

What happens if a fire breaks out undetected?

The safety of employees still on-site during a fire is immediately at risk from explosions

An industrial building is usually an open plan. Flames could be fanned by breezes through open windows or movement, and fabrics, paper, chemicals, and dust could accelerate the spread of fire to a wider area, including adjacent structures and outdoor storage.

Similarly, a fire that started outside could rapidly blaze through to adjoining buildings. The safety of employees still on-site during a fire is immediately at risk from explosions, burns, or collapsing structures.

Impact on health

Inhalation of smoke or toxic vapors from burning substances could have a detrimental short- or long-term impact on health. Business costs of fire damage to manufacturing complexes and their local vicinity can run into hundreds of millions.

Production can be halted abruptly or site shutdowns may be necessary for repairs, reconstruction, or relocation to alternative sites. A large-scale industrial fire could have a dramatic negative impact on the environment as well.

Few solutions to challenges of outdoors

Open area and fresh air environment will dilute the concentration of the smoke, or the wind can redirect smoke away

Whereas standard fire detection systems function well to protect people and property indoors, these typical smoke detectors are not effective in outdoor settings. The high ceilings and open structure of outdoor storage shelters often do not offer a practical setup for positioning devices for a suitable fire detection range so they can function reliably.

The open area and fresh air environment will dilute the concentration of the smoke, or the wind can redirect smoke away from the position of the detector so it goes unnoticed, giving the impression of no imminent threat of fire.

Fire detectors installation

Cigarette or chimney smoke may drift upwards, so it is picked up by a smoke detector which signals frequent false alarms interrupting production. There is a serious deficit of solutions that address challenging outdoor conditions, thus increasing hazards on the properties storing materials with a high fire load in open-air constructions.

Safety managers may feel a false sense of security by installing fire detectors indoors and consider their entire premises as well-equipped for fire safety but if something ignites outside, near flammable storage facilities, indoor fire alarms may be triggered too late.

AVIOTEC keeps watching outside and overnight

For comprehensive fire safety on a large manufacturing complex, detection and monitoring system must be

• rapid in detection and triggering prompt alerts
• robust against false alarms and poor weather conditions
• reliable, even in low lighting and overnight

AVIOTEC IP Starlight 8000

AVIOTEC IP Starlight 8000 provides rapid fire and smoke detection through video surveillance

A flame or smoke detection camera which monitors an area and recognises even the first signs of smoldering offers an ideal solution.

AVIOTEC IP Starlight 8000 provides rapid fire and smoke detection through video surveillance, which functions effectively both indoors and on sheltered outdoor premises.

Smart video surveillance

The video smoke detection can be installed where CCTV cameras are already positioned so the safety and security of the entire premises can be covered from the same fixture points, making installation and maintenance easy.

Bosch intelligent video analytics are integrated into the AVIOTEC camera in addition to its flame and smoke detection algorithms. This means this smart video can provide surveillance for premises security as well as monitoring for any signs of fire.

How can algorithms identify a fire?

A combination of technologies creates a winning formula for fire safety. AVIOTEC

• Uses a unique approach of cutting-edge AI alarm decisions in combination with hand-crafted algorithms.
• That works reliably in low-lighting conditions as infrared illuminators provide a light source for the camera, enabling it to capture a clear image of an area and identify smoke and flames, even at night.
• Is extremely reliable whereas traditional smoke alarms depend on the smoke rising in close range to the device to activate it, AVIOTEC detects signs of fire through video analytics and activates alerts much sooner. As the camera is more sensitive in identifying a fire than smoke detectors, it is also robust against false alarms, so production downtime is reduced.

AVIOTEC is, therefore, the all-around solution for fire safety and efficient business operations.