Feedback Data - Personnel On Board (POB) Terminals and Monitoring Systems

Feedback Data design and manufacture a range of data capture terminals and access control systems. Feedback offers a variety of hardware components and software utilities.

DATA CAPTURE AND ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEMS

Feedback's services encompass complete solutions and integration services to enable the capture, manipulation and transfer of data within the workplace.

The company offers terminals to suit every work arena. These are available with a wide variety of reader technologies and communication interfaces. The company has recently worked in the offshore industry in the development of a tailor made data capture solution for Total E&P UK.

DATA CAPTURE SYSTEM

Feedback has developed and installed a new data capture system for Total E&P UK's Dunbar oil exploration platform.

Total needed to know how many Personnel On Board (POB) there were on the Dunbar platform at any time. This knowledge is vital in emergency situations. Should an incident occur, it is necessary to have an accurate count of the POB, as well as knowing exactly who is onboard.

BADGE READERS

Staff are issued with a simple bar coded badge as a means of identification. These cards are used to swipe in and out of the offshore installation.

The badge readers are mounted on the entry and exit gates to the rig's offshore helicopter admin offices. Additional badge readers were installed at either end of the connecting gangway.

POB MONITORING TERMINALS

The terminals are attached to the host system situated in the control room via a simple, but pluggable RS485 network. In an offshore application, an Ethernet connection is not practical.

During very rough weather the TSV can automatically disconnect the gangway for safety reasons. Real-time staff monitoring continues by switching to the point-to-point radio link.

If at any time, the POB exceeds safety requirements the system alerts operators by generating visual and audible warnings.

POB MONITORING SYSTEMS

Other systems for monitoring the amount of POB are much more costly and difficult to install than Feedback's system.

An RF monitoring system would require each crew member to be tagged. The system would monitor the POB and identify the whereabouts of personnel on each rig. However, this system required additional structural steelwork for the control gate sensors and would have proven difficult and expensive to install and maintain.

Feedback's system is much cheaper and more convenient to install than other systems that perform the same task.

WATERPROOF TERMINAL

This is the best technology for a location such as an offshore application where conditions can be so severe that sometimes personnel are forbidden to be on deck, for reasons of personal safety.

Feedback's waterproof terminal is more often used within the food industry than on oil rigs. It is the perfect choice for the exposed badge readers which are exposed to wind, rain and freezing temperatures. A standard model was used with the optional internal heater module, fitted to prevent icing during the winter months.

FEEDBACK DATA

The company is ISO9002 registered and is a recognised supplier of both hardware and software integration services to the SAP R/3™ suite of ERP solution. The company is also the hardware manufacturer and software author of the Microtrak range of access control and security integration solutions.