Getting people back to work in a safe manner has been a struggle for many companies looking to reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This is especially true for large manufacturing and processing plants where shutdowns, for even just one shift, can have major impacts on the bottom line.
This scenario particularly plays out across industries such as food processing, construction, and industrial manufacturing, where plants are struggling to keep their employees safe and prevent outbreaks, which could further reduce their workforce and lead to supply-chain issues.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), a common sign of COVID-19 is elevated body temperature, so checking the temperature of all individuals entering a facility can help to diminish the risk of COVID-19 or other illnesses entering the plant floor. To perform these temperature checks safely, companies are looking to technology to provide an added layer of safety for employees and others coming through their doors through the use of thermal scanning technology.
Why a temperature scanner?
Thermal imaging body scanners are a fast and accurate way to determine if someone’s temperature is higher than considered normal. Catching someone who has a fever but doesn’t know it can be one helpful way to slow the spread of the virus and prevent outbreaks at places that employ large numbers of people.
“Right now, many companies, including healthcare facilities, are using staff members to take visitors’ or employees’ temperatures upon entering a building,” said Wade Leipold, vice president of solutions for Faith Technologies. “There is still a risk of exposure for the people who are taking each person’s temperature. At our locations, I couldn’t help but wonder why we were manually taking temperatures when the technology exists to eliminate that exposure and still collect highly accurate temperature readings,” Leipold noted.
With the help of Faith Technologies, Excellerate Manufacturing procured and installed thermal imaging body scanners at its Olathe, Kansas, and Appleton and Neenah, Wisconsin locations. The technology is extremely accurate and can be easily integrated into the company’s existing systems. The temperature scanning process is easy for those walking in the door; all they must do is pass through the scanning area and results are provided in less than a second.
How it works
- An individual walks through the scanner, which reads that individual’s body temperature.
- The scanner sends results to an app in less than one second and instantly notifies the company moderator and/or that person if they have an elevated body temperature.
- The company determines the next steps to take if the person has an elevated body temperature, which may include a short cool-down period and retesting. Upon continued or confirmed elevated temperature, the Individual would be directed to the next steps, which may include self-quarantining for a determined number of days or until they are tested for COVID-19.
“Having the ability to know if you have a fever before ever entering a plant floor can not only help individuals monitor their own health but can also prevent a disease outbreak at a facility,” Leipold said.
The thermal imaging body scanner can scan up to 16 people at one time, so it does not create a bottleneck of people trying to enter the building. Additional technology is available that detects whether or not someone is wearing a mask, which may be helpful as schools, colleges, and universities look to reopen in the fall.
Accuracy of technology
The thermal imaging technology was thoroughly researched by the team at Faith Technologies, and the systems they install are capable of temperature accuracy to within a half degree. Even at a large event when groups of people are coming through a single entrance, the system can determine specifically which person was flagged and be able to react.
Integration in technical systems
This thermal imaging technology can be integrated with nearly any existing technology system, usually in less than two weeks from ordering. Additional options can also be integrated, such as having the system connect to door locks or an alert sound.
Taking steps now to make sure your team is as safe as possible and your plant can continue operation is good for your employees’ health, for your bottom line, and for the supply chain. Thanks to technology, it is possible now more than ever to continue working safely despite a global pandemic.