Client Overview
A leading chemical manufacturer (name not disclosed due to NDA) operates a vast 500,000 sq. ft. facility equipped with reactors, distillation units, and hazardous material storage. With hundreds of workers handling volatile chemicals and heavy machinery, the risk of chemical exposure, burns, and equipment-related injuries was a major concern.
Despite having a Health and Safety Management System in place, frequent lapses in hazard management led to near-miss incidents, PPE non-compliance, and unauthorized access to restricted areas, posing serious threats to worker safety and regulatory compliance. The client needed an intelligent, automated solution to proactively mitigate risks, strengthen health and safety protocols, and create a safer, more secure working environment.
Critical Safety & Operational Challenges in Manufacturing & Warehousing Facility
Workplace Hazards & Injuries
Despite strict PPE policies, workers frequently failed to wear the required protective gear, leading to increased risks of accidents, injuries, and regulatory violations. Manual monitoring proved ineffective, allowing non-compliance to go unnoticed, resulting in workplace hazards such as head injuries, burns, chemical exposure, and foot injuries.
Fire & Smoke Threats
Fire safety was a critical concern due to delayed smoke and fire detection. Without an automated system, outbreaks were often noticed too late, increasing damage risks. Also fire extinguishers were frequently missing from designated spots, slowing emergency response. To make matters worse, fire exits were often obstructed, preventing quick evacuations and escalating potential hazards.
Vehicle Overspeeding (Inside & Outside the Facility)
Speeding vehicles posed a major safety risk both inside and outside the facility. Around entry and parking areas, delivery trucks and employee vehicles frequently exceeded safe speed limits, increasing the chances of accidents. Within the warehouse and factory floor, fast-moving forklifts and AGVs heightened the risk of collisions with workers, creating a hazardous environment.
Unauthorized Intrusion & Perimeter Breaches
The facility had multiple restricted areas requiring strict access control, but weak perimeters made it vulnerable to trespassers attempting entry. That’s not all, workers often accessed restricted zones without permission, increasing safety risks. Critical areas such as high-voltage sections, automated machinery zones, and hazardous material storage required stringent access control, yet the absence of automated alerts for unauthorized entry left supervisors reliant on manual monitoring, causing delays in response and heightened security concerns.
MHE Proximity Risks
Material Handling Equipment (MHE) such as forklifts, cranes, and conveyor belts operated continuously across the factory floor, creating multiple safety hazards. Workers were at risk of accidentally stepping into forklift paths, while frequent forklift collisions posed additional dangers. Moreover, unauthorized staff operated machinery without proper training or protective gear, further increasing the risk of workplace accidents.
Assembly Line Safety
The assembly line presented several safety hazards, including:
- Workers standing too close to automated machinery increased the risk of entanglement or injury.
- No automated alert system for malfunctioning machines led to sudden breakdowns and safety risks.
- Heavy lifting risks where workers manually moved large components without ergonomic support.
- Lack of real-time fatigue detection caused decreased focus and increased error rates.
At first glance, these challenges might make it seem like the facility was an unsafe place to work, but think again. Aren’t these the very issues most large-scale manufacturing units grapple with? In high-risk environments like this, even the most well-established companies, like our client (one of India’s top 100) face ongoing health and safety compliance hurdles. The reality is that in a facility of this scale, ensuring strict adherence to safety protocols is a constant battle.
What the client needed wasn’t just more rules but a smarter way to enforce them. An intelligent health and safety management system to monitor compliance in real time, proactively prevent incidents, and create a safer, more efficient workplace.
Assert AI’s Tailored Health and Safety Management System
Our AI-powered health and safety monitoring solution was custom-built to address every critical challenge. We designed a comprehensive safety layout that ensured compliance across different zones of the facility.
1. PPE Compliance Monitoring – Zone-Based Detection
Ensuring PPE compliance in a chemical manufacturing facility requires a zone-specific approach, as different areas pose distinct hazards, from toxic exposure to fire risks.
Entry & Common Areas – First Line of Defense
All staff and visitors were required to wear safety helmets and high-visibility vests. Our AI-powered cameras monitored compliance at access points, ensuring that no one entered production zones without the mandated PPE.
High-Temperature Processing & Reactor Areas – Protection Against Heat & Chemical Burns
Workers operating near reactors, distillation units, and high-temperature processes needed heat-resistant gloves, full-body suits, and face shields to prevent burns and chemical exposure. Our AI solution detected missing PPE and triggered immediate alerts to supervisors.
Chemical Handling Areas – Defense Against Toxic Exposure
Handling volatile chemicals required chemical-resistant gloves, eye protection, and sometimes respirators. AI algorithms continuously scanned workers in defined areas for missing PPE, preventing unauthorized access and reducing the risk of chemical burns and inhalation hazards.
Machine & Logistics Zones – Safeguarding Heavy Equipment Operations
Forklifts, conveyor systems, and heavy mixers posed severe injury risks. Cameras enforced helmets, gloves, vests, and reinforced footwear compliance, ensuring workers near active machinery were adequately protected. Non-compliance triggered immediate interventions to prevent potential accidents.
This AI-driven, automated PPE compliance system not only mitigated risks but also reinforced safety culture, reducing injuries, regulatory violations, and operational disruptions in the facility.
2. Virtual Fencing for High-Risk Areas
AI-powered virtual fencing systems created invisible boundaries for:
Our AI-powered virtual fencing system was implemented to prevent accidents in high-risk zones. Assert AI deployed an advanced virtual fencing system powered by AI-driven video analytics. This solution created invisible, AI-enforced boundaries around machine-heavy areas, ensuring only authorized personnel could access them.
Automated Access Control
The system continuously monitored designated restricted zones, detecting any unauthorized movement in real time.
Instant Intrusion Alerts
If a worker or unauthorized individual crossed into a restricted area, immediate audio-visual alarms were triggered, alerting both the worker and supervisors to take corrective action.
Comprehensive Safety Audits
Every intrusion attempt was automatically logged with timestamped video evidence, allowing safety teams to analyze trends, identify recurring risks, and implement proactive safety measures.
By enforcing strict, automated access control, the virtual fencing system significantly reduced human-machine interaction risks, improving workplace safety and regulatory compliance.
3. MHE Proximity Alerts – Preventing Forklift Collisions
Intelligent Worker Detection for Enhanced Safety
In a chemical manufacturing facility, forklifts frequently transport hazardous materials, creating a high-risk environment. Assert AI’s real-time worker detection algorithms monitored forklift operation and ensured safety by identifying workers in proximity to moving forklifts.
Alerts Triggered Only When Forklift is in Motion
Unlike ordinary detection systems, our AI solution differentiated between idle and moving forklifts. Proximity alerts were only triggered when a forklift was in operation, preventing unnecessary disruptions and alarm fatigue.
Instant Warnings for Collision Prevention
If a worker entered a designated risk zone while the forklift was in motion, the system generated instant audio-visual alerts. This warned both the worker and the forklift operator, enabling quick corrective action to avoid accidents.
Preemptive Slowdown for Added Safety
The system also enforced proximity-based speed reductions. When a worker was detected near a moving forklift, the AI signaled the vehicle to automatically slow down, providing reaction time for safe maneuvering.
By integrating these intelligent, automated safety measures, Assert AI’s system significantly reduced forklift-related accidents, ensuring a safer and more efficient working environment.
4. Safety Zone Compliance
To further enhance workplace safety, we established:
Red Zones (High Risk): Only authorized personnel could enter. Entry was logged for compliance tracking.
Yellow Zones (Medium Risk): Visitors and contractors were required to wear full PPE before entry.
Green Zones (Low Risk): Common areas monitored for general compliance and footfall analysis.
5. Intrusion and Periphery Monitoring
Assert AI’s AI-powered intrusion detection system continuously monitored periphery areas to detect and prevent security breaches. The system instantly identified unauthorized personnel and trespassers, triggering real-time alerts to security teams for immediate action.
Further, it tracked unusual activity near external gates and restricted zones, preventing potential security threats. To enhance incident response, a complete audit trail of security breaches was maintained, enabling thorough investigations and compliance reporting.
6. Assembly Line Safety Solutions
Spillage & Leak Detection
Chemical spills and leaks pose serious safety hazards, including fire risks, toxic exposure, and environmental contamination. Computer vision continuously scans production areas for liquid spills or gas leaks. If a leak is detected, real-time alerts are sent to supervisors, enabling immediate action to contain the hazard and prevent downtime.
Automated Batch Tracking
Chemical manufacturing involves precise formulation and packaging. AI-powered cameras track batch numbers on containers, verifying that the right labels and packaging are used for each chemical. This prevents mislabeling errors, regulatory violations, and cross-contamination of hazardous substances.
Workforce Productivity & Ergonomics
By analyzing worker movements and posture, computer vision helps identify inefficiencies and safety risks. If a worker is frequently bending, lifting improperly, or spending excessive time on a single task, ergonomic recommendations can be provided. This reduces fatigue-related errors, enhances productivity, and minimizes injury risks.
Equipment Monitoring for Operation & Downtime
Cameras monitor machinery to track operational status, idle time, and unexpected stoppages. AI detects patterns in downtime, helping maintenance teams predict failures before they occur. This ensures continuous production, reduces unplanned shutdowns, and improves overall equipment efficiency (OEE).
Material Flow Optimization
Conveyor belts and material transport systems are critical to chemical production. AI vision analyzes material movement, ensuring that raw materials and finished products flow smoothly through the production line. Bottlenecks and inefficiencies are identified, enabling process improvements that reduce delays and increase throughput.
7. Vehicle & MHE Speed Monitoring
To enhance safety and prevent accidents, Assert AI deployed an AI-powered speed monitoring system across different zones of the facility:
Entry & Parking Lot Monitoring
AI cameras tracked vehicle speeds at entry points and parking areas, detecting overspeeding trucks, delivery vans, and private vehicles.
Forklift & AGV Speed Control
Speed limits were enforced within warehouse and production zones to prevent collisions involving workers and material handling equipment (MHE). Our system detected overspeeding within defined zones, triggering instant on-screen and audio alerts to warn MHE drivers.
Real-Time Alerts & Automated Reporting
If a vehicle exceeded the speed limit, supervisors received instant alerts with snapshots of the driver and license plate, enabling immediate action to enforce compliance.
This system significantly reduced accident risks and ensured safer movement of vehicles both inside and around the facility.
Impact of Assert AI Solution on this Chemical Manufacturing Plant
The implementation of Assert AI’s health and safety management system led to transformative results
With Assert AI’s intelligent health and safety management system, the client achieved a safer, more efficient, and regulatory-compliant workspace. Our AI-powered safety solutions prevented accidents along with fostering a proactive safety culture.
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