Case History:

Centre for Women’s Refuge Against Domestic Violence

SYSTEM: VISIONTIME

The subject of domestic violence something that people might find difficult to raise as a topic in their day to day conversations with each other.  Nonetheless, it is not an issue that is going to go away. 

According to an organisation that focuses on protection programmes, almost 1 in 5 women can experienced domestic violence by a current or former intimate partner or husband.  Research also shows that children are often present when violence is taking place, while a high percentage of men who abuse women also abuse children.

We recently received a request to use our VisionTime system  from a Centre for Women’s Refuge Against Domestic Violence.

The centre provides shelter accommodation for women at risk in the area, often with their children.  So, some way was needed to firstly securing their premises and then to have a method of quickly knowing who is in or out at any given time.   

Flextime had already created an integation with the Gallagher Security Access Control system in a major project at the University of Birmingham. 

Rob Van Hout from Gallagher Security continues:- 

"The challenge from the Refuge centre was ideal for our integrated systems.  So, the Cardax Access Control System could be used for securing each door and access point in the complex.  Meanwhile, FlexTime’s VisionTime system - using it's Health & Safety module,  has an excellent feature which lets everyone know who is in or out at all times, at TV Screens and in printouts.

This was critical for the centre”.     

Cardax Access Control readers are placed at strategic locations around the centre and are used for declaring entry or exit to the building. Thus, because the systems work in real-time, each entry and exit action is logged immediately at the server and displayed instantaneously at PC Wall Screens and in reports.   

The TV Wall Screens play an important role.  

User names are displayed so that if someone is in at that moment, the coloured box beside their name shows as green – if they are out it displays red. Locations in the complex are also shown in distinct colours too, for ready identification.   See below.   In addition to its primary intention of providing enhanced more security for the women, the VT Health & Safety system is also used by the centre’s 100 employees.  That data is then also available at critical locations for use for emergency or emergency drill purposes for all.  The receptionist also uses the system to generally find out who’s in/out and where people are.

Rob adds “People might forget to “clock out” on occasions, so in order to maintain safety practices, and to ensure the proper usage of the readers, the system operator can run a physical spot check to see who's in the complex at that time. If there are discrepancies then this can be compared to the “clocking “ report.  Users can be then reminded of lapses in usage so as to keep compliance to a maximum for the good of all concerned”. 

Agreed procedures are adopted to allow the system to assist with emergencies.   For example, designated people can instruct the printer from PCs, even remotely, to print out “roll call” lists. 

These lists can be called up at any time from any local PC in the network.   Those designated can then bring the lists to the muster point – or perhaps the printer can be located at that point.

 A new feature, is becoming available with the VisionTime system, which we would point out is not in use at the Centre, but which might become relevant.  This is to allow users, if they wish of course, to record by mobile phone, as to where they are going to be at any given time.  This module even allows users to record themselves in and out of nominated locations.  Those responsible at the centre would then see in real-time where the person is, at PCs or TV Wall Screens. This might be useful during particularly difficult phases.             

In line with an increasing trend, FlexTime is finding requests for its solution are coming from these more specialist and socially conscious sources than would have been anticipated even three years ago.  For example, our system is now used in the London Borough of Lewisham Local Authority for assisting in improving the quality of service for transporting special needs children to school and adults to day care centres. 

Multitime and Gallagher Security:

In 2008 MultiTime started working in Holland for the first time. Thus our new Dutch partners Gallagher Security already specialised in supplying the high level Cardax access control system when we appointed them as distributors for MultiTime’s systems.   Our technical challenge was to integrate their security system with our time system. This was so that could combined for use for their respective advantages i.e. Cardax for access control and security and MultiTime for Time, Duty and Attendance Management. 

This programme of system integration was started in late 2007 and was completed by June 2008.

Ask us for more details at : 00353 1 2609680