Equipment traceability with RFID

Helmets, coveralls, gloves, carabiners, ropes, harnesses... PPE[1 ] is essential when workers are involved in hazardous operations. To ensure the safety of professionals, their equipment must be up to standard, in good condition and ready to be used at any time in case of emergency.

The problems linked to this type of PPE are therefore multiple:

• Each piece of equipment must be precisely located to ensure its availability for future interventions
• After each use, it is therefore necessary to ensure that the material is returned to the warehouse
• Regular and demanding inspections and maintenance of the equipment must be carried out and saved
• The inspections and the organizations authorized to perform them vary from one type of PPE to another

In order to meet this need for traceability, the traditional manual or barcode inventory can be tedious and a source of error. Indeed, the visual reading of barcode numbers on PPE becomes more complex over time as the latter are subject to deterioration during interventions. At the same time, RFID technology allows for the rapid recording of accurate information and for a lifespan compatible with that of the PPE.

UHF RFID technology is therefore the optimal solution for controlling, identifying and inspecting PPE. It allows companies specializing in working at heights to guarantee the protection of employees and ensure the peace of mind of responsible employers.

How does it work?

Each PPE is identified by an RFID tag or a UHF RFID label. RFID then gives the ability to trace the equipment in a unitary or multiple way and to have access to the life sheet of the equipment: the supplier, the serial number, the employee holder, the status, the last and next control, the location...

Fast, reliable, contactless inventory

RFID provides visibility into new and used equipment inventory.

During the inventory, each PPE is identified thanks to its RFID tag by a Reader fixed or mobileUHF RFID. The latter allows to scan in a few seconds, blindly and without contact, the tags affixed to the PPE. Thus, RFID is distinguished by the automation and digitization of procedures allowing a considerable saving of time and a reduction of errors related to manual counting.

Control and compliance withinspection legislation

To ensure that equipment complies with standards such as EN 12492 (rules for mountaineering helmets suitable for jobs at height) or EN 397, which specify the mandatory rules and performance that protective helmets must meet, companies carry out strict maintenance of their PPE.

Thanks to the speed of RFID, companies benefit from a constantly updated database on large quantities of equipment, enabling them to anticipate annual and periodic inspections. All documentation (AET, declaration of conformity, maintenance protocol, User guide) is centralized and digitalized.

Optimized inventory management

A major advantage of RFID is the reliability of the information and the speed of access to it. Indeed, with RFID, companies benefit from a real-time visibility of their available equipment, offering them more flexibility. They can anticipate the replacement of worn-out equipment, know the number of equipment arriving or leaving the stock or have visibility on lost equipment. In addition, late replacements that put the operator at risk are significantly reduced.

The RFID offer ofAXEM Technology brings a real added value to the companies specialized in the work at height and allows them to gain in efficiency and in productivity with a fast and sure solution.

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If you have any questions or wish to discuss your project Contact us : commercial@axemtec.com

[1] Personal protective equipment