In the oil and gas industry, "red zones" refer to high-risk areas in operations. These may include zones where there's a higher probability of incidents involving heavy machinery movement, explosions, oil or gas leaks, and other operational hazards. They may also be known as risk areas or danger zones.

Red zones can be managed with intelligent monitoring software that indicates when an employee or situation is not by the company's established safety guidelines. These actions are fundamental to ensuring efficiency and safety in compliance with norms and procedures, as well as assisting in identifying problems and process failures.

In this article, we'll provide an in-depth analysis of red zones, explaining their concept, operation, and importance and presenting real examples of their use in companies. 

Understanding the role of managing these areas, known as Red Zone Management, is essential for efficient management. So, we'll explore its benefits and challenges and discuss how to use it strategically for organizational success. 

What is Red Zone Management?

Red Zone Management is a solution for managing restricted areas with Intelligent Video Analytics (IVA), combining advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology and video analysis with security measures and procedures.

To better understand this concept, it's first necessary to understand that redzones are created to alert and draw attention to situations that disagree with the company’s guidelines. For example, a red zone can be generated when an employee tries to access an area without permission; many employees exceed their occupancy limit or work without the established support contingent. 

How the red zone solution works

Using a set of cameras and the ALTAVE HARPIA software, which uses artificial intelligence and advanced recognition algorithms, it's possible to easily demarcate and activate restricted areas.

The monitoring software can pre-define and/or automatically generate red zones in the system, always following the company's rules, behaviors, and needs.

This solution proactively collaborates with reducing accident risks in sensitive operations by monitoring and notifying entry into dangerous locations, promoting a safety culture.

Creation and configuration of red zones:

Red zones can be specific to each operation and location in which they are inserted or familiar to them. Their configuration in Red Zone Management is highly customizable and done according to the parameters established by the management/HSE teams, considering the norms established by the process in which they are inserted. For example, if the maximum occupancy of your area is three people, the system will only issue alerts when a fourth individual enters your space. If the presence of at least two people is mandatory, the system will alert when only one is within the perimeter, and so on.

Activation and visualization of red zones:

When a red zone is configured, it immediately appears in the monitoring software as a highlighted area in red and a "bound box" around the people around it, recognized by the system. When deviations or non-conformities are detected, automatic alerts are generated so that the management team can immediately adjust the situation and avoid possible problems.

It's also possible to configure the red zones so that, in addition to the alert in the software, notifications are sent by email or messages to the responsible team, to ensure quick action. 

Examples of red zones

Red zones are sensitive areas that can be found in various companies and sectors. Their identification and efficient management are fundamental to ensuring worker safety and operational efficiency. Below, we'll present some examples of red zones in different contexts and how they were identified and resolved.

Red zone in an oil and gas industry

In the oil and gas industryred zones are high-risk areas due to the drilling, production, and transportation activities of oil and gas. In this context, we developed ALTAVE Red Zone Management, a solution that uses advanced technology to delimit and monitor these alert areas.

An example of a red zone identified and resolved using this solution is, for instance, on an offshore oil drilling rig. Through the delimitation of restricted areas and real-time monitoring, it's possible to prevent entry or restrict the number of people in dangerous locations, as happens during the movement of large parts and equipment on the drill floor.

In addition, the management system immediately alerts the HSE (Health, Safety, and Environment) team when one or more people enter a restricted area improperly, reducing the risk of accidents and increasing compliance standards with safety norms.

This real case demonstrates the importance of efficient management of red zones in an oil and gas industry, where risks are considerable, and worker safety is paramount.

Red Zone Management as a performance analysis tool

Red Zone Management is a solution for managing restricted areas with Intelligent Video Analytics (IVA), combining advanced AI technology with monitoring to indicate deviations from established guidelines. In addition to being an important monitoring tool, the solution can also be used as a performance indicator and aid in decision-making in a company.

One of the main functions of Red Zone Management is to assist in process control and management. By identifying areas that are in disagreement with established guidelines, the system allows the company to take immediate corrective measures, ensuring greater efficiency in operations. Moreover, constant analysis of activities within red zones can assist in decision-making and implementation of process improvements.

Red Zone Management can be a valuable tool for risk management. By reinforcing monitoring in alert areas, the company can take preventive measures and avoid potential problems and losses. Additionally, the data collected by the software can be used as performance indicators, allowing for a more precise and efficient analysis of compliance with established norms.

One of the main benefits is allowing more efficient and assertive operations management. By identifying problems quickly and accurately, the company can act proactively and prevent them from becoming more extensive and more challenging to solve.

However, it's important to highlight that the use of red zones also has challenges. One of them is ensuring that alert areas are not created excessively, which can generate unnecessary information volume and hinder analysis and decision-making. Therefore, ALTAVE assists in validating detected occurrences, making it available for correct installation, and constantly updating to ensure maximum effectiveness.

Challenges and benefits of Red Zone Management

Like any tool, Red Zone Management also presents challenges and benefits. This section discuss the possible benefits and challenges faced when using red zones as part of process management.

Benefits of Red Zone Management

Greater control and efficiency in operations:

Red zones are configured around heavy machinery or areas of latent risk. This lets managers know immediately about improper presences in these areas, enabling quick and effective actions to mitigate risks. This results in greater operational efficiency, as it reduces the number of incidents and keeps the operational flow free of interruptions.

Constant analysis and decision-making:

The alerts generated with Red Zone Management are stored by the management platform and used as performance indicators. This allows complete visualization of occurrences and their main risk factors, such as, the time of highest incidence or the sector with the most alerts. From this, it's possible to perform constant analyses of red zones and identify patterns and areas that need improvement, contributing to decision-making.

Assistance in process management:

By identifying failures or deviations, Red Zone Management assists in process management, increasing the consistency of the workflow so that guidelines are followed, and operations proceed according to the established plan. This results in greater control and organization in activities, contributing to a more efficient and competitive company.

Improvement of safety culture:

By implementing Red Zone Management, managers reinforce their commitment to employee safety. This innovation not only emphasizes the importance of controlling people in risk areas but also fosters collective awareness about workplace safety. By encouraging this shared mentality of responsibility, a safety culture is promoted, where everyone actively commits to safe practices, contributing to overall safety indicators.

Challenges of red zones:

Correct configuration and management:

One of the main challenges in using red zones is correct configuration and management. It's necessary to define which areas will be considered red zones and clear rules. Additionally, essentialmanagers must constantly monitor and analyze red zones to ensure their effectiveness.

The balance between utilization and employee autonomy:

Red zones are an important tool for ensuring compliance, safety, and efficiency in operations, but it's necessary to balance their use with employee autonomy. Employees should feel responsible and engaged in the process, and not just as targets of constant monitoring. Therefore, it's necessary to establish clear and transparent communication about the system’s use.

Conclusion

Red Zone Management is an essential monitoring tool to identify and alert about possible deviations from established guidelines. They allow for more efficient process management, assisting in decision-making and control of operations. It's an important tool for occupational, property, and environmental safety, bringing various benefits and advantages to the organization. 

About ALTAVE

ALTAVE is a Brazilian company, accredited as a Strategic Defense Company (EED), with patented technology in Brazil and abroad. The company has obtained CE marking, indicating the approval of its product quality to be marketed throughout the European Union.

ALTAVE has been offering efficient, differentiated and quality solutions for over 10 years for the Defense and Security, Energy, Mining, Ports, Agribusiness and Oil and Gas sectors.

• Learn more at: altave.com.br/en/
• E-mail: [email protected]
• Press inquiries [email protected]