Control Center: Beyond Surveillance

By: Duván Chaverra A.
When we talk about security, the first thing that comes to mind are surveillance cameras, alarm detectors, access controls, closed circuit television, antivirus, among other products that surround this electronic industry and that are indispensable.

*The photograph seen in this article is courtesy of the control center manufacturer Gesab Group. The control center is an Alarm Receiving Center (CRA) designed by the firm.

However, very few will think beyond it and forget a topic that must also be important when it comes to breaking down the word security. And it is that within this sector you have to take into account a product that deserves the same attention.

To get into the matter, this time our article will focus on the ergonomic design of a control center, that place where the operator should always feel comfortable while viewing numerous monitors for long periods of time, where he must be aware of the controllers, comply with logs and perform comfortably for the execution of a good job, in a place that needs the full attention and responsibility of the manager.

Therefore, the design of a console becomes quite significant, because it must offer the greatest possible comfort and safety to the operator and at the same time it must be designed to protect itself from an emergency such as a fire, earthquake or flood, and to take care of and allow the best operation of the equipment that will be installed there.

To delve deeper into this topic we took on the task of consulting two specialized sources: Noel González, sales manager for Latin America of Winsted, and Guillermo Palma, director of GP International and representative in Mexico of the Spanish firm manufacturer of control centers Gesab Group.

They gave their respective impressions, agreeing that a console for control center deserves the same attention when acquiring a security system as a surveillance camera or other electronic equipment, because it is there where all the systems are integrated and the monetary investment that was made is reflected.

The importance of ergonomics
All trends are focused and come to the same point. Nowadays control centers are designed with the customer in mind of offering the customer an ergonomic, functional and harmonious product that breaks with traditional and obsolete schemes.

In this regard, Guillermo Palma emphasizes that the most important thing about a control center is not the consoles, but the integral design of it, and therefore listed some considerations that must be taken into account when designing.

"First of all I would like to give the place it deserves to the place where most of the critical activities related to CCTV, 911, 066, C2, C4, Railways, Metro, Airports, etc. are carried out, as "Control Centers", commented the executive.

On the points to be taken into account for the installation, Palma listed the following: Technical concept of the systems, real space, air conditioning, fire detection and extinguishing systems, access control systems, identify natural and artificial lighting, lighting control systems, distribution of consoles, distribution of information screens, corporate graphic application, alternative monitoring systems, among others.

Similarly, Noel González spoke about the importance of ergonomics in a control center for the person or people who must be aware of all movements and records.

"Ergonomics is one of the most important points for an operator. It is key to be properly seated on a console for monitoring, just as the equipment that is going to be mounted on that console must be put on adequate ventilation so that they are not damaged and do not suffer. You also have to take into account the space in which the operator will be working so that he can handle the equipment easily, the place where the console will be located, distance from the wall for the ventilation of the equipment and the movement of the operator. "

Palma corroborates the above by stating that the design must start from everyone's comfort: "Unfortunately the space of a control center is the last thing that is considered. Space depends on the number of operators and these depend on the number of systems interacting with each other."

"That is why there is no standard in consoles, rather I would say that consoles adapt to control centers, since they are designed under functionality of the available areas; there are different manufacturers that go only from the creation of consoles, to others that reach the colors, lighting, furniture, logo, among others, "added the director of GP International.

Current market moment
With the crisis you could think that the market for consoles for control centers has also been affected, however, our sources gave another impression: this product is covering more market, first because the customer is becoming more aware of the importance of acquiring a good console and second because due to the above everything indicates that a positive future awaits consoles.

According to Noel González, his company has been growing within the industry, generating profits and reaching different markets in Latin America. "We are very strong in the security market. In South America we are reaching places such as nuclear plants, water, electricity. Recently we were at a very low average profit of US $ 100,000 in this territory that today has risen to US $ 1 million in sales."

Those growth figures that the representative of the American firm points out, may be a consequence of what is happening today within this security segment: that the control center takes the importance it deserves.

"At last we are beginning to have awareness, to mature and make sense of a high-performance control center with the ideal conditions, and above all to palpably reflect all that investment in equipment, making it look in an integral and aesthetic way for the work of 24/7," said Palma.

The importance of design
At this point it is already valid to talk more thoroughly and begin to know the way in which consoles are innovating, leaving behind methods that are now obsolete and improving at other points.

It is at this point when the word design becomes important, because now the user will not only look for his console to adapt to the needs of the control center and the equipment, he will also want the presentation of this product to be pleasing to the eye, that the environment is in accordance with the needs of the technical functionalities that must be met.

"The design of the consoles must allow adaptation and flexibility to the operator, it must have the space and functionality, interacting with the technology in a free and ergonomic way," said Guillermo Palma, who also added that "really what is sought in a console is that they dirty the environment as little as possible; what I'm going for is that consoles should have the least number of holes, cabinets, places that are difficult to access, because all this is a focus of dirt and complicates the work of each day."

Winsted's sales manager for Latin America explained that his company's products are basically designed to last for extended periods of time: "All the bases of the consoles are made of metal, because that material does not change shape, it does not heat up as wood does. We call it Tru Form, a material offset by baking towards wood, it is durable and cannot be scratched or peeled off because it comes laminated."

For his part, the executive of GP International agrees with the previous statement on the inclinations of now in the subject of materials: "The trend today is to manufacture consoles with materials that lead us to build the products to the measure and to the needs of each command post and control center with moldable materials such as aluminum, resins, carbon fiber, steel, gel, quartz, among others".

At the time of an unforeseen event, whether fire or earthquake, they must also be considered by companies when creating a console. "The materials are designed to resist moisture, they are stainless, with paint made of charcoal that does not corrode, climate changes are also covered. In a flood of great proportions, the console continues to work so that it is not damaged. They also endure the presence of earthquake and fire," González explained.

From the point of view of Guillermo Palma, the most important thing when talking about the issue of safety, is to think about the people who are working in a control center: "Console manufacturers use different coating materials that meet certain fireproof standards, but honestly here what has to be protected mainly is the personnel who work in a control center, then you think about information and systems."

To conclude
Perhaps you may think that a console cannot have a deep analysis or that the subject does not deserve so much attention. However, as highlighted by our sources, everything that surrounds a product like this before it reaches the control center, the way in which it is made and how it can help good safety performance are important. The console is a fundamental part in which all the responsibility for the information delivered by electronic security systems falls, hence the importance of choosing the right one.

In conclusion, the ergonomic design of a control room must be looked at with the eyes it deserves, as it is responsible for giving the best comfort to an operator so that the result of his work, those of his work group and the investment are satisfactory.