Cameras increase safety in the galvanizing hall

The Coatinc Company has increased the safety of its staff by deploying cameras and microphones in the galvanizing hall.
These replace human supervision during the riskiest moment of the galvanizing process. The Coatinc Company treats steel and metal products to protect them from corrosion.
At 3 locations in the Netherlands, The Coatinc Company has zinc baths to hot-dip galvanize products.
This is an age-old process in which steel is dipped in molten zinc at about 450 degrees.
Henk van de Streek, manager at the Coatinc branch in Groningen, explains that the safety of the staff is their top priority.
“The moment products come into contact with the zinc is risky. The zinc can start to splash and (small and large) explosions can take place. Therefore, during immersion, the doors are closed so that the zinc bath is completely sealed. There are windows in the doors so that employees can follow the process. However, those doors do not offer a 100% guarantee. That is why we have now taken additional measures to ensure the safety of our people.”

Cameras and microphones replace eyes and ears

From now on, the employees of The Coatinc Company no longer have to look through the windows in the canopy to see if everything is going well.
Human surveillance has been replaced by cameras (Cemacs Video Management) and microphones at the risk moment.
Erik Poulussen, Account Manager at Mactwin, explains: “We have placed a total of four cameras and two directional microphones on both ends of the zinc bath. The camera images and the sound are displayed on a large screen in the control room, which has been specially constructed for this purpose. Incidentally, cameras and microphones have been placed outside the canopy of the zinc bath because of the high temperatures inside. As soon as the canopy is completely closed and the materials are suspended above the zinc bath, the countersinkers operate the hoist from the closed control room. With the help of the very sharp camera images and the sound of the corresponding directional microphones, they can closely follow the lowering of the materials into the zinc bath. In fact, due to the length of the bath and the formation of steam and smoke, the countersinks with the cameras have a better view than before through the windows. But the most important thing, of course, is that the employees stand at a safe distance from the zinc bath during the moment of risk.”