As businesses across Ireland and the UK search for solutions in the battle against COVID-19, an Irish security company has invested heavily in thermal screening technology that will detect if someone is suffering from a fever in just one second.
Headquartered in County Antrim with locations in Dublin, Limerick and London, Mercury Security & Facilities Management (MSFM) is Ireland’s largest independent security provider and facilities management company, with a history of introducing pioneering technology to help businesses protect their staff, customers and property.
The company’s latest discovery is a camera that produces thermal images to enable the speedy detection of a high body temperature which may indicate the presence of a fever – one of the first vital symptoms displayed by carriers of the Coronavirus.
The Mercury TC-1 camera can detect an elevated temperature in just under a second, allowing large numbers of people to be screened at one time. Subjects can simply walk through the field of view together and the camera will scan them without impeding their passage in any way.
From a social distancing perspective, the Mercury TC-1 can measure body temperature from a distance of 1.5 to 2 metres – thus avoiding unnecessary physical contact.
Once the camera is installed, users can set the desired temperature level which, if exceeded, will trigger an audio and/or visual alert to notify the operator. What’s more, operators can also import images and names of staff or visitors into the system so, in the event of any registering a high temperature, that person will be identified by name on screen.
Results are recorded and available for review while all thermal and optical images can be archived, providing that GDPR regulations have been followed (as with any form of commercial security camera system). In this respect, Mercury is the only security company in Ireland which is certified to BS 10012:2017 which encompasses all elements of the latest GDPR compliance requirements.
“In the battle against COVID-19, the quick and early detection of symptoms such as a high temperature can help save lives and minimise the spread of this deadly virus,” said Mercury CEO Frank Cullen.
“From the outset of this terrible pandemic, we’ve been researching the latest global technology to see if we could find something that would be helpful to organisations at home in this most difficult of fights against the COVID-19 virus. The result of our research is the Mercury TC-1, a cost-effective thermal camera that we believe could prove a vital tool in detecting high temperatures amongst staff, customers and visitors to any building with a significant footfall.
“The country might be in lockdown at the moment but we still have lots of brave health workers in the front line, with the likes of supermarkets and essential stores open to the public to supply us with the essential goods and medication we need,” added Mr Cullen.
“Our thermal screening camera will allow management to quickly and easily detect if workers or customers have a high temperature, one of the early signs of COVID-19. Then these people can be isolated for further testing to see if they have contracted the virus’” he added.
“The UK government has warned that it may be another six months before restrictions on our movements are lifted and that it will be a gradual and cautious process – and rightly so. As more and more buildings open their doors again, this thermal technology will help give the public the reassurance and confidence they need to get out and about – and help get our economy back up and running.
“From airports, stations and ferry terminals, supermarkets and shopping malls, factories and large offices, call centres and council buildings, schools and colleges, bars and restaurants, cinemas and leisure complexes, sporting venues and concert halls – there are a huge amount of businesses and organisations that might find this technology helpful.
“A key consideration for us was to find a solution that was affordable to local businesses and to our own particular customer base. We believe we’ve achieved this with the Mercury TC-1 coming in at much better value than similar and much more expensive products in this very important and specialised field, ” concluded Frank.
As a company, MSFM has been busier than most since the Coronavirus outbreak.
With the vast majority of offices now closed and all but essential workers working remotely from home, the company has been providing a range of security solutions to help business owners protect their empty properties, including remote CCTV monitoring and mobile patrol units.
MSFM also offers a specialised deep cleaning service to office, commercial, clinical and nursing home environments, designed to eliminate COVID–19 and help companies minimise risk to staff and visitors.
“We appreciate that this is an extremely challenging and worrying time for people at home and throughout the world,” said Frank Cullen.
“So at Mercury, our staff have been working around the clock to proactively try to slow the spread of COVID-19 and help companies stay safe and manage the risk that it presents.”
