Owens Corning Plant Hands Access Off to Biometrics
Biometric Scans Verify Identity Prior to Entry
April 22, 2003
Owens Corning Plant Hands Access Off to Biometrics
CAMPBELL, CALIF. – April 22, 2003 – Schlage Recognition Systems, the biometric Access Control component of Ingersoll-Rand’s Security Technologies Electronic Control Systems, today announced that it has installed its HandReader at the Owens Corning 250-acre campus in Newark, Ohio. Those seeking access to the manufacturing plant, as well as other facilities, must present their hands for a biometric scan to verify identification before admittance to the facilities. The biometric solution is integrated with an Identicard IDentiPASS system.
According to Rodger Orr, IS professional at Owens Corning, there is a good reason to require identification for entrance to the facilities.
“About two years ago, our main office receptionist retired and management decided not to replace her. For years, she had monitored who went in and out of the building, handing out visitor badges. Knowing we had to secure the building, we started looking into other options. Although everyone wore badges, we knew many would forget them and not be able to access the facility. So we started looking into biometric alternatives.
“At that time, I was taking a class for my masters degree at Mount Vernon College and a classmate was doing a report on biometrics,” reports Orr. “He covered hand geometry extensively in his report so we investigated it and found it most suitable for our employees. As a result, we chose the hand geometry method as our primary access control device. Let’s face it, your hand cannot be lost, forgotten or stolen like a password or ID card.”
To enter the facility, an Owens Corning salaried employee simply enters their code and places their hand on the reader. Within a second, the HandReader picks out more than 90 identifying factors, including width, length, thickness and surface area, and compares it to a template. A match unlocks the door. Since it was counter-productive for the staff to constantly go up front to let them in and out, salespeople, approved contractors and technical consultants also have access via the HandReaders.
“We’ve had a positive response from our users,” Orr relates. “I always double check a new enrollee's scan by entering that person’s ID number and my own hand. Importantly, I can set an expiration date for contractors and salespeople. As a result, the HandReader will only accept the hand scan up until a certain date. We’re also impressed that the system provides a duress code. This is a code that a person in need can enter prior to their normal code to notify us that they are in trouble.
“This system is especially efficient because multiple users with authorization can access the panel from their PCs over the computer network. For example, I was approached in the hallway recently by a vendor requesting hand geometry access to our building. I downloaded the software from the PC in my office, scanned the vendor’s hand, keyed in his name and assigned an ID number on the spot. The entire process took only minutes.”
About IR Recognition Systems
With over 70,000 hand geometry units throughout the world reading millions of hands each day, Schlage Recognition Systems, founded in 1986, is the world’s pioneer of hand recognition technology used in access control, time and attendance and identification applications. The company is the world sales leader of biometric verification devices and serves an international clientele from its headquarters in Campbell, Calif. The hand geometry website is www.handreader.com. Phone is 408-341-4100. Schlage Recognition Systems is the biometric Access Control component of Ingersoll Rand’s Security Technologies Electronic Control Systems. The Ingersoll Rand website is www.irco.com.
CAMPBELL, CALIF. – April 22, 2003 – Schlage Recognition Systems, the biometric Access Control component of Ingersoll-Rand’s Security Technologies Electronic Control Systems, today announced that it has installed its HandReader at the Owens Corning 250-acre campus in Newark, Ohio. Those seeking access to the manufacturing plant, as well as other facilities, must present their hands for a biometric scan to verify identification before admittance to the facilities. The biometric solution is integrated with an Identicard IDentiPASS system.
According to Rodger Orr, IS professional at Owens Corning, there is a good reason to require identification for entrance to the facilities.
“About two years ago, our main office receptionist retired and management decided not to replace her. For years, she had monitored who went in and out of the building, handing out visitor badges. Knowing we had to secure the building, we started looking into other options. Although everyone wore badges, we knew many would forget them and not be able to access the facility. So we started looking into biometric alternatives.
“At that time, I was taking a class for my masters degree at Mount Vernon College and a classmate was doing a report on biometrics,” reports Orr. “He covered hand geometry extensively in his report so we investigated it and found it most suitable for our employees. As a result, we chose the hand geometry method as our primary access control device. Let’s face it, your hand cannot be lost, forgotten or stolen like a password or ID card.”
To enter the facility, an Owens Corning salaried employee simply enters their code and places their hand on the reader. Within a second, the HandReader picks out more than 90 identifying factors, including width, length, thickness and surface area, and compares it to a template. A match unlocks the door. Since it was counter-productive for the staff to constantly go up front to let them in and out, salespeople, approved contractors and technical consultants also have access via the HandReaders.
“We’ve had a positive response from our users,” Orr relates. “I always double check a new enrollee's scan by entering that person’s ID number and my own hand. Importantly, I can set an expiration date for contractors and salespeople. As a result, the HandReader will only accept the hand scan up until a certain date. We’re also impressed that the system provides a duress code. This is a code that a person in need can enter prior to their normal code to notify us that they are in trouble.
“This system is especially efficient because multiple users with authorization can access the panel from their PCs over the computer network. For example, I was approached in the hallway recently by a vendor requesting hand geometry access to our building. I downloaded the software from the PC in my office, scanned the vendor’s hand, keyed in his name and assigned an ID number on the spot. The entire process took only minutes.”
About IR Recognition Systems
With over 70,000 hand geometry units throughout the world reading millions of hands each day, Schlage Recognition Systems, founded in 1986, is the world’s pioneer of hand recognition technology used in access control, time and attendance and identification applications. The company is the world sales leader of biometric verification devices and serves an international clientele from its headquarters in Campbell, Calif. The hand geometry website is www.handreader.com. Phone is 408-341-4100. Schlage Recognition Systems is the biometric Access Control component of Ingersoll Rand’s Security Technologies Electronic Control Systems. The Ingersoll Rand website is www.irco.com.
