SubscribeSince the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Congress and the Department of Homeland Security have invested tremendous effort in identifying and securing the nation’s most vulnerable remaining potential targets.
As discussed in the CRS Report for Congress titled Chemical Plant Security, chemical plants and other industrial facilities have become the focus of great concern.
Increasing evidence suggests that the country's 15,000 chemical plants are at risk, including 111 such facilities that are adjacent to populations of more than 1 million people.
If targeted, chemical manufacturing or chemical storage centers could ignite deadly explosions or devastate populated areas through toxic inhalation.
The necessary production and storage of dangerous chemicals in the United States ignited concern in Congress about the security of industrial and chemical plants, and the current administration acknowledged the importance of implementing chemical facility security legislation.
Senators recently introduced a bill which would allow states to set chemical plant safety regulations above and beyond federal standards.
Other new legislation in the Senate similarly calls for increased security in and around chemical facilities. This has led to additional chemical plant perimeter assessment by security system suppliers, cctv and security installations in process control rooms, and expanded video system surveillance to improve facility security.
While Washington debates the extent of government involvement in the assessment of security vulnerability, security management and enforcement at chemical plants, Department of Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff pushes for mandatory security requirements intended to deter terrorists who seek to "leverage our own technology against ourselves." As Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass) poignantly stated, "There are nightclubs in New York City that are harder to get into than some of our country's chemical plants."
Seeking practical solutions to new government demands, many chemical plants' industrial security management teams have updated their monitoring procedures with new industrial security systems equipment.
In fact, several major chemical facilities have already spent hundreds of millions of dollars to implement high-tech tools such as wireless security cameras and digital video surveillance systems for perimeter assessment, which are accessible by on-site security control rooms.
According to the American Chemistry Council, the chemical industry as a whole spent over $2 billion on security improvements since the September 11 attacks.
Speaking at a forum co-hosted by the Council, Chertoff stated his intentions to work with Congress so that chemical plants and facilities could retain the freedom to create their own security management plans.
"Companies have the flexibility to design their own counter-terrorism measures as long as they meet government requirements," the Homeland Security chief explained. Additionally, federal security standards would take into account the unique risks of individual chemical plants.
However, Chertoff added that the period in which the chemical industry could voluntarily implement facility security measures without government involvement was quickly coming to an end.
Most major chemical companies have already employed sophisticated enterprise security management technology and security management software to meet or exceed potential government standards, but a few smaller facilities are still lacking adequate security safeguards, such as advanced on-site surveillance and monitoring equipment and control rooms equipped with updated security systems and security furniture.
These plants and facilities will be forced to look for safe and cost-effective means of protecting employees, nearby communities, and their own financial livelihood.
David Harpole, a spokesman for Houston-based Lyondell Chemical Company, suggests: "Let's look at ways to harden security at our plants and provide better intelligence."
ImageVision SecureVIEW ® consoles provide a cost-effective security management solution for adding security furniture to existing control room or DCS operator consoles. Without paying unnecessary premiums to DCS system vendors for additional security furniture required for control rooms, chemical plants and facilities can now obtain fully customized, showcase-quality security consoles and equipment to meet their particular on-site process control, process security and facilities safety monitoring needs.
To begin, ImageVision can provide industrial security systems project personnel with a detailed AutoCAD layout of SecureVIEW ® modular security consoles, which can be tailored to accommodate any chemical facility's in-house or government requirements.
Sales representatives can typically produce a drawing and detailed proposal for chemical plant security consoles and security system equipment and accessories within 48 hours.
Click on this link to contact ImageVision - complete the "Contact Us" on-line form and we'll call you promptly to discuss your particular security system and security console furniture requirements:
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