Nowadays the management of warehouse and logistics operations cannot be done without implementing the right real estate technology solutions. Not only do they help to manage the entire business more efficiently, but also minimize various types of risks. There are many reasons and benefits of implementing PropTech solutions at warehouse and logistics facilities. Today let's focus on some of the most important ones:
- Boosting the facility security
- Optimizing parking management and vehicle flow
- Increasing physical security
- Minimizing potential exposure to COVID-19
- Enhancing employee safety
- Minimizing equipment defects
So how PropTech can minimize risk at warehouse and logistics facilities?
1. Boosting The Facility Security
Better Vehicle Entry and Exit Control
Logistics centers and high-value warehouses are often exposed to burglary, theft, or other security risks. Because of this, security threats may arise from employees and third parties hired by the organization or anyone who enters the warehouse without prior authorization.
The solution worth considering to reduce security risks is the visitor & vehicle registration system integrated with electronic security and surveillance systems. With cloud-based vehicle access control software solutions, security staff can easily control all vehicle entries and exits.
Such a platform controls the physical infrastructure on-site with a vehicle access control software. It enables easy pre-registration of vehicles and visitors so that everyone who enters the premises is identified. By integrating the system with key technologies such as LPR cameras, RFID antennas, and CCTV, you can improve safety and security by collecting all data about each arriving vehicle, including license plate images and CCTV camera footage. With advanced reporting and analysis tools, property managers and owners will have insight into what's happening in and around the facility, while security staff will be alerted immediately if someone from the visitor watchlist tries to enter.
Optimized Parking Capacity Management
Thanks to real-time information on parking capacity, PropTech solutions prevent the facility from being overloaded by monitoring how many vehicles are currently in the facility and blocking vehicle entries when this limit is exceeded to avoid dangerous traffic jams.
Increased Physical Security
Intelligent video analytics increase the security of high-risk sites by automatically monitoring people, vehicles, and objects within a camera's view. The leveraging of video analytics in warehouses and distribution centers enables:
• Detecting of vehicle or people who enter to the restricted zones
• Monitoring and receiving real-time alarms if someone uses unauthorized doors or is on the roof
• Monitoring inappropriate traffic flow in warehouses or the logistic parks
• Detecting vehicles parking in fire lanes exceeding the specified time
Covering the entire building with a monitoring system and investing in remote video monitoring boost the perimeter protection around the facility, providing even greater security. Remote guards from one monitoring center can control maneuvering areas or loading docks to detect any dangerous incidents. Not only do the real estate software increase levels of security and improve staff productivity but also increase efficiency with reduced costs of manpower needed for monitoring.
2. Dealing with Uncertainty During COVID-19 Pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has an inevitable impact on the daily workflow in every industry, and it is no different in warehouses and logistics. Thankfully PropTech solutions are a way to minimize potential exposure to COVID-19 for the tenants, visitors, suppliers, security staff, and other people in your facility.
Thanks to an effective traceability system that offers modern real estate software solutions, your organization can identify potentially infected visitors or drivers who have entered the facility. Automatically generated reports and recorded traffic history provides detailed information about the exact day, time, and destination (e.g. company name) of the visitor. Thus, PropTech solutions allow you to quickly take the necessary health and safety measures to inform anyone who had contact with infected guests and limit the further spread of the virus.
Additionally, contactless vehicle access control through integration with LPR and RFID technologies enables automatic barrier opening, remote traffic management and limits direct contact with security personnel. Automated PropTech systems provide the utmost security with maximum control, minimizing the risk of contact infections.
3. Increasing Employee Safety
The safety of employees is the top priority, especially those who work in a warehouse or logistics facility. One of the key issues is the proper health and safety training for employees regarding how to safely use all machinery and equipment, report any hazard they identify, or which protective equipment is required to enter the facility.
Digital OHS tests can be conducted via touchscreens to ensure that everyone is aware of the health guidelines before entering the facility. The process can be streamlined and complies with QHSE guidelines when using the digital visitor management system, increasing the health and safety of your employees and visitors.
Organizations should also implement well-functioning evacuation procedures that are fully documented, accessible, and regularly practiced. With the emergency evacuation software, you can quickly notify anyone about the evacuation plan and quickly track the movement of employees and visitors.
4. Minimizing Equipment Defects
Modern warehouses and logistics facilities are based on numerous equipment and machinery. Any issue, even the smallest one, can cause many problems, so to ensure their smooth operation the prevention is essential. Naturally, equipment and the building itself wear down over time. That is why qualified professionals should perform annual or even more frequent checks for high-risk equipment to make sure if any device or installation needs to be replaced or repaired.
Planning preventive maintenance without the help of computer-aided facility management software can be a huge challenge. The modern CAFM systems integrated with IoT sensors allow you to perform your end-to-end FM maintenance operations, improve overall equipment effectiveness, and reduce asset downtime. Properly scheduled and standardized maintenance checklists using the facility and maintenance management system (also known as computer-aided facility management) such as can ensure that all the equipment like, for instance, fire suppression and other systems are regularly inspected. It will increase the safety of your facility and employees, minimize the fire, flooding, or any other risk, and help you to stay in control of your building management. Adhering to a regular schedule of preventive maintenance tasks guarantees that the facility stays in excellent condition and provides a better environment for everyone.
However, equipment failures cannot always be perfectly predicted, so a solid maintenance strategy should also include reactive maintenance as well as standardized, regular technical and safety audits driven by software solutions. Effective incident management is necessary to identify any threats and predict potential losses in warehouses and logistics facilities. That is why using facility and maintenance management software it is possible to easily submit any maintenance work orders through a desktop or mobile app in case of any equipment failure.
Bottom Line
Risk management plays a key role by identifying the source of risk and providing different options to reduce it. Minimizing the risk in warehouses and logistics facilities would not have been possible without investing in proven PropTech solutions. The right real estate software can help logistics facilities and warehouses with multiple assets become more streamline and safer by reducing the potential cost of risk. Only working with strong partners and trusted software solutions vendors ensure that the investment in PropTech will be worth and the risk of investing in new systems minimized.
Let us know how we can minimize the risk at your real estate - we are ready to help you and your business.
Learn more about Singu FM - facility and maintenance management software, Singu Guestbook - visitor management system, and Singu Smart Security Desk - vehicle automation system. Discover our real estate software solutions for commercial and industrial real estate today. Get a free demo and see Singu proptech tools in action.
