GE HealthCare Selects UTC Fire & Security for Integrated Security Access
GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services through medical imaging and information technologies, medical diagnostics, patient-monitoring systems, performance improvement, drug discovery and biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Headquartered in the U.K., GE Healthcare employs more than 46,000 people worldwide committed to serving health care professionals and their patients in more than 100 countries.
GE Healthcare's main facility in Italy, covering 6,920 square meters over four floors with 430 employees, was moved into a new building. This building was in need of tighter security matching GE's global security outlook. Looking at the security approach of GE's facilities around the world, there was a specific need to expand the current system with integrated access control and video surveillance. GE Healthcare turned to UTC Fire & Security to provide the solution.
GE Healthcare's new security system is based on UTC Fire & Security's integrated security platform. This enables significant integration between access control, video surveillance and other building management systems. The Italian headquarters building is equipped with 40 strategically placed day/night cameras connected to three DVRs, 14 door readers and 50 magnetic door locks. The magnetic door locks in combination with badge readers control the opening and closing of doors and act as a basic intrusion detection system, triggering alarms when doors are forced or opened without authorization.
The integrated security system links access control and video surveillance, making it possible to crossmatch events. As a result, when a specific action occurs a door is opened, forced or access is denied — the video footage of that event is stored automatically on one of the DVRs. The main server in the central control room also manages identical security systems in GE Healthcare's local offices in Rome, Bologna, Turin, Naples and Mestre. With this system, no unauthorized action goes undetected, enabling business operations in a secure environment.