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GSK use Mitrefinch access control to manage their high risk site.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical companies with sites across the globe.
GSK produces over 1,200 different brands and each year manufactures 300 million bottles of Lucozade and Ribena, 50 million kilogrammes of Horlicks and over 600 million servings of toothpaste!
At the same time the company invests heavily in research and development, discovering new medicines and vaccines which impact upon our daily lives.
The 100-acre GSK facility at Irvine is responsible for a sizable amount of the group's manufacture of a range of antibiotics and active pharmaceuticals using both organic chemistry and biotechnology.
Access control is an important consideration at any manufacturing plant, but on a site where the culture of penicillin is a major part of daily activity a lot of factors make access control management a vital requirement.
GSK selected the Mitrefinch Access Control system in 1992 due to the extra features, flexibility and versatility that it offered over its previous proximity system.
The site has 650 permanent staff, 100 temporary workers and 1800 regular contractors all requiring access to different areas of the site, day and night, seven days a week. Up to 3000 card swipes can be made each day allowing people access onto the site via the vehicle barrier or pedestrian turnstile, and internally through the 37 Access Control terminals situated throughout the different buildings.
The GSK Gatehouse forms the hub of the Access Control system and site security management. Security Team Leader, Walter Little is responsible for the site's security and manages the Access Control system.
Walter comments: "We have 10 people trained to use the system. Of these, 8 are security officers based in the Gatehouse who create access passes, run reports and monitor access both onto and off of the site. We have also found it incredibly useful to have one of IT personnel familiar with the software to promote the smooth running of the system."
The site has many visitors each day, each requiring access to different parts of the site. The Access Control system gives GSK the flexibility to offer full or temporary passes. If a contractor is likely to visit on a regular basis a full pass can be generated to avoid the need to repeat supplying personal details in order to create the pass. If the contractor is only knowingly to be employed for the term of a specific project a temporary pass can be created. These cards are printed on site quickly and easily, and ready for use immediately.
The technology allows GSK to brand the cards with its corporate logo and include a photo for identity purposes.
GSK's Irvine plant is the company's largest penicillin manufacturing plant in the UK. The manufacture of this product requires a highly sterile environment with the risk of contamination kept to a minimum. The Access Control system helps to achieve this by limiting access to authorised personnel only.
Another area on the site uses highly volatile components where factors such as temperature and moisture need to be regulated, any slight deviance could upset the balance.
Personal security is also enhanced through Access Control. With such large numbers of people on site, locker rooms are protected by the system with access restricted to those personnel assigned to that room. This is also crucial for workers employed in the Penicillin manufacture where separate entrances and exits are specified to ensure that culture spores are not able to travel around the site on clothing.
As part of the manufacturing process GSK takes samples of all raw materials brought to the site and all batches of finished products. These samples must be stored for a certain period and can be called upon at any time. It is therefore important that these can be accessed quickly and easily, but that access is restricted to ensure the integrity of the samples.
A considerable amount of raw materials are delivered to Irvine by tanker. To promote safety GSK restrict the number of tankers on site to 10, as some can contain hazardous materials such as sulphuric acid. The tanker drivers can only obtain access to the site using a pass obtained from the Gatehouse.
Access Control also links to GSK's fire evacuation procedures. Each specified fire evacuation point includes 2 swipe terminals so that the system can quickly determine who is safe and inform the emergency services of any personnel not accounted for.
Walter Little adds: "With such a large number of people on-site at any one time the use of swipe terminal is quicker and far more efficient than a traditional manual register."
Walter concludes: "The Mitrefinch Access Control system is a vital part of our security provision. With hazardous materials, environmental risks and safety concerns in addition to managing up to 2500 people on site each day, we would be lost without it! The access ID cards are easily produced and temporary cards can be recycled. We have found it easy to train new employees on the system and are in no doubt that it has helped Irvine to become one of the top performing GSK sites in the country."
Walter Little,
Security Team Leader,
GlaxoSmithKline Irvine 
© 2010 Mitrefinch UK
