AstraZeneca upgrades its security infrastructure with Axis

To renew the system that the pharmaceutical company had installed on the Gaithersburg campus and laboratories, more than 500 cameras Axis, that combine PTZ equipment, Fixed domes and multi-sensor panoramas.

The Pharmaceutical Company AstraZeneca has implemented Camera Station, Multi-sensor equipment and analysis solutions from Axis to improve the safety of Gaithersburg's campus and laboratories (Maryland – Usa. U.S.), Monitor emergency evacuations and efficiently allocate office space and furniture for your hybrid workforce.

As one of AstraZeneca's three global R+D centers, Gaithersburg Campus, on the outskirts of Washington DC, It is characterized by the development of innovative medicines that change the lives of millions of patients around the world. After years of service, It became clear that the security camera system monitoring the ten buildings was not up to the task.

“Our security camera solution wasn't evolving like other systems and was preventing us from implementing new ways to support office space, laboratories and manufacturing facilities more effectively”, Explains Brooks Cucuel, senior director of safety at AstraZeneca's Gaithersburg facility.

The decision to replace your Video & Video Surveillance Management with Axis teams and their video management system, Camera Station introduced new features and capabilities that transformed the way the security department supports the Gaithersburg campus.

“The change has allowed us to address issues such as sustainability, emergency response and space planning for our offices and laboratories, even our nursery. In fact, Axis technology is having a direct impact on the way we operate on a daily basis and the decisions we make about how we will operate in the future”, says Cucuel.

The intuitive nature of Axis Camera Station has made the transition easy. “Operators in the command center not only find the interface easy to use, but now we have access to many features and analytics that we didn't have before”, Cucuel explains.

The garage has also been another area that has been taken into account in terms of security. To protect the structure from intruders, AstraZeneca has installed multi-sensor cameras Axis that combine panoramic views with pan/tilt/zoom capabilities (Ptz) high-speed.

“This setting allows us to maintain a wide field of view while being able to zoom in to see what an individual is doing”, Clarifies James Lee, Safety & Emergency Response Manager, AstraZeneca. “By strategically placing PTZ cameras, We cover every level, Stairs and entrance doors”.

On the roof of the garage, Axis cameras give security a clear view of the adjacent surface, as well as the road that surrounds the campus. Security also programmed motion detection triggers at Axis Camera Station to alert the command center of activity in the garage area at night, when there are fewer security personnel patrolling.

“That played a huge role in initiating the staff response to an event much earlier”, share Lee. He adds that they were also installed Axis intercoms to help facilitate direct communication between security personnel in the garage and the command center.

Full Coverage

Gaithersburg has deployed more than 500 Campus-wide Axis cameras. A combination of PTZ, Fixed domes and multi-sensor panoramic cameras. One of the most widely used models is the Axis P37 panoramic cameras with dual sensor, that has made it possible to monitor aisle intersections more efficiently.

“We use a lot of these cameras”, says Lee. “What's great about them is that you can adjust their angles to capture two aisles converging with each other or monitor the intersections of four aisles”.

Cameras are also being deployed in the middle of long corridors to monitor both ends from a single IP address, A significant saving over the multi-camera setup required with the previous system.

Activity Tracking

Security works closely with individual groups operating in restricted areas to install cameras that provide the best oversight of their operations. “We use Axis P32 fixed dome cameras in these locations. These provide us with great resolution even when someone moves in the scene or moves in and out of bright lights and shadows”, says Lee.

Lee finds that Axis Camera Station makes it easy to set up privileged access so that teams can only see teams that cover their area of responsibility.

Because AstraZeneca still maintains a hybrid work model, One of his concerns at the Gaithersburg campus is how to maximize the efficient use of office space and equipment in his buildings. “One of our biggest sustainability priorities when working with our remote/hybrid/in-office model is to look at how our buildings are used”, adds Lee.

To understand how people were using their allotted space, Lee's team set up a pilot program in one of the campus buildings. Implemented Axis 3D People Counter, Equipped with analytics, in circular verticals (Elevators/Stairs) and access points on each floor of the building to determine how many people occupied each area.

Lee says the goal of this project is to help facilities management identify space that is not being used and assess the actual space needed so that offices and equipment can be reallocated and used more cost-effectively.

Emergency Evacuation

“We have also experimented with the use of Axis 3D People Counter for emergency evacuation liability”, share Lee. When choosing a building that already uses lathe rails for positive entry control, The security team placed cameras with enhanced analytics at all entry/exit points, including lathes, Emergency exits and visitor entrances, and put them together to add a full count of people.

A specific use case for Axis analytics was to track pedestrian traffic at certain entrances from a hilltop garage. Most people tend to get out of the garage by level three, where there is a pedestrian crossing into the building. However, People who work at the loading docks at ground level or in the basement can opt for the convenience of exiting at ground level and running across the busy road where there is no safe crosswalk.

“We decided to employ line crossing with Axis Object Analytics to determine if there was enough usage at the lower level to justify the expense”, says Lee. Because analytics can track the directional flow of people and vehicles, is helping AstraZeneca track how many people are leaving and entering the lower tier, and the general traffic on the adjacent highway.

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