Environmental monitoring systems track the quality of different industrial environments. They protect server rooms, data centres, telecommunications, laboratories, cold room storage areas and other critical facilities by measuring different variables including humidity, temperature and water leakage.
When it comes to food monitoring there are strict guidelines for environmental monitoring systems that regulate this activity. For example, The Australian & New Zealand Food Standards Code regulates the storage of food. The Code stipulates that certain foods – including but not limited to raw and cooked meat, dairy products and seafood – need to be stored at temperatures less than five degrees Celsius to prevent the formation of bacteria that can cause food poisoning.
The issue of proper storage of food is critical. On Anzac Day 2012, 20 people ate at a café in the ACT and contracted salmonella from the raw eggs in mayonnaise that was part of its eggs benedict menu item. Later inspection of the monitoring system showed that the storage room was eight degrees Celsius, three degrees above that which is required by the Australian Food Standards Code. This showed the importance of keeping food at its correct temperature and why businesses that store food need a properly working environmental monitoring system.
Monitoring systems must provide accurate data
Environmental monitoring systems must provide accurate data.
Monitoring systems that do not provide accurate data may cause a range of financial and reputational losses for the companies involved. For example, in 2016 an Australian bakery sold chicken schnitzel rolls that were contaminated with salmonella due to poor storage and monitoring. The environmental monitoring system did not pick it up because it was connected to the bakery’s coordination system. The bread went off and the bakers were not aware. This incident caused the company to close down and its owner’s reputation was tarnished.
For an environmental monitoring system to be accurate, its electro-climatic sensors need to be able to accurately measure changes in humidity, temperature, freezing and water leakage. These sensors are important components of the environmental monitoring system because they are the final line of defence against contamination.
The Solution – Interworld’s NTI environmental monitoring systems
Interworld has the NTI range of environmental monitoring systems, which can be used across many industrial environments. They operate in real time, monitoring critical environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, liquid water presence, power, intrusion, and smoke. When a sensor goes out of range of a configurable threshold, the system will notify you via email, LEDs, alarm beacon, siren, web page, network management (SNMP), and SMS messages (via external USB 3G modem).
The firmware of the monitoring systems can be updated as needed. Security of the systems is also guaranteed. The NTI monitoring units are also password protected and have the normal SSH and http protection that comes with any other computer system.
Environmental monitoring systems may be purchased from Interworld Electronics. The monitors start from AUD$400 for basic models and increase as features are added.
To find out more about the NTI range of environmental monitoring systems, click here.