RFID & COVID: Technology you shouldn’t ignore
Adaptations to workplace management have become essential during the coronavirus outbreak. The way we interact with the world around us, let alone each other, has changed in a fundamental way.
Reducing the spread of infection and lowering the risk of becoming a carrier is priority number one for people managing business space. The last thing anyone wants is for cases to be recorded on their premises. Using tech for preventing the spread of the COVID virus has become a priority for businesses, they may think to turn to RFID to help.
The steps businesses are taking to achieve this goal are widespread and varied. Everything from enforcing face masks and social distancing to increased hygiene and cleaning rotations has been deployed.
But these aren’t the only tools at your disposal.
Technology has risen to be the lynch-pin of COVID-19 recovery strategy. Track and trace, work-from-home, temperature checks — you name it, technology is forming the foundation for our future.
Which brings us to the topic of our article: RFID.
What is RFID?
RFID stands for radio-frequency identification. From the name alone, it’s easy to figure out what RFID does.
RFID acts in a similar way to barcodes. You have a scanner and a receiving unit. The scanner looks out for receivers that it recognises. If the scanner comes into contact with a receiving unit, it performs its designated action. This could be to open a door, log a member of staff entering a building, send a notification of arrival, etc. Where RFID differs from barcodes is that the technology is not based on a line of sight, but rather proximity. If an RFID receiver enters the proximity of a scanner, it will activate.
How does this benefit COVID-19 strategy? It means RFID is completely contactless.
RFID & COVID-19
Coronavirus can survive on some surfaces for more than 3 days. Contact through surfaces is one of the primary methods of transmission, which is why personal hygiene like washing hands has become so important during the pandemic. RFID is a system that enables contactless interaction within the workplace so that both employees and visitors can interact with their environment without physical touch.
Removing physical touch through RFID reduces the chance of infection and transmission, it’s as simple as that.
How can RFID be used in your office?
RFID has many uses within a corporate setting. All it takes is for the individual to hold an RFID receiver, which can come in the form of a business pass or card, and that person becomes linked to the system.
Personnel check-ins and check-outs are one of the most common uses of RFID deployment. This concept works for everything from desks and meeting rooms to entire workplaces. A person with an RFID receiver enters the area, and the RFID scanner logs their presence. Upon leaving, it registers their absence. This service is great for allowing people to come into your workplace, use desks, enter meetings and perform other actions without having to make contact with any surface area or speak to anyone face-to-face. There’s no need for reception management, a logbook or anything that might increase the risk of viral transmission.
There are other benefits of RFID for businesses and COVID-19 security too.
RFID scanners can activate automatic doors, removing the need for a contact entry system, without having an automated entry point that anyone can access. Having RFID logs of entries into a building can also help management track personnel movement and avoid overcrowding.
And it doesn’t stop there.
Effectively, RFID is an identification system that says “I’m here, do something.”
You’re only limited by your imagination and options for integration. You could introduce RFID to automated car valet services, activate faucets when people approach, order food when they sit down for lunch based on a pre-selected menu choice and lots more.
RFID is nothing new, it’s been around for decades, but modern developments have made it a diverse technology, and a tool that can transform your COVID measures.
