Could Thermal Imaging be our “New Normal”?
As we are all having to adapt during the current public health crisis, innovative approaches will now be introduced into workplaces across the UK to create confidence and safety which is increasingly important to us all.
Thermal imaging solutions detect temperatures which have risen since the spread of Covid-19.
Thermal imaging systems are designed for the rapid, contact-free preliminary detection of elevated skin surface temperatures. Utilising thermal and conventional lenses and sensors, it provides automatic alerts when someone passing by the camera exhibits temperatures in excess of a specific range, which then allows them to be clinically measured and assessed with correct measures.
Thermal imaging is already being used across a wide range of industries including hospitals, construction sites, government buildings, nursing homes and many more.
However thermal screening cameras cannot detect coronavirus and cannot detect a fever, it can however detect surface skin temperature on a non-contact basis which reduces risk, indicates if a temperature falls outside of a specific range, screen a high volume of people in a short timescale and provide a trail of steps taken to assist with health, safety and welfare.
They are not medical devices. They simply provide preliminary screening in order to offer reassurance and confidence when entering a workspace.
Looking forward, things to consider for your workspace would be :
- Completion of consent forms for staff.
- A policy for screening visitors.
- Will visitors be asking to leave or undergo further screening?
- Will a new facility be required for further screening or if visitors / staff are unwell?
This is certainly all food for thought in these uncertain times.
