Metallurgical and steel-making production processes require that iron reach high temperature levels. Such temperature levels are usually achieved by coal or coke firing. One of the hazards occurring in this process is carbon monoxide capable of causing death within several minutes. A huge risk lies in the fact that this gas is odourless. Experience shows that despite the modern monitoring systems there is still some probability that local leakages of this gas will not be detected in a timely manner. If this is the case, the affected person lapses into unconsciousness.

• Do not approach this person without a mask;
• Call the ambulance immediately;
• Warn the people in the vicinity;

This solution has been developed in order to enable the people who discover a local accident to report this to the fire dispatching centre or to some other location via such a centre, and to activate fire alarms. At the same time the system enables efficient evacuation control.

On the basis of our long-term cooperation with our customers we have designed and optimized a system capable of signalling a local gas leakage resulting in an employee’s unconsciousness, a so-called "MAN DOWN alarm". In case that you find an unconscious person this system will enable you to activate the alarm by simply pressing one of the hundreds of buttons connected to the system and to efficiently support the activities following the notification. It has been designed on the basis of the AMADEO system and VEKTRA software as well as on the basis of a system of intelligent, mechanical damage-resistant buttons. It contains an interface for acoustic broadcasting from the radio stations of the fire fighting and medical department, which enables effective evacuation management. The system consists of:

• A workplace located in the operation centre of the corporate fire fighting and medical department;
• Radio-controlled AMADEO radio units equipped with modules for button signal monitoring and processing and with the interfaces enabling broadcasting directly from radio stations;
• A set of intelligent, continuously tested and identifiable buttons;
• Loudspeakers for 100 V circuits;
• High-power pressure distribution systems;
• Beacons;

In addition to acoustic alarms, visual alarms are provided thus increasing the efficiency of warning message broadcasting. It covers the threatened internal operations and is connected with the public address system or can even be integrated with it.

Dispatching centre
The main tasks of the dispatching centre:

• To continuously monitor the conditions/functionality of the entire system;
• To monitor carbon monoxide levels (separate monitoring system);
• To activate relevant warning messages and visual alarms in the case of higher carbon monoxide levels. In the case of the local activation the centre can activate other radio units based on the critical nature of the threat;
• To activate the notification process, i.e. calling in the people in charge of the workplace in the case of an emergency situation and informing the relevant institutions when such an event occurs;
• To be connected to the external public warning system to be activated in the case of an extensive gas leakage;
• To record dispatching centre communication for future analysis.

It consists of:

• A computer equipped with VEKTRA software;
• Large display table;
• Additional notification and recording modules;
• AMADEO radio unit or a central communication unit; 

Local AMADEO radio units
Individual operations are equipped with AMADEO radio units connected to a superior dispatching workplace. They can also work in the autonomous mode if communication with the superior dispatching workplace is interrupted. There are several dozens of mechanical damage-resistant and continuously-tested alarm buttons connected to each radio unit via add-on modules. Once such button is pressed local acoustic and visual alarms are activated and a message is sent to the dispatching centre, which sends out an emergency unit. At the same time this centre can automatically activate other radio units based on the level of the threat or it can automatically warn the people living in the vicinity of the enterprise in question. High-power horn loudspeakers mounted inside sound baffles made of a resistant aluminium alloy are used to broadcast acoustic signals. Considering their high resistance they are mainly applied in noisy operations but lower-output versions can also be used in the rest of the facility.
At the same time the central office also has a radio interface for connecting to the radio network of the fire department. Thanks to this interface it is possible to broadcast from walkie-talkies directly to the radio units and to such office-connected loudspeakers and to control the evacuation process on a pro-active basis.

Communication network
This type of the solution mainly uses radio communication infrastructure. TCP/IP network communication or any other line-based communication is rarely used due to the high establishment cost of the high-quality underground lines between individual operations and due to the simple susceptibility of aerial lines to failures. Just like the radio units, network communication is backed up for 72 hours of operation during a power outage.

System control
The system can be controlled:

• From alarm buttons;
• From the dispatching centre;
• From local control units connected to the radio units; depending on their configuration they can even control other radio units;
• From the fire and medical department’s radio stations; 

• If the warning process is to be initiated, easily and promptly, by any person in the facility via an emergency alarm button;
• For the purposes of direct real-time broadcasting from mobile devices, i.e. radio stations, mobile phones (Evacuation control…) to the system;
• For extremely noisy operations, in which traditional loudspeakers are not sufficient;
• For so called "heavy-duty" environments in which it is necessary to protect loudspeakers using resistant covers;
• If a high level of automation is required in terms of warning signal activation;
• If a high automation level of the processes carried out at the dispatching workplace is required following alarm initiation.