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At BASF's production site in Pontecchio Marconi (Italy), keeping staff safe and responding quickly to incidents are key priorities. As part of a safety project, BASF implemented Ascom Enterprise solutions to identify potential critical situations and improve communication across the plant, strengthening risk prevention and staff safety.
...and part of its Performance Chemicals Division, producing plastic additives that are exported to more than 50 countries worldwide. The site, which employs approximately 330 people, integrates innovative industrial operations with a strong focus on safety.
Integrating multiple communication technologies and extending coverage were key requirements for BASF. “The need to change the communication system arose from the requirement to integrate both paging and VHF radio communication into a single system,” says the Automation Discipline Manager at BASF. “The search for an alternative solution was also driven by the need for broader communication coverage across the site.”
To meet these needs, BASF uses Ascom DECT handsets in all departments of the chemical plant—both production and non-production. This enables employees to communicate internally and externally, particularly first-aid call activations and drills. The solution also enables the rapid identification and localization of lone workers within the site.
In addition, the Ascom workflow communication software supports the delivery of alarms and alerts from equipment and machinery directly to operators, increasing productivity and enabling human-machine interaction. “The use of advanced functions, such as alarm notifications and the ability to start manual field activities well in advance, has improved the productivity of certain production lines and eliminated downtime,” BASF explains.
In a large industrial environment such as Pontecchio Marconi, reliable communication is essential. “Ascom’s solutions enable rapid communication between teams that often operate in the field and need to coordinate to complete their tasks through conference functionality,” continues BASF. “The DECT handsets ensure the immediate reachability of staff working outside the control room. The ‘man-down’ function alerts emergency teams when a worker requires help.”
Providing this level of communication across the entire site also posed technical challenges during implementation. “The initial challenges included defining an installation layout that ensured full communication coverage throughout the plant, even in difficult areas like indoor facilities with reinforced concrete and dense metal frameworks.”
Today, DECT handsets are used throughout the plant by all employees—operators, office staff, and management—for standard communication, group communication such as conference calls, and as an alert notification system linked to the plant's automated control systems. This has resulted in clear benefits. “The main advantages are faster response to information requests, improved coordination between teams, and quicker intervention on equipment following alarm alerts received via SMS on the handset.”
From a safety perspective, the solution has strengthened both preparedness and coordination. “The widespread use of DECT handsets equipped with ‘man-down’ functionality has improved staff safety conditions.”
*Illustrative workflow example only. Actual workflows and system configurations at BASF may differ.
BASF also highlights the impact on emergency readiness. “The use of conference communication (‘push to talk’) at emergency assembly points has enabled enhanced coordination between emergency teams and personnel during drills, accelerating evacuation times in simulations.”