Access control & security
Traceable access systems for high-risk environments, integrated with PLCs and video surveillance.
Case study · Research
Access control for a particle accelerator bunker
Access controlSafety interlocksVideo surveillanceSafety automationAccess traceability
The challenge
A university research center in Rome (engineering area) operates a particle accelerator located in a shielded bunker, where access safety is not an administrative matter but a condition for protecting people. A near-zero-tolerance system was needed: access must not be possible in unsafe conditions under any foreseeable circumstance, with safety logic overriding any command. Permission could not depend solely on a person's identity, but on the operational status of the area at that moment, ensuring full traceability of every access, attempt and event, and reliability over time, with sustainable maintenance.
The solution
Personnel identification
Access is subject to identification of authorized personnel through a dedicated recognition system, with management of authorizations and access profiles.
Interlock with operational status
The heart of the system is the logic that links access permission to plant status, entrusted to a safety automation platform chosen for reliability and its ability to handle interlocks deterministically. It is the layer that ensures safety always prevails: no access possible when operating conditions do not allow it.
Integrated video surveillance
The camera system is integrated into access control and provides visual verification of entries and documentation of events.
Software, configuration and traceability
Above these layers, an application software manages configuration, monitoring and traceability: recording of every access event, consultation of history and management of authorizations. The architecture is robust, maintainable and independent of cloud components or external connectivity, consistent with the needs of critical infrastructure.
Procurement process (public-sector supply)
The supply was managed through public-administration procurement channels, with the preparation of the necessary technical documentation and compliance with the procedures required for supplies to public bodies. Eurosystem managed the entire process, from design to technical documentation through to construction.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of environments can a Eurosystem access control system protect?
High-risk environments where access must be conditioned not only by a person's identity but by the operational status of the plant: areas with radiation, environments with hazardous energy, controlled-contamination zones, critical infrastructure. The distinctive feature is the integration of access control and safety automation.
What sets this approach apart from traditional access control?
Traditional access control verifies who you are and opens the door. This system verifies who you are and whether the plant conditions allow access at that moment, with safety logic overriding any command. It is an integrated safety system, not a simple badge reader.
Does the system depend on external connectivity or cloud services?
No. For critical infrastructure we design systems that operate autonomously, without dependencies on cloud or external connectivity, for reliability and safety reasons. Traceability and management remain local and under the body's control.
Does Eurosystem also handle procurement procedures for public bodies?
Yes. We manage the entire process, from design to technical documentation through to construction, in compliance with the procurement procedures required for supplies to public bodies.
Do you have a similar challenge?
Let's talk about it. We respond with a concrete proposal, from a team that knows regulated environments from the inside.