Skip to content
Industrial UWB RTLS for Real-Time Visibility
Menu

Chemical & Tank Farm Personnel Safety RTLS

Hazardous areas in chemical plants and tank farms are tightly regulated, but day-to-day supervision is still difficult. Operators, contractors and maintenance teams move between process units, pipe racks and tank bunds; visibility is often blocked by equipment, and traditional badge readers only record gate events.

The Hazardous Area Personnel Real-Time Location System (RTLS) uses ex-proof UWB anchors and hybrid positioning tags to track personnel in real time across tanks, loading bays, pipe corridors and control buildings. Anchors such as SN2, SW and STD are certified for industrial environments and provide sub‑meter UWB coverage; wireless beacons (WX/XB) extend coverage into remote bunds and outdoor tank fields without additional cabling.

Solution Details

Category
People RTLS & Safety
Industries
Industrial Maintenance & Utilities Oil & Gas
Environments
Factory Outdoor
Implementation
complex

Overview

Hazardous areas in chemical plants and tank farms are tightly regulated, but day-to-day supervision is still difficult. Operators, contractors and maintenance teams move between process units, pipe racks and tank bunds; visibility is often blocked by equipment, and traditional badge readers only record gate events.

The Hazardous Area Personnel Real-Time Location System (RTLS) uses ex-proof UWB anchors and hybrid positioning tags to track personnel in real time across tanks, loading bays, pipe corridors and control buildings. Anchors such as SN2, SW and STD are certified for industrial environments and provide sub‑meter UWB coverage; wireless beacons (WX/XB) extend coverage into remote bunds and outdoor tank fields without additional cabling.

Workers wear UWB wristbands, badges or hybrid safety helmets. The positioning platform displays everyone on a 2D/3D plant map, enforces electronic geofences for Ex zones, and records full history for audits. In an emergency, the system shows who is still inside each zone and where they were last seen, supporting fast evacuation and rescue.

Pain Points

Limited visibility inside Ex-rated process units and tank farms

Operators, maintenance crews and contractors move between vessels, pipe racks and tank dikes. Control room staff often only know who entered the plant, not where they are currently working or how long they have stayed in a hazardous zone.

Slow headcount and mustering during leaks or explosions

In case of gas release, fire or explosion risk, supervisors must quickly confirm who is still inside the affected area. Manual roll calls and paper lists are too slow and can miss contractors or visitors who did not report back at the assembly point.

Difficult to control access to high-risk zones

Process units, tank roofs, loading arms and confined spaces all have different permit rules. Without real-time location data and electronic fencing, it is hard to detect unauthorized entry or prove that procedures were followed.

Compliance and audit records are fragmented

Attendance logs, paper permits and DCS alarms are stored in different systems. It is time‑consuming to reconstruct who was inside which Ex zone, and for how long, when preparing compliance reports or investigating incidents.

System Architectures & Topology

Wired UWB RTLS for Hazardous Process Units and Tank Farms

Architecture ID: haz_uwb_poe

Factory Hazardous / Tank Farm
  • SN2 and SW UWB anchors are installed in process buildings, rack areas and control corridors, powered by industrial PoE switches.
  • STD dual-channel anchors are used along tank rows and outdoor pipe corridors to cover long distances with fewer devices, while still providing sub‑meter accuracy.
  • Anchor data is aggregated via PoE and fibre back to the RTLS server in the control room, with no dependency on public mobile networks.
  • Workers wear SH/GP/AQM/UBK tags; the platform calculates positions, enforces electronic geofences and provides SOS, no‑movement and over‑stay alarms for Ex zones.
  • Suitable for new builds or major revamps where cable routes and PoE infrastructure can be coordinated with project construction.

Key Advantages

  • Most stable and precise solution for large process units and permanent tank farms
  • Uses wired backhaul only; suitable for plants with strict “no public network” policies
  • High refresh rate supports man‑down detection and emergency mustering
  • Long anchor lifetime with minimal maintenance once installed

Limitations / When Not To Use

  • Requires cabling and PoE switches; retrofits in congested pipe racks may require shutdown windows
  • Less flexible for very short‑term projects or temporary storage areas

Notes: Typically chosen as the primary architecture for core production and tank farm areas where continuous RTLS coverage is required.

Architecture Components / Layers

Sensing layer – Personnel tags & hybrid helmets

SH wristbands, GP badges and AQM/UBK hybrid helmets provide UWB positioning, SOS, motion detection and optional GNSS for outdoor areas. Devices are designed for industrial environments with IP66–IP67 protection and explosion-proof options.

Related products:
Anchor layer – SN2/SW/STD ex-proof anchors

SN2 anchors cover buildings and galleries; robust SW anchors and STD dual-channel anchors handle outdoor units and tank farms, with IP66–IP67 protection, Ex ib IIC T4 Gb explosion-proof options and typical communication distances above 100 m.

Related products:
Network layer – PoE switches and aggregation

Industrial PoE switches power the anchors and backhaul data via copper or fibre to the aggregation switch and RTLS server. This network is physically separated from office IT and public mobile networks.

Server & platform layer – RTLS engine and HSE applications

The GridRTLS platform renders 2D/3D maps of process units and tank farms, manages zones and geofences, supports evacuation mustering, and provides history playback and statistics for safety audits.

Wireless UWB RTLS with 4G/LPWAN Backhaul for Hazardous Areas

Architecture ID: haz_uwb_4g

Outdoor Hazardous / Tank Farm Remote portals without easy cabling
  • Battery-powered WX and XB UWB beacons are mounted on poles, tank roofs or structures in remote areas where cabling is difficult.
  • Beacons communicate with personnel tags over UWB and send range data to the RTLS server via built-in 4G or via TXWG LPWAN gateways where direct Internet access is not permitted.:contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
  • The same positioning platform calculates personnel positions, applies electronic fences and generates alarms, reusing all rules from the wired architecture.
  • Ideal for retrofit projects, temporary tank storage, construction zones and remote pumping stations.

Key Advantages

  • No cabling required – anchors can be installed during short maintenance windows
  • Ideal for brownfield plants and temporary tank storage areas
  • Easy to extend coverage as layouts change by relocating or adding beacons
  • Reduced project impact on existing infrastructure

Limitations / When Not To Use

  • Depends on suitable 4G or gateway coverage
  • Requires a simple maintenance plan for battery replacement
  • Not the best choice where extremely high update rates are required continuously

Notes: Frequently used together with the wired architecture: wired anchors for core units, wireless beacons for remote bunds, truck loading zones and temporary storage.

Architecture Components / Layers

Sensing layer – Shared tag family

Same SH, GP, AQM and UBK tags as the wired architecture, reducing spares and charging complexity across the site.

Related products:
ireless anchor layer – WX/XB beacons

WX box-type beacons and XB low-profile beacons are battery powered, IP67–IP68 rated and Ex certified, providing multi-year life and easy installation without cables in hazardous outdoor areas.:contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}

Related products:
Gateway & backhaul layer – TXWG and industrial routers

Data from beacons is sent through TXWG communication gateways or industrial 4G routers, solving cases where devices cannot connect to the public network and where low-power long-range communication is required.

Related products:
Server & platform layer – RTLS applications

Same GridRTLS server, maps and reports as in the wired architecture, ensuring a consistent operator experience while extending coverage simply by adding more wireless beacons.

Workflow

This workflow applies to all architecture options above. Specific hardware selection varies depending on the chosen architecture.

1

Hazard Area Survey & Zoning Design

Survey process units, tank farms, loading stations and substation areas. Collect existing Ex zoning drawings and P&IDs. Define which zones require continuous RTLS coverage and which only need entry/exit logs. Plan mounting positions for ex‑proof UWB anchors and wireless beacons, taking into account cable trays, structures and hazardous area classifications.

2

UWB Anchor & Beacon Deployment

Install SN2/SW anchors in production buildings and control areas using PoE switches. In large open tank farms or remote bunds, deploy STD tunnel anchors or WX/XB wireless beacons to extend coverage without new cable routes. Verify line‑of‑sight where possible and run RF tests to confirm coverage around tanks and pipe racks.

3

Tag Assignment for Operators, Contractors and Visitors

Issue SH wristbands, GP badges or AQM/UBK hybrid helmets to plant staff and contractors. Link each tag ID to a person, company and role. Configure which users can work in which zones, and set different SOS permissions for operators, supervisors and fire teams.

4

Safety Rules, Electronic Fences & System Integration

Draw electronic geofences for storage tanks, loading racks, compressor halls, MCC rooms and other Ex zones. Configure alarms for unauthorized entry, over‑stay, no‑movement and man‑down. Integrate critical alarms with DCS/ESD, gas detection or PA systems so that voice broadcasts and beacons can be triggered automatically from RTLS events.

5

Commissioning, Drills & Handover

Run the system in shadow mode during normal operations, fine‑tune tag refresh rates and anchor transmit power, and verify positioning in both indoor units and outdoor tank farms. Conduct evacuation drills using the RTLS mustering view, train supervisors on history playback and reporting, and then move to full production use.

Key Outcomes

-40% reduction
Emergency muster time
Faster confirmation of who is still inside affected Ex zones
100% coverage
Hazardous area visibility
All tagged staff and contractors inside monitored areas
+90% events captured
Unauthorized entries detected
Compared with manual patrol and badge-only systems
-80% reduction
Manual attendance work
Automated time in zone and contractor logs

Recommended Products

Side view of UWB base station with status indicators.

SN2 UWB PoE Anchor

The SN2 is an industrial‑grade UWB positioning anchor designed for high‑accuracy real‑time location systems. It supports Standard PoE or 12–24 V DC power, delivers sub‑meter performance (<30 cm LoS), and features an IP66 enclosure for harsh indoor/outdoor environments. Multiple mounting options (ceiling, wall, pole clamp) make deployment easy in factories, warehouses, and tunnels. Optional 4G/Wi‑Fi backhaul, AI video add‑on, and sound‑light alarm extend the anchor’s capability for safety and analytics. (Actual performance depends on anchor density, layout, and site RF conditions.)

View Product
A black SW UWB Anchor device with labeled ports and a sticker showing specs, featuring indicator lights for LWB, GNSS, and 4G.

SW UWB Anchor

The SW UWB Positioning Base Station is an industrial-grade device designed for sub-meter accuracy tracking of personnel, vehicles, and assets in factories, tunnels, and other complex environments.

View Product
A black STD Dual channel base station with two ports on the front, each labeled with blue circles containing numbers 1 and 2.

STD UWB Dual Channel Base Station

The STD UWB Dual-Channel Base Station is an industrial-grade positioning device designed for tunnel, mining, and underground environments.

View Product
Gray rectangular electronic device with a black panel, LED indicators, and two side mounting flanges; a yellow cable extends from the top—designed as a WX UWB Beacon for advanced positioning applications.

WX UWB Wireless Positioning Beacon

The WX UWB Wireless Positioning Beacon is a battery-powered industrial-grade UWB device designed for wireless deployment without cable installation.

View Product
A dark gray, dome-shaped electronic device with a circular label featuring Chinese text and a Wi-Fi signal icon on the top surface.

XB UWB Wireless Positioning Beacon

The XB UWB Wireless Positioning Beacon is a compact, fully wireless, and battery-powered UWB device designed for high-precision positioning without cable deployment.

View Product
A black smartwatch with a rectangular face, black band, and a prominent red SOS button on the front.

SH UWB Positioning Wristband Tag

The SH UWB Positioning Wristband Tag is a high-precision wearable device designed for real-time personnel tracking and safety monitoring in industrial environments such as factories, construction sites, and tunnels.

View Product
A rectangular white device with a screen displaying Chinese text, a time reading 08:26, an ID number, and a yellow SOS button below the display.

GP UWB Positioning Employee Card

The GP UWB Positioning Employee Card is a compact, intelligent badge-style positioning device designed for industrial personnel management and safety monitoring. Built on UWB (Ultra-Wideband) technology, it achieves 10–30 cm accuracy, supports real-time location tracking, and enables instant SOS alerts via a one-touch button. The device includes vibration reminders, motion/static detection, and optional NFC/RFID, E-ink display, and LoRa communication modules. With an IP66-rated enclosure and 900 mAh rechargeable battery, it operates continuously in demanding environments such as factories, construction sites, logistics parks, and tunnels.

View Product
A yellow construction hard hat with a small transparent window on the front and an adjustable strap at the back.

AQM Hybrid Positioning Safety Helmet

The AQM Hybrid Positioning Safety Helmet is an industrial-grade smart helmet integrating UWB high-precision positioning, RTK centimeter-level positioning, GPS outdoor positioning, and 4G full-network communication. Designed for worker safety and real-time visibility, it features SOS emergency alerts, TTS voice, motion/static detection, low-battery warnings, and optional NFC / LoRa / 5G communication. With an IP56 rugged rating and a built-in 3000mAh rechargeable battery, the AQM helmet is ideal for construction sites, tunnels, factories, mining, ports, and hazardous environments requiring precise personnel tracking and safety protection.

View Product
A white emergency alert device with a large red SOS button, a power button, indicator lights, and a speaker grille at the top.

UBK UWB + GPS Hybrid Positioning Badge

The UBK UWB + GPS Hybrid Positioning Badge is a rugged industrial-grade personnel tracking card designed for high-precision positioning in factories, warehouses, tunnels, and other demanding environments. It integrates UWB centimeter-level positioning with GPS outdoor positioning, features SOS emergency button, motion detection, TTS voice broadcast, 4G cellular communication, and optional NFC functionality. Equipped with a 3000mAh rechargeable battery and an IP66 protection rating, the UBK badge ensures reliable real-time personnel visibility and safety monitoring both indoors and outdoors.

View Product
English-labeled diagram showing TXWG communication gateway ports including SMA, 4G, GPS, RJ45, LORA antenna ports, and power input.

TXWG Industrial Communication Gateway

A high-performance LPWAN-based industrial communication gateway designed for long-distance, low-power IoT communication. It supports LORA self-organizing networking, 4G cloud transmission, GPS time sync, multi-channel data forwarding, and explosion-proof applications.

View Product

Bill of Materials

Example BOM (based on the recommended architecture above)

ModelSummary
SN2 UWB PoE AnchorThe SN2 is an industrial‑grade UWB positioning anchor designed for high‑accuracy real‑time location systems. It supports Standard PoE or 12–24 V DC power, delivers sub‑meter performance (<30 cm LoS), and features an IP66 enclosure for harsh indoor/outdoor environments. Multiple mounting options (ceiling, wall, pole clamp) make deployment easy in factories, warehouses, and tunnels. Optional 4G/Wi‑Fi backhaul, AI video add‑on, and sound‑light alarm extend the anchor’s capability for safety and analytics. (Actual performance depends on anchor density, layout, and site RF conditions.)
SW UWB AnchorThe SW UWB Positioning Base Station is an industrial-grade device designed for sub-meter accuracy tracking of personnel, vehicles, and assets in factories, tunnels, and other complex environments.
STD UWB Dual Channel Base StationThe STD UWB Dual-Channel Base Station is an industrial-grade positioning device designed for tunnel, mining, and underground environments.
WX UWB Wireless Positioning BeaconThe WX UWB Wireless Positioning Beacon is a battery-powered industrial-grade UWB device designed for wireless deployment without cable installation.
XB UWB Wireless Positioning BeaconThe XB UWB Wireless Positioning Beacon is a compact, fully wireless, and battery-powered UWB device designed for high-precision positioning without cable deployment.
SH UWB Positioning Wristband TagThe SH UWB Positioning Wristband Tag is a high-precision wearable device designed for real-time personnel tracking and safety monitoring in industrial environments such as factories, construction sites, and tunnels.
GP UWB Positioning Employee CardThe GP UWB Positioning Employee Card is a compact, intelligent badge-style positioning device designed for industrial personnel management and safety monitoring. Built on UWB (Ultra-Wideband) technology, it achieves 10–30 cm accuracy, supports real-time location tracking, and enables instant SOS alerts via a one-touch button. The device includes vibration reminders, motion/static detection, and optional NFC/RFID, E-ink display, and LoRa communication modules. With an IP66-rated enclosure and 900 mAh rechargeable battery, it operates continuously in demanding environments such as factories, construction sites, logistics parks, and tunnels.
AQM Hybrid Positioning Safety HelmetThe AQM Hybrid Positioning Safety Helmet is an industrial-grade smart helmet integrating UWB high-precision positioning, RTK centimeter-level positioning, GPS outdoor positioning, and 4G full-network communication. Designed for worker safety and real-time visibility, it features SOS emergency alerts, TTS voice, motion/static detection, low-battery warnings, and optional NFC / LoRa / 5G communication. With an IP56 rugged rating and a built-in 3000mAh rechargeable battery, the AQM helmet is ideal for construction sites, tunnels, factories, mining, ports, and hazardous environments requiring precise personnel tracking and safety protection.
UBK UWB + GPS Hybrid Positioning BadgeThe UBK UWB + GPS Hybrid Positioning Badge is a rugged industrial-grade personnel tracking card designed for high-precision positioning in factories, warehouses, tunnels, and other demanding environments. It integrates UWB centimeter-level positioning with GPS outdoor positioning, features SOS emergency button, motion detection, TTS voice broadcast, 4G cellular communication, and optional NFC functionality. Equipped with a 3000mAh rechargeable battery and an IP66 protection rating, the UBK badge ensures reliable real-time personnel visibility and safety monitoring both indoors and outdoors.
TXWG Industrial Communication GatewayA high-performance LPWAN-based industrial communication gateway designed for long-distance, low-power IoT communication. It supports LORA self-organizing networking, 4G cloud transmission, GPS time sync, multi-channel data forwarding, and explosion-proof applications.

Example Configuration

SN2 UWB PoE Anchor (Production buildings, rack areas and control room corridors)
Qty: 40
STD UWB Dual Channel Base Station (Long-range coverage along tank rows and pipe corridors, up to 600 m diameter per anchor)
Qty: 12
WX UWB Wireless Positioning Beacon (Wireless coverage in bunds and remote outdoor zones where cabling is difficult)
Qty: 20
SH UWB Positioning Wristband Tag (Operators, maintenance teams and loading staff)
Qty: 300
GP UWB Positioning Employee Card (Contractors, visitors and inspectors)
Qty: 120

Compliance & Regulations

Support for hazardous area zoning and permit-to-work

Audit trail for safety and environmental incidents

Data segregation and network isolation

🌍 Industries using this solution

Related Technical Resources

FAQs

Ready to Deploy?

Planning a hazardous area RTLS project? Share your P&IDs and zoning drawings with us and our engineers will propose anchor layouts, coverage options and a compliant bill of materials for your chemical plant or tank farm.

Contact Sales
Procurement (Device & Data Layer)

Shortlisting devices? Get an RFQ-ready BOM path.

Move from product selection to an actionable RFQ: scope boundaries, terms, lead time, and deliverables.

Request an RFQ Procurement Terms OEM/ODM & Customization
Contact Sales

Ready to Deploy RTLS?

Share your site layout and accuracy needs--we'll suggest a practical setup.

Contact Us