July 26, 2002—In support of the American Chemical Council’s Responsible Care Program, adopted by many chemical companies in an effort to improve chemical plant safety and security, GSE, a provider of real-time simulation and process control solutions for the energy and process industries, has entered into agreements with ManTech Security Technologies Corporation (MSTC), Protection Strategies Inc. (PSI), and MECx to provide a full range of vulnerability and threat assessment services. GSE will also provide physical security systems for access control, intrusion detection and cyber security.
The Responsible Care(R) Program will require all members to assess the vulnerabilities of their plant security, including both physical security and cyber security for information systems and process control equipment. The GSE’s team consists of leading companies with capabilities in conducting threat assessments, vulnerability assessments, and in developing cost-effective risk mitigation strategies. MSTC, a subsidiary of Fairfax, Virginia-based, ManTech International Corporation has provided similar security services for numerous government agencies including the Departments of State and Energy.
PSI specializes in on-site security surveys, vulnerability and risk assessments, critical infrastructure protection, and physical security, to include protective force services. MECx, a veterans’ owned, small business, provides expertise in assessing environmental, health and safety issues to provide solutions that encompass the entire operating environment in a plant.
GSE’s plant simulation technology will be used to help customers determine plant vulnerabilities, assess consequences, evaluate time lines, and evaluate procedural changes that can help mitigate plant risks. In addition, GSE’s Alarm, Access, Reporting and Detection System (GAARDS), which is the nuclear industry’s most powerful and versatile access control and intrusion detection system, is ideally suited for large industrial applications such as chemical plants. GAARDS includes personnel tracking and automatic emergency response reporting to aid recovery forces in the event of an emergency.
Cyber security concerns for process control equipment are being uniquely addressed by GSE through the use of its security system (GAARDS). GSE’s security system ensures the operators taking action on the control system are verified using biometric identification. Additionally, the system can validate that the operator has the authorization and required training qualifications to operate the plant.
For more information, contact GSE.
