A helpline set up specifically for the Federal Council's Corona measures was discontinued as of September 1. SECO employees were available via the helpline, by telephone and by e-mail, to explain the Federal Council's measures to the population. In an initial phase, the telephone hotline was operated in three shifts between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.; most recently, two shifts existed daily between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

In the meantime, the number of daily calls and mails has decreased very significantly, according to a statement. Since then, SECO has been able to answer these questions again within the usual structures and processes. Therefore, in the meantime, both the telephone and mail hotlines were discontinued at 5 p.m. on Aug. 31, 2021. However, SECO is in a position to reactivate the Corona hotline within a short period of time.

SECO employees have answered around 28,500 e-mails and well over 45,000 telephone calls since March 2020. In many cases, people were also referred to another competent authority.

The telephone number 058 462 00 66 and the mail address coronavirus@seco.admin.ch will be switched off. Information on SECO topics related to the Corona pandemic is still available on the following websites:

www.seco.admin.ch
www.covid19.easygov.swiss
www.arbeit.swiss
www.helpcenter.easygov.swiss

Source: SECO

Professional networks are based on the principle of structured network cabling. The aim of structured cabling is to create a future-proof basis for networks that allows easy installation of network components and can be flexibly expanded. Compared to unstructured cabling, it offers the advantage that it is not tied to specific application scenarios and prevents high costs for technology changes or expansions.

Special case video surveillance

That sounds good. But what exactly needs to be done to achieve this goal for the network planning of a video surveillance system? What problems arise in practice and how can they be solved?

First, the concept of structured network cabling must be explained in more detail. As the name suggests, planning must follow a clear structure. For structured cabling, the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (Cenelec) has developed the European standard EN 50173. Internationally, the similar ISO/IEC 11801:2002 standard is significant. The cabling must be planned accordingly for the respective building object.

In addition, the maximum permissible cable lengths and quality requirements of the network cabling must be observed for the existing cable routes. For fiber optic cabling, this can be several hundred meters to many kilometers. For copper cabling, the end is after about 90 meters. At this point, at the latest, a switch must be reached from which it continues to the camera. Structured cabling can easily serve several hundred cameras, but can also be used for small networks.

Planning from the outside in

If structured building cabling has been planned in the project, the appropriate network components must be defined for each subsection - primary, secondary and tertiary levels. The network is always aligned with the components to be connected in the tertiary area. In this case, it is the network cameras. So you plan from the outside in to make sure that the requirements can be met. Conversely, it quickly happens that the central components are undersized, which in turn has a negative impact on the selection and performance of the cameras to be connected.

Power-over-Ethernet (PoE)

State-of-the-art and absolutely future-proof are video cameras with a Power-over-Ethernet connection. This means that the camera is connected via only one network cable. Power and image data flow through this cable. The planning of the video camera results in fixed values for the required power consumption and the bandwidth needed for data transmission. In order to plan future-proof, a consumption of 60 watts (equivalent to a 4K PTZ camera) and a bandwidth of about 100 Mbit/s must be expected here. Also to be considered are the spotlights. Today, these can also be supplied via PoE. The performance requirements of the cameras and the spotlights result in the requirements for the network cable to be laid and the switches needed. CAT-7 cables are currently the state of the art. In addition to the electrical properties for data transmission, the core cross-section is an important point for network cables. Here, the currently largest available wire cross-section, AWG22 (AWG: American Wire Gauge), should be selected in order to keep the losses for PoE as low as possible. In the meantime, data connectors adapted for PoE are also available, which are intended to prevent arcing and tear-off sparks when the network cable is removed. However, these should only be disconnected after the PoE supply has been switched off.

Caution is required when selecting the switches. Here, care must be taken to ensure that each port can simultaneously provide the required PoE power. The power budget of the power supply units installed in the PoE switch must be sufficient to supply all required PoE ports simultaneously as well as the switch itself. The electrical power requirement must be provided by a power supply including UPS (uninterruptible power supply) and power backup system, depending on the protection requirements of the video surveillance system.

Determine responsible person

During the construction phase, it is very important to clearly define the individual interfaces. Each trade and each executing company must have defined by the planner and client which requirements the latter places on the other trade, up to which point its responsibility extends and from which component this responsibility ends. If this is not clarified, gaps in the work and assembly planning, execution, as well as potential supplements and time delays are to be expected. Without these concrete specifications, the trades can assign blame to each other in the event of functional problems after completion.

The network company's interface or area of responsibility should therefore end at the patch panel or junction box or at the jack of the network cable. The installer's interface for the camera starts from the camera housing or camera mount and ends at the network cable's jack. Before connecting the camera to the network cable, make sure that the lines have been measured through. The network installer must measure through the cables, and the person responsible for the network (IT department, building owner, network planner, video installer, etc.) must assign the IP addresses.

Acceptance test

These services must be checked during acceptance and documented in a protocol. Only when there are no more defects may the camera installer connect the video camera to the network cable and fasten it there.
During factory and assembly planning, it is important that the client or planner ensures that the various trades are aware of the plan statuses and have a certain say in the process. We especially recommend this when dealing with listed building elements or façade elements with warranties. Before the hole for the network cable is drilled, all parties involved must be in agreement.

For night work on certain construction sites on national roads, the Federal Council has abolished the permit requirement. With the new article (48a ArGV 2), construction and maintenance companies are exempted from the permit requirement for the employment of their employees at night. This applies to operating, maintenance, extension and renewal work on national roads in direct connection with work on tunnels, galleries and bridges, insofar as this night work is necessary for safety reasons.

Sunday work for this work and night and Sunday work for all other road work, however, remain subject to authorization. Seco is responsible for issuing permits for permanent and regularly recurring night and Sunday work, while the cantons are responsible for temporary night and Sunday work.

Companies that are exempt from the permit requirement must now publish the deployment of employees on such construction sites in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce at least 14 days before the start of work.

The amendment to Ordinance 2 to the Labor Act (ArGV 2) will enter into force on November 1, 2021.

Source: The Federal Council

Shortly before 2:30 a.m. on Friday, September 3, 2021, an ATM was blown up at the main entrance of Zurich Zoo. According to the Zurich Cantonal Police, however, the perpetrators fled without loot in a dark passenger car. Property damage of several tens of thousands of francs was caused. According to the Kapo, the parts of the ATM were hurled several meters away.

The search for the perpetrators, which was immediately initiated, has so far been unsuccessful. At the moment, further investigations are being taken up by detectives of the Zurich City Police. In addition to the Kapo Zurich, the Zurich City Police and the Kapo Aargau, the fire department of Schutz & Rettung Zurich and the Forensic Institute Zurich were also in action.

The Zurich cantonal police are asking people who made observations at 2:30 a.m. near Zurichbergstrasse at the main entrance to the zoo to contact the Zurich city police (on 0 444 117 117).

Source: Zurich Cantonal Police

According to a study by the European Stroke Organisation (ESO) stress factors due to work stress, sleep disturbances and fatigue at work could lead to higher risks of stroke. The researchers compared data from 22,000 men and women from the 2007, 2012, and 2017 Swiss Health Survey and found an "alarming" increase in the number of women reporting nontraditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

This trend was accompanied by an increase in the number of women working full-time from 38 percent in 2007 to 44 percent in 2017. Study authors Martin Hänsel, M.D., a neurologist at University Hospital Zurich, and Susanne Wegener, M.D., professor of neurology at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, commented, "Our study found that men were more likely to smoke and be obese than women. However, women reported a greater increase in nontraditional risk factors for heart attacks and strokes, such as work stress, sleep disturbances, and feeling tired and fatigued."

More sleep disorders in women

Overall, for both genders, those reporting stress at work increased from 59 percent in 2012 to 66 percent in 2017, and those feeling tired and exhausted increased from 23 percent to 29 percent (to 33 percent for women and 26 percent for men). Those reporting sleep disturbances increased from 24 percent to 29 percent, with severe sleep disturbances also increasing more among women (8 percent) than men (5 percent).

However, the study also found that traditional risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease have remained stable over the same period: 27 percent suffered from high blood pressure, 18 percent from elevated cholesterol levels and 5 percent from diabetes. Obesity increased to 11 percent, and smoking decreased from about 10.5 to 9.5 cigarettes per day, both of which were more common in men.

Source: European Stroke Organisation Conference (ESOC) 2021

At a meeting, the Federal Council decided to strengthen cyber defense in the armed forces. In view of the current threat situation, the Cyber Command is to be further developed as early as the beginning of 2024. The development places high demands on a uniform IT architecture and forces standardized IT applications, according to a statement from the Federal Council.

The special unit would provide key military capabilities in situational awareness, cyber defense, ICT performance, command and control support, cryptology and electronic warfare. Staffing levels are to be expanded accordingly in the coming years. Among other things, a cyber battalion and a cyber specialist staff are planned for Jan. 1, 2022. Training within the armed forces will be supplemented by external partners.

Creation of a military aviation authority

In addition, the Federal Council requested that the legal basis for a military aviation authority be created by amending the law. This is intended to improve the operational safety of the air force in the performance of its tasks in the airspace used jointly by civil and military forces. Above all, supervision and regulation in military aviation are to be better ensured as a result.

Support for civil occasions is strengthened

In the course of the revision of the military law, the Federal Council also wants to strengthen the support of civilian events by the army. This would increase flexibility and availability by allowing recruits in basic training to be deployed as well, and not just those serving in the armed forces or those on a refresher course.

Source: the Federal Council

In October, A+A 2021 in Düsseldorf will once again bring together national and international decision-makers at the world's leading trade fair for occupational safety and health. The registration status of the A+A so far indicates that it will be held again in Düsseldorf, write the organizers of the leading Düsseldorf trade fair, which takes place every two years.

The A+A is considered to be leading fair in the field of personal protective equipment, occupational safety and occupational health. Also mentioned are new, exciting areas such as innovative exoskeletons that support employees at work. As things stand, large portions of the exhibition space have already been booked, according to a statement. "For us, this is a clear signal that reaffirms the importance of A+A as the leading platform for exchange for the entire industry," explains Birgit Horn from the trade fair management.

Trend topics of the industry

Exhibitor space is currently expected to be around 50,000 square meters. According to Messe Düsseldorf, the focus will be on digital tools, sustainability, future solutions and the topic of "New Work", but also hygiene. In the case of digital tools, the talk is of smart applications in automation, procurement and production. The keyword sustainability is also about packaging and recyclability of products, respectively certifications and supply chain due diligence. According to Messe Düsseldorf, this is based on a comprehensive protection concept. This is also to be ensured by a registration obligation and a daily ticket booking with "3G" proof (tested, vaccinated and recovered).

The 2021 A+A World's Leading Trade Fair for Safety and Health at Work will be held in Düsseldorf, Germany, from October 26-29, 2021. The Presence tickets is available for 155 euros. According to the organizers, the digital ticket for 89 euros is valid for all online congress offerings, also from Tuesday to Friday, as well as for the A+A trade show online.

Source: Messe Düsseldorf

Applied research in quantum technology has already produced several applications such as cryptographic protocols with simultaneous use of quantum keys to enhance security and data exchange, improving the accuracy of numerous measurement techniques. With the creation of its own Center for Quantum Science and Technology (QSE), EPFL now aims to play a key role in global efforts to develop and apply quantum methods in all areas of science and engineering.

Two research foci

The research activities of the QSE center will focus on two areas, according to a news release from the research institute. The first will be dedicated to quantum computing. The goal here is to develop quantum algorithms. This involves software that is executed on quantum computers. Mastering such a programming language requires not only advanced knowledge of computer science, but also in physics and mathematics.

"The development, deployment and integration of these solutions will contribute to a quantum advantage in all applications that require high-performance computing, which can range from the simulation of biological molecules for disease prediction and new drug development to calculations for weather and climate change prediction on long time scales," says Vincenzo Savona, director of the Laboratory of Theoretical Nanosystems Physics. The quantum advantage is also expected to benefit EPFL's many research activities in physics, chemistry, materials science, engineering, life sciences, computer science and data science.

The second area will focus on the study of integrated, hybrid and scalable systems. The state-of-the-art nanofabrication facilities available on campus will be used to enable technological advances in quantum hardware, sensing and communications.

In education, the QSE center at EPFL will develop a master's degree program in quantum science and technology. The multidisciplinary educational offering will include courses in theoretical physics, computer science and engineering.

Source: EPFL (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne)

Slowly, it scans the area where walls are to go up and prints out the blueprint so masons know where to stack their bricks and don't forget to leave doors clear in the designated spots: The U.S. company Rugged Robotics, founded by NASA researchers, has partnered with U.S. construction company Consigli.

"We had a construction job that was pretty complicated," says Jack Moran of Consigli. "It was a high-rise building with a lot of strange shapes, a real challenge for us." Nevertheless, the ten-story building with a floor area of 3700 square meters went up easily with the help of Rugged's drawing robot.

"Layout is the most important task in the building process," explains Rugged founder and CEO Derrick Morse. "The key is to mark the places where the standard is left, such as windows and doors. A mistake made during layout affects the entire building process and leads to rework, delays and additional costs."

High demand for printing service

In practice, the Rugged team travels to the construction site with one of the three robots commissioned so far and feeds it the architect's plans. Then it oversees the execution. "We have high demand for our service. Several customers with multibillion-dollar contracts are planning pilot and demonstration projects with us," Morse says.

Over the next twelve months, the company is expected to grow and new robots will be built. "We will probably need additional capital. We're going to grow the organization and the fleet over the next twelve months and probably bring in additional capital to enable that growth," Morse said. In 2019, the company had already raised $2.5 million to bring the robot to production readiness.

(pressetext.com)

As the most important platform for safety and fire protection in the B2B environment, the Safety Congress will bring together the most important decision-makers, commissioners and experts for safety at national level from January 18 to January 21, coinciding with the Swissbau 2022 trade fair. The total of seven half-day modules can be booked individually or in any number according to personal interest. Moreover, the presentations of the two half-day modules on Wednesday 19 January 2022 will be simultaneously translated from German into French.

Seven congress modules

Module 1: Security requirements: complex and changing: André Duvillard, delegate of the federal government and the cantons of the Swiss Security Association, opens the first of a total of seven half-day congress modules on January 18. Immediately afterwards, an expert will provide answers to the challenges in the field of urban security and urban crime prevention.

Module 2Healthy and safe planning, construction, assembly and maintenance. Module two - in the afternoon of the first day of the congress - will focus on occupational safety and health protection with appropriate measures for planning, construction, assembly and maintenance work.

Module 3Security as a service - quo vadis? The topic of drones and detection is not missing either. Hansjürg Inniger, head of the asut working group "digital experience circle", shares his know-how on drones in corporate security.

Module 4Fire protection is also reaching a new level thanks to BIM and digitalization: Module four - also with simultaneous translation - is scheduled for the afternoon of January 19 and delves into the world of BIM and fire protection.

Module 5Building security: cleverly connected: Artificial intelligence, deep learning, dashboard, convergence and innovation are not just buzzwords, as the participants of the fifth half-day will realize.

Module 6: Successfully avoid business interruptions! The top risks currently include pandemics, cyber incidents and blackouts. These three risks will be the subject of congress module number six on January 20, 2022 in the afternoon. Bettina Zimmermann, an experienced crisis manager, will be on the podium.

Module 7: Innovative and sustainable in harmony with fire protection Fire and environmental protection are also compatible. However, what it takes to achieve this, what new hazardous situations as well as fire risks arise and what restrictions currently apply, will be reported in the last half-day of the Safety Congress 2022.

The participation fees for the Safety Congress include free admission to the Swissbau 2022 trade fair.

More about the Security Congress: save.ch/event/Security-Congress-01-2022

Swissbau at a glance: swissbau.ch

The canton of Zug invests According to a statement 7.55 million francs in the National Cyber Security. The National Test Institute for Cyber Security (NTC) is to be established in the canton. The government council also plans to apply for a loan of 1.4 million Swiss francs to set up a central cyber security information and contact point for the benefit of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Basic competencies for defense against cyber threats

"The creation of an independent and well-equipped cybersecurity testing institute and a central information and contact point are important cornerstones for defending against threats from cyberspace," says Finance Director Heinz Tännler. The infiltration of ransomware and the subsequent encryption of valuable data to extort ransoms, as well as hidden backdoors in software or hardware to illegally obtain data, are a major threat, says Tännler.

The core tasks of the institutions include, for example, testing networked components, according to the statement. The NTC is building up the necessary capacities in Switzerland (Canton Zug) so that the security and trustworthiness of cyber-physical components can be investigated "independently and in depth". To this end, the NTC is to establish its own testing and research infrastructure and strive for close cooperation with other universities, private providers of security tests and international test centers.

Source: Canton Zug

With a new package of rules, the EU Commission wants to record personal information in transactions with digital cryptocurrencies in the future. In this way, investigative authorities should be able to take faster action against criminal activities. The aim of the legislative initiative is to record the personal data of all parties involved in purchases and sales, as "euronews" writes

Combating money laundering better

The long-term goal of the EU Commission is a new authority emerging from the law that will fight money laundering even more efficiently and also monitor trading activities related to cryptocurrencies. According to the report, existing regulations for preventing and combating money laundering and terrorist financing should then apply to all market activity involving cryptocurrencies.

In concrete terms, implementation of the plans would mean that crypto trading platform operators and their activities within the EU would have to store names, addresses, dates of birth, and account numbers in the future. The names of the persons who are the target of the transactions should also be visible. However, the new regulations are not intended to impose regulatory burdens, but rather to prevent criminal activities in a targeted manner, according to the report.

(pressetext.com)