Turning safety data into operational intelligence

In complex industrial operations, safety and efficiency are often treated as separate priorities. Safety teams focus on preventing incidents, while operations teams concentrate on productivity, uptime and cost control. In reality, these objectives are inseparable.

Red zone management prevents incidents in environments where humans and heavy machinery operate in close proximity. Yet when operational data is analyzed over time, it becomes far more than a safety mechanism. It becomes a source of operational intelligence, revealing how work is actually performed and where improvements are possible. This is where advanced analytics makes the difference. At Helin, we see how operators increasingly rely on these insights to improve both safety performance and operational efficiency.

‍

“Safety and efficiency are two sides of the same coin. Red zone analytics allows operators to optimize both simultaneously.” - Joost Lasschuit, CEO at Helin.

‍

Where human-machine interaction becomes critical

A red zone is a defined area where personnel are exposed to significant operational risk. In drilling environments, these zones typically arise where heavy equipment moves, high-pressure systems operate, where workers can become caught between machines or structures, or where there is a significant risk of falling objects or drops. The principle of red zone management is straightforward: ensure that personnel are not present in hazardous areas when dangerous conditions occur.

Modern systems support this through real-time monitoring. Helin’s Red Zone Manager, for example, uses advanced video analytics to continuously detect and track personnel in relation to machines and operational phases. Video insights combined with drilling equipment data provide real-time situational awareness of how people and machinery interact during operations.

These zones are conditional. When equipment begins moving, the area instantly becomes an active red zone. When the operation stops, the zone returns to its initial state. This dynamic approach ensures that personnel only enter areas when conditions allow it. If someone enters an active red zone, an alert is triggered immediately. This visibility significantly increases situational awareness for both the crew and the driller. Such real-time alerting plays an essential role in preventing incidents.

However, the real strategic value appears after the operation has taken place.

‍

From alerts to operational insights

Every alert, movement and operational phase generates data. Individually these events provide only part of the value red zone management may deliver. Over time, however, they form a detailed picture of how operations actually unfold. Advanced analytics turns these operational events into measurable insights. Within Helin’s Red Zone Manager, this analytics layer provides the reporting and intelligence that help operators understand how work is actually executed in the field. Two core metrics form the foundation of this analysis:

Red zone exposure

Exposure measures how long personnel are present within high-risk operational areas on the drilling rig. It reflects the level of human exposure to operational risk during a task and depends on both the number of people involved and the time spent in the zone. High exposure may signal operational inefficiencies. Reducing exposure therefore improves both safety and operational efficiency.

Intrusions

The second key metric is the number of intrusions. An intrusion occurs when personnel enter an active red zone where they should not be present according to operational procedures. Intrusions reveal deviations from planned operations or safety rules. A high number of intrusions may point to unclear procedures, training gaps or operational pressure during critical tasks.

Together, exposure and intrusions provide a clear view of how human behavior and operational processes interact with machinery.

‍

From safety monitoring to operational optimization

Once exposure and intrusion data are analyzed across operations, broader patterns begin to emerge. Certain tasks may consistently require crews to enter high-risk zones. Specific operational phases may generate repeated alerts. Some rigs or crews may operate with significantly lower exposure levels than others. These insights allow operators to ask critical questions:

• Which operations generate the highest red zone exposure?
• Where do most rule deviations occur?
• How do different crews perform under similar conditions?
• Which workflows minimize exposure while maintaining performance?

This transforms red zone management from a reactive safety measure into a continuous improvement tool. Instead of simply responding to alerts, organizations can redesign operations to reduce exposure from the outset.

‍

Unlocking insights from human and machine behavior

Advanced analytics makes industrial operations rely on a continuous interaction between humans and machines. When equipment is poorly synchronized, procedures are unclear or planning does not match operational reality, personnel often need to intervene more frequently, increasing exposure to risk.

Advanced Analytics makes these dynamics visible.

Helin’s Advanced Analytics module capabilities combine video, operational data and historical performance insights to reveal patterns that would otherwise remain hidden. Heatmaps show where personnel spend time during operations, while event timelines and video-linked reporting help teams review operational situations and identify opportunities for improvement.

‍

Benchmarking operations and identifying best practices

One of the most powerful capabilities of Advanced Analytics is benchmarking. Operational performance can be compared across rigs, crews and time periods. Differences in exposure or intrusion levels often indicate variations in workflows or operational design. These differences can reveal valuable best practices.

One crew may have developed a workflow that reduces exposure during a specific task. Another rig may operate equipment in a way that minimizes manual intervention. By identifying these patterns, organizations can replicate the most effective approaches across operations. In this way, Advanced Analytics for red zones enables continuous organizational learning.

Supporting better operational decisions

Advanced Analytics provides insights that support decision-making at multiple levels of an organization:

• Operational teams can analyze specific events and refine procedures.
• Managers can identify trends across rigs or projects.
• Executives gain a clearer understanding of where operational inefficiencies occur and where improvement efforts should be prioritized.

These insights also strengthen investment decisions.

When analytics clearly demonstrate that certain operational bottlenecks increase exposure or reduce efficiency, organizations can build stronger business cases for change. In large-scale industrial operations, even small improvements can deliver significant value. Operations are designed and planned, monitored during execution and subject to an analysis afterwards. This cycle helps organizations continuously improve both safety procedures and operational workflows.

‍

From safety compliance to operational intelligence

Red zone management will always remain a critical safety measure. Preventing personnel from entering hazardous areas is essential in any industrial environment. Yet the true value of these systems lies beyond real-time alerts. When operational data is analyzed systematically, red zone management becomes a powerful instrument for operational intelligence. Exposure highlights inefficiencies. Intrusions reveal behavioral and procedural gaps. Benchmarking uncovers best practices, per rig and for a whole fleet. This allows for optimization at scale.

Safety and efficiency are not competing priorities. They are two sides of the same operational reality.

Helin’s Red Zone Manager solution and its Advanced Analytics module, uncover what would otherwise remain invisible.

It enables organizations to design safer and more efficient operations for the future.

‍

Curious how advanced analytics can improve safety and efficiency in your operations?

👉🏻 Talk to our experts and discover how Helin can turn operational data into actionable insights.