Modular Security Systems, Inc. (MSSI) Announces Modern, Electronic Brass Shack

Ironton, OH, April 02, 2009 --(PR.com)-- The phrase, "Brass Me In" may be just a figure of speech before long.
Modular Security Systems, Inc. (MSSI) of Ironton, Ohio has devised what they call an "electronic brass shack" or a "modern time alley". In 2004 MSSI invented and applied for a patent for the MAC (Modular Access Control) modern "time alley". In late 2008 MSSI received a Notice of Allowance by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The MAC security portal was created by incorporating full height turnstiles into an ISO shipping container (connex, conex) allowing for a mobile, portable "time alley" or "brass shack" that contains card readers, biometric readers or bar code readers in place of the old fashion brass system that has been used for years on mining and construction site jobs as a way of controlling site attendance and security. Many different layouts are available and can be seen at securedbymac.com.

The Brass System of Timekeeping; In the old days before card swipes, biometrics readers and bar codes were so common the "Brass System" was a really simple inexpensive and reliable method of timekeeping and tool control on large construction projects. Actually, the practice started as a safety roll call method in the mining industry.

Each employee was issued a brass coin approximately the size of a half dollar stamped with the employee's unique control number and a small hole to facilitate hanging it on a peg board in the brass shack. The typical brass shack was like a ticket booth with the window parallel to a walkthrough gate called the "brass alley".

Each morning the employee would "brass in" (pass through the brass alley where he would be given his brass). At start of work the timekeeper would close the brass alley and inventory the brass. The presence of a brass indicated the absence of a worker. At quitting time the worker would brass out and the brass would be inventoried again. A vacant spot on the pegboard represented a worker who had not yet brassed out. If an employee had not brassed out on time it could indicate a safety problem or simply an overtime assignment that would have to be verified.

During the course of the day if an employee needed an item from the tool crib he would use his brass as a security deposit until the tool was returned. A typical tool crib had a pegboard where the employee's brass would be posted along with a paper tag for each item he had out on loan. He would have to return all the tools at the end of the day in order to retrieve his brass.

Today, thanks to MSSI's MAC Security portal, the construction industry is quickly moving into the 21st century with regard to how the industry addresses time and attendance and access control on jobsites. Even though the brass collection method it is still used on many large construction and mining projects, that practice is quickly being replaced with the new "electronic brass shack". The phrase "brass me in" may just become a figure of speech before long and no longer be applicable to phrase used on large construction projects around the world.

For More Info on the MAC Security Portal contact Kevin Harrison at the address above.

Modular Security Systems, Inc. (MSSI) is an intellectual properties holding company with expertise in designing and manufacturing unique solutions to address ever-changing world wide security issues. MSSI sales and core market segments include worldwide ports, worldwide refineries and petrochemical plants, military installations, global industrial contactors, mass transit and large public events.

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