Getting away with coming to work late at the Richmond County schools maintenance department isn't as easy as it once was.

A hand scanner that uses three-dimensional images of an employee's hand to clock in and out has replaced the old paper punch cards. No more covering for a friend.

"If your buddy was running late, you could punch him in," Benton Starks, the director of maintenance and facilities, said about how employees gamed the old system.

But that hasn't stopped employees from trying to figure out ways to beat the Handpunch 3000. Mr. Starks said some of the nearly 100 employees who have to clock in believe they can make a latex imprint of a hand to scam the biometric scanner.

So far, the scanner has cut down on lost productivity. Since installing it in October, the department has already recouped its $3,500 cost, Mr. Starks said, noting that the device reduces the amount of time employees slip in late and sneak out early.

The scanner also ties into the department's computer system, allowing for immediate tracking of trends. For instance, it's easy to spot an employee who is continually out sick the day after Monday Night Football, he said.

"We've been given a mission to be more efficient," Mr. Starks said, "and we take efficiency really seriously."