22 Safety


Global sales of unique connected personal and area gas monitors reach over $2 million


As the global workplace safety market continues to grow, estimated to reach $42.96 billion by 2032 with an annual growth rate of 11.8%, according to Polaris Market Research, leading safety technology provider Blackline Safety Corp. has announced a 50% increase in its fi re-hazmat personal and area gas monitor business in the last year alone.


This translates to more than $2 million in total contract value of Blackline’s real-time, cloud-connected safety devices and services, used by hundreds of fi re and hazmat, oil and gas, petrochemical, food production, biotech, transportation, utilities, and water and wastewater organisations across North America, Europe, Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.


Crediting the growth to the company’s industry-fi rst product capabilities, Doug Mayer, Blackline Fire Hazmat Business Development Specialist, explained that “Blackline’s No. 1 priority is helping organisations keep their employees and communities safe, and recognising that every second counts in an emergency. We have reimagined safety solutions for various scenarios – from chemical spills and fi res, to fl oods, gas leaks, explosions, and any other high-risk situation – by enabling organisations to respond with unprecedented speed, accuracy and as-it-happens visibility.”


Blackline’s award-winning G7 personal gas detectors and G7 EXO area gas monitors—built for extremes and the toughest conditions, with GPS-enabled location tracking—provide layers of protection to ensure a critical lifeline during an emergency. Supported by Blackline Live, the company’s powerful, cloud-connected monitoring and analytics platform, the technology enables organisations to view in real-time all their workers’ locations and gas readings in the fi eld, and confi gure their devices, from any internet-connected smartphone, tablet or computer, no matter how remote the location.


“Imagine being able to position an incident command centre and direct responders from anywhere in mere minutes – that’s the game-changing capability of the Blackline Live monitoring platform,” Mayer said. “With quick connectivity and real-time data continuously streaming to the command centre, decision makers can immediately understand the situation and risks, and confi dently and quickly deploy potentially life-saving responses, including coordinating and communicating with stakeholders like local, state or federal agencies.”


Blackline’s G7 solutions provide real-time connected safety for lone workers/workers in emergency situations: Incident commanders can always see the location of incident responders and monitor team members – as well as variables such as gas exposures, person down, no motion, SOS latch, etc. – from any location. Swappable gas sensor cartridges enable users to select single-gas diffusion, multi-gas diffusion or multi-gas pump cartridges for any device. Each device can be confi gured while travelling to the scene by swapping out the pre-calibrated sensor cartridge rather than the entire device. Using Vlahi proprietary, government- endorsed plume dispersion modelling platform, incident leaders can see the size, direction, speed, and spread of released gases to minimise exposure and respond most effectively to protect communities. In the event of incidents like major fi res or chemical spills, the devices’ area monitoring capabilities inform fi rst responders when evacuation or shelter-in-place orders might be needed and help reassure communities they are safe. All data collected by Blackline devices can be imported into the central control room – or third-party – software platforms to analyse incident responses and identify areas for improvement.


“Subjective post-mortems are no longer enough to ensure effective fi re and hazmat responses,” Mayer said. “Blackline Safety’s advanced technology allows organisations to actually see what’s happening in the fi eld in real-time so they can effectively collaborate with down-range responders in real-time, and also gives them the ability to predict what might happen in the future.”


According to the Fire Department Lieutenant of a major U.S. city, the instantaneous, big-picture view provided by Blackline’s safety devices is invaluable. When responding to a dangerous fuel spill last year, for example, the G7 personal gas detectors worn on the scene by the department’s fi refi ghters “proved their worth to us right then and there,” the Fire Department Lieutenant said.


“With the real-time data, we could follow how the incident was progressing…. and being able to hear the radio transmissions and see the location of the responders on the map, we were able to quickly direct and adjust the response remotely,” he said.


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Future of biofuel in Europe threatened by potential certifi cation fraud


Biofuels have emerged as a beacon of hope for reducing carbon emissions in Europe, but the recent suspicions of certifi cation fraud are jeopardising their prospective environmental gains. Certifi cation schemes intended to assure the integrity of biofuels in the EU market have come under severe criticism, accused of failing to prevent fraudulent activity that compromises the core values of these green alternatives.


The current predicament stems from a widespread allegation: biodiesel from Indonesia, laden with anti-subsidy duties due to its origin, is being rerouted through China and the United Kingdom to dodge import taxes. The European Commission has initiated an extensive investigation into these allegations, as fears over the authenticity and sustainability of imported biofuels escalate.


The existing procedures to validate the integrity of imported biofuels in the EU are allegedly inadequate. Critics argue that EU-backed certifi cation systems fail to prevent the falsifi cation of biofuels’ origins, as companies are mandated to verify the origin of feedstocks. However, James Cogan, Policy Advisor at Ethanol Europe, contends that achieving certifi cation is riddled with discrepancies and the potential for manipulation is high.


The purported failure of certifi cation schemes to combat fraud has raised concerns over the infl ux of ostensibly sustainable but environmentally detrimental biofuels in Europe. The involvement


of palm oil, with its controversial links to deforestation, disguised as used cooking oil, exposes Europe to immense sustainability fraud risks. This controversy could lead to a potential undermining of the EU’s ambitious renewable energy targets and long-term environmental objectives.


Experts and environmental advocates call for more rigorous audits and stress the need for independent and transparent verifi cation processes to uphold the veracity of biofuels compliance. The existing reliance on companies to arrange their audits renders the credibility of the entire verifi cation process questionable.


The underway European Commission investigation, expected to conclude in May 2024, is assessing the alleged circumvention of customs duties. If the investigation substantiates the suspicions of fraud, the involved companies could face serious repercussions, including the suspension of their certifi cates to trade with the EU.


The alleged fraudulent activities are not only a sustainability concern but are also disrupting the EU biodiesel market. The alleged circumvention has reportedly enabled avoidance of duties totalling around €221 million in 2022 alone, severely affecting the domestic industry. Consequently, there have been appeals for swift actions to preserve the integrity of the market and counter any fraudulent trading.


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These allegations and the ensuing investigations have strained the relationships between the EU and involved countries, notably Indonesia, the world’s largest palm oil producer. The EU’s staunch stance against palm oil and its association with deforestation has been met with backlash, with countries like Indonesia labelling such moves as discriminatory and protectionist, which in turn has slowed progress on prospective free trade agreements.


The situation calls for an urgent reform of EU certifi cation systems and the creation of a dedicated entity, potentially an EU offi ce of biofuels fraud, to scrutinise and deter fraudulent activities in biofuels trade. Without assuring genuine sustainability and integrity in the renewable energy sector, the promise of biofuels in mitigating climate change remains precarious.


While the European biofuels sector holds immense promise for a sustainable future, its credibility is on the line. Addressing the certifi cation fraud and fortifying the regulatory frameworks is crucial to ensure the long-term viability and environmental benefi ts of biofuels in Europe and beyond. The ongoing investigations and international discussions might be a step in the right direction, but a unifi ed effort is required to truly harness the potential of biofuels and pave the way for a greener, more sustainable future.


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Seven new models of optical gas imaging cameras to help oil, gas, manufacturing, steel production, and utility industry professionals become even more eff ective in the fi eld


Teledyne FLIR recently debuted the new G-Series, a family of high-tech, cooled-core optical gas imaging (OGI) cameras that can help leak detection and repair (LDAR) professionals seamlessly locate and document harmful gas emissions. The G-Series is designed to empower everyday users in the oil and gas, manufacturing, steel, and utility industries to spend more time prioritising leak repairs, and less time documenting them while gaining better insight into the severity of the emission.


The G-Series features seven camera models. All models are available with wireless connectivity to allow operators to automatically upload and store saved images and videos to FLIR Ignite cloud software while in the fi eld. G-Series cameras provide easy compatibility with third-party analysis software, enabling operators to wirelessly share captured content with colleagues across the world for review, providing further analysis and processing. Quick-swap interchangeable lenses give users the fl exibility to inspect from multiple distances.


Teledyne FLIR engineered the FLIR G620, Gx320, and Gx620 models to detect and accurately quantify hydrocarbon, fugitive gas, and other volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions in the oil and gas industry. With quantifi cation now integrated inside the camera, there is no need to carry a second companion device while inspecting. Teledyne FLIR also added ATEX ratings, OOOOa sensitivity compliance, and an ergonomic rotatable touchscreen to ensure that professionals can get the job done safer and more effi ciently.


The G306 and G343 models give utility inspectors superior image quality and advanced features to detect sulphur hexafl uoride and carbon dioxide, respectively, to help maintain electrical equipment. The G346 and G304 provide an effective method to detect carbon monoxide or refrigerant leaks and potential issues that will improve safety and productivity within the plant environment.


“For the fi rst time, the Teledyne FLIR G-Series provides unmatched user ergonomics with quantifi cation in camera for the hydrocarbon models, adding seamless emissions measurement into the everyday leak detection and repair process,” said Craig O’Neill, Global OGI Business Development Director, Teledyne FLIR. “These new models represent a breakthrough in OGI with advanced features, updated wireless communication protocols, and a rotatable touchscreen LCD to maximise user effi ciency in the fi eld.” The new G-Series will be available for shipment within the quarter.


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PIN OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2023


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