FEATURE ATEX EQUIPMENT


Vehicles and materials handling equipment working in applications with potentially explosive atmospheres, but with no added explosion protection, are exposing workers to numerous ignition risks. How is this safety “breach” possible? Rob Vesty, from safety company Pyroban, investigates


ARE YOU ACTIVE ON MOBILE EQUIPMENT? A


ny business handling flammable material in Europe must assess its operations and


formally classify areas into Zones according to the ATEX Directive. A proportion of these operations will be classified as Zone 1 or 2, with ATEX compliant equipment typically specified quite correctly. In the Zone 2 hazardous areas, a gas or


vapour release is not usually expected unless there is an accidental spillage or release. For this reason, in applications with Zone 2 hazardous areas active gas detection on mobile equipment helps to protect people and make vehicle and equipment operators aware of any risk. Zone 2 areas are often found in transport or


storage operations in the chemical, pharmaceutical, coatings, beverage, waste and logistics industries, among many others. Without active gas detection on equipment used in these areas, such as Pyroban’s system6000, operators can be ‘blind’ to the presence of potentially explosive gas or vapour, putting people, the company’s reputation and the supply chain at risk. Fleets operating in Zone 2, which require active gas detection and other explosion


protection measures, may include reach, pallet or stacker trucks, counterbalance lift trucks, VNA, cranes, access platforms, picking equipment and many more. Often where there are Zone 2 operations,


large areas of the site are also typically designated as ‘safe areas’, where standard equipment with no explosion protection features are often cleared for daily use, or a ‘hot work permit’ routinely issued. The problem is that there is always the risk


of an accidental release or breakdown in the process, creating a potentially explosive atmosphere that spreads very quickly. Gases can easily cross from Zone 2 areas into what is considered a ‘safe’ area - a sign and line do not necessarily help. When an area is ‘designated safe’, businesses


are not obliged to use explosion protected equipment under the ATEX Directive, even though there is the potential risk of a gas or vapour release close by. The site risk assessment may include


stipulations for using the equipment, but in the real world, there are countless applications where unprotected vehicles are free to drive close to ATEX Zone 2 hazardous areas with no


controls or restrictions. In these areas, the risk of ignition from vehicles is often normalised and managers become complacent, rather than considering it a safety breach. Vehicles such as pickup trucks, vans, access


platforms or forklifts have numerous ignition sources including arcing and sparking components, hot surfaces and many more. Full explosion protection on these vehicles is


not usually viable for safe areas due to the cost, but there are relatively low-cost methods to give some protection. Many applications have used a passive approach to additional safety by installing a spark arrestor to eliminate sparks from the engine exhaust and a shut-off valve to prevent overspeed of the engine if it ingests a gas or vapour. However, these solutions do not give visual and audible warnings to the driver. A better solution is to fit active gas detection


to the equipment to alert the driver to any accidental release and then automatically shut down the equipment before the atmosphere develops into an explosive mix. Pyroban’s gas detection system Gascheka, for example, has been developed especially for mobile equipment to keep people safe in these designated ‘safe areas’. It monitors the surrounding area of any type


of vehicle, from pickup trucks and vans to forklifts and plant of any age. It is low-cost and can be fitted in less than a day warning the operator of risks and bringing the equipment to a controlled stop if necessary. For a more enhanced safety approach, Gascheka can also be used in combination with a spark arrestor and shut-off valve. When more and more companies are adding


blue spots and other driver awareness systems to their vehicles, it seems obvious to also provide them with an active alert for gases or vapours. Gases are not smart or selective and can cross


into safe areas very easily. It only takes one ignition source from a vehicle to cause an explosion, so I do not believe there is any reason why business owners and managers should knowingly expose workers to this type of risk in the 21st Century. So, when it comes to making your vehicle


drivers aware of the presence of an explosive atmosphere, are you active?


Pyroban 8 WINTER 2019 | INDUSTRIAL COMPLIANCE www.pyroban.com / INDUSTRIALCOMPLIANCE


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