search.noResults

search.searching

dataCollection.invalidEmail
note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
FEATURE OIL & GAS


REFINERIES: “ARE YOU ACTIVE” ON MOBILE EQUIPMENT?


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 shutting down the equipment before the atmosphere develops into an explosive mix. Without active gas detection, operators


can be ‘blind’ to the presence of potentially explosive atmosphere, putting people, the company’s reputation and the supply chain at risk. Pyroban’s gas detection system


Pickup trucks and other vehicles buzzing around oil refineries with no added explosion protection are exposing workers to numerous ignition risks. How is this safety ‘breach’ possible, asks Rob Vesty from safety company Pyroban?


A


ny business handling flammable material in Europe must assess its


operations and formally classify areas into Zones according to the ATEX Directive. That is true of any refinery or petrochemical site where flammable material is contained in huge quantities, usually in storage tanks or silos, and transferred in pipes. A proportion of the operation will be


classified as Zone 1 or 2, with ATEX compliant equipment specified quite correctly. However, large areas of these sites will typically be 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 at a refinery is that there


is always the risk of an accidental release or breakdown in the process on a massive scale, creating a potentially explosive atmosphere that spreads very quickly. And 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


22 NOVEMBER 2019 | IRISH MANUFACTURING


explosion protected equipment, even though there is the potential risk of a gas or vapour release close by. The risk assessment may include


stipulations for using the equipment, but in the real world, I have been to countless refineries where unprotected vehicles are free to drive close to 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 refineries 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.


Any business handling flammable material in Europe must assess its operations and formally classify areas into Zones according to the ATEX Directive


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. However, there are instances where


cranes are used for maintenance tasks, even in Zone 2 areas, with the excuse that there is nothing to protect them. Cranes are ideal candidates for Gascheka which can easily be fitted prior to the task and subsequently removed. 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 don’t believe there is any reason why refinery owners should knowingly expose workers to this type of risk in the 21st Century. Pyroban has been actively protecting


millions of workers in potentially explosive atmospheres for generations and this year marks 50 years since the start of ‘Project Pyroban’. Its recent “Are you Active?” campaign has been targeting businesses that are not making their vehicle drivers aware of the presence of an explosive atmosphere.


Pyroban www.pyroban.com T: +44 (0) 1273 456 800





Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40