Certified Safety

September, 26th 2011

It is often said that, over the past several decades, developing countries throughout Asia have become the workshops of the world. In recent years, especially since the beginning of the economic crises, those very same countries have begun to be recognized as the fastest growing economies in the world and some of the most promising destinations for foreign investment. With this inflow of investment come expectations as well. Today’s investments into Asia’s burgeoning economies are no longer solely for their promise of cheap labor, but of future (mid- to long-term) domestic potential.

To sustain a positive rate of domestic growth, policies must be put in place that can motivate the people to desire such a climb. Worker safety is just such an issue that has begun to be emphasized when attracting foreign investments to development projects in the oil & gas industries.

This industry is home to many workplace hazards that require special equipment and special training to stay safe on the job site. Choosing tools and equipment without considering the special nature of out industry will cause many more problems for you in the future. One special consideration, in particular, is equipment certifications.

When a worker enters a confined space to complete a job, there are certain steps that he takes to ensure he is working in a safe environment. A safe environment allows higher quality, more efficient work to be done. In our industry, hazardous atmospheres can destroy entire operations. It is the responsibility of the manager to ensure every possible step is taken to make the entire operation as safe as possible.

One of the major considerations is atmosphere control. Effective and safe atmosphere control requires proper training and proper equipment. Today, one of the most widely accepted, and highest regarded, equipment certifications for hazardous locations is the ATEX directive. Originally intended for products entering the European Union, it is now accepted today as a standard for hazardous location conformance and quality worldwide. ATEX stands for “Atmosphères Explosibles,” or Explosive Atmospheres. It is an application of the CE mark and is an essential health and safety requirement for the oil and gas industries. The certification process is essentially a product evaluation and quality assurance of the manufacturing process, certifying that the product is, in fact, designed and built for safe use in explosive atmospheres.

The first step to controlling your atmosphere when working in a confined space is monitoring. Is this space safe to work in? A portable multi-gas monitor will tell you in several seconds the answer to that question. Multi-gas monitors are designed to give the technician both an initial and a continuous monitoring of the atmospheric conditions in the confined space in which he is working. Monitors typically can measure any 4 of the following gases; oxygen, combustibles, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, chlorine gas, hydrogen, hydrogen cyanide, and ammonia. Safe limits are pre-programmed into the devices and if the conditions exceed the lower or upper explosive limits, an audible and visual alarm signifies the technician that a danger exists.

The next, and often most important, step of confined space entry is ventilation. Proper ventilation techniques can increase productivity, facility safety, and worker safety. As part of a technicians standard equipment kit when on the job site, portable ventilators should be powerful enough to exchange the air approximately every 3 minutes to maintain safety, lightweight enough to be a convenient tool, and rugged enough to stand the test of time and abuse that comes with working in the refineries, factories, and production facilities in which they are put to use. Although confined space ventilation has been used for years in the oil and gas industries, it was not until the ATEX directive came out in 2003 that the safety requirements of these industry was strongly emphasized in operations around the globe.

When a portable blower is supplying airflow to a confined space, typically through flexible ducting, static electricity is naturally produced from the movement of the air through the hose. When working in potentially explosive atmospheres, static electricity is the last thing that you want to produce if you are not properly protected. When procuring the equipment for your technicians, it is important to keep this in mind to avoid costly accidents from occurring at your facilities.

Explosion-proof (ATEX-certified) portable ventilation equipment today also come in a variety of styles and power source configurations, according to your facilities capabilities and requirements. From large diameter stackable designs to compact, lightweight units, there are many options on the market to meet the specific needs of your technicians. Electric power supply is the most common configuration. These units can be very powerful and, when paired with the right hoses, will become indispensible parts of your maintenance teams equipment kit. Also readily available are air-powered units. Running off the standard compressed air lines at your facility, these units are often in slightly larger diameter configurations to accommodate the small air turbines that transfer the power to the impeller. The major benefit of these units is the lack of electrical components that could potentially produce a source of ignition in hazardous locations. Another benefit of air-powered ventilators is their lightweight design. Modern designs use tough, conductive polycarbonate housings that bring the total weigh down to as little as 15 kilograms, well within the range of convenience for the maintenance crews.

The importance of workplace safety in this industry is unparalleled. Millions of dollars are invested into the facilities that we work in, making our commitment to worker safety that much more relevant at all levels of the organization. In today’s fast changing and ever more competitive business environment, safety is an investment for the long term.

Article by: Zachary Allen, General Manager, Euramco Safety Asia

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