hEX_20_02

hazardexonthenet.net

February 2020

the journal for hazardous area environments

Alarms Alarming your tank farm Regulations Understanding the latest arc flash protection legislation Industry Trends

Gas Detection

Oil and gas warming up to wearable tech

Putting handheld gas detection to the test

Wearable Computers Intrinsically safe wearable computers

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contents February 2020 Following the retirement of Alan Franck, 2020 sees the introduction of myself as the new Editor of HazardEx. I’d like to thank Alan for his insights and guidance over the past few months while I worked on the publication as Associate Editor.

I am excited to work with the HazardEx team in continuing to provide a platform to share knowledge about the process and high hazard sectors and I will endeavour to continue Alan’s excellent work in providing readers with content of the highest standard. If you would like to submit an editorial piece for consideration or have any comments about our content, please get in touch.

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In the meantime, the Hazardex 2020 Conference and Exhibition on February 26-27 is now fast approaching, and I look forward to meeting many of you there. Voting for the awards programme is closing on February 6. Categories include Contribution to Safety, Contribution to the Environment, Technical Innovation, Best User Application and Best Customer Service.

A total of 20 comapnies have been shortlisted across the five categories and the winners will be announced at the Gala Awards dinner on February 26. Visit data.imlgroup.uk/hazardexawards-2020/ to vote now. Good luck to all nominees!

Oil & gas majors are minimising downtime and boosting profitability with “enterprise-ready” wearables

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…Alistair Hookway, Editor, Hazardex alistair.hookway@imlgroup.co.uk

in this issue 4 News Extra

• Blowout turned ExxonMobil well into Methane super-emitter • US pipeline owner fined $30 million for 2018 explosion • Four dead after Methanol tank explosion in India • New report finds Nigeria has lost $42bn to crude oil theft in last decade • Dutch cash machines to be closed overnight due to explosion thefts • Researchers cryogenically freeze batteries for safer transport • Removal of Fukushima nuclear fuel delayed by up to five years

Twenty-five years on from a major explosion at an oil refinery, what can we learn about alarm annunciation?

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15 Standards: A new start

18 PPTex Supplement 7 – Products 39 Oil and gas industry warming up to wearable tech 20 44 Creating the future of oil & gas with intrinsically safe wearable computers 22 26 Mind the gap: How technology is creating safer working environments 50 28 Utilities company puts handheld gas detection to the test

Understanding PPE standards is vital, yet 78% of workers are unfamiliar with arc flash protection legislation.

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31 Alarming your tank farm 34 Ensuring a specialist approach to fire safety 36 Unlock the associated benefits of great head protection 38 All you need to know about the latest arc flash regulations 42 Are you using outdated technology to protect the health of your workforce?

42 Event previews

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the journal for hazardous area environments

February 2020

30 hazardexonthenet.net

Without real-time, continuous monitoring, applying accurate safety controls is impossible.

Hazardex is a controlled circulation journal published monthly.

Completed print or online registration forms will be considered for free supply of printed issues, web site access and online services. Annual subscription for non-qualifying readers is: UK £147; EU £215.25; Airmail £315 and single copy price is £23.10 plus P&P.

Hazardex content is the property of the publishers or relevant content providers. The publishers and sponsors of this magazine are not responsible for the results of any actions or omissions taken on the basis of information in this publication. In particular, no liability can be accepted in respect of any claim based on or in relation to material provided for inclusion.

Editor Alistair Hookway alistair.hookway@imlgroup.co.uk

Group Publisher Russell Goater russell.goater@imlgroup.co.uk

Sales Executive Kathryn Startin kathryn.startin@imlgroup.co.uk

Circulation subscriptions@imlgroup.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)1732 359990

IML Group Blair House, High Street, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1BQ, UK Tel: +44 1732 359990 Email: events@imlgroup.co.uk ISSN 1476-7376

Production and Events Holly Reed holly.reed@imlgroup.co.uk

Design Graham Rich Design www.grahamrichdesign.co.uk

40 Alarms Alarming your tank farm Regulations Understanding the latest arc flash protection legislation Industry Trends

Gas Detection

Oil and gas warming up to wearable tech

Putting handheld gas detection to the test

Wearable Computers Intrinsically safe wearable computers

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Register for weekly email newsletter & up-to-the-minute news at www.hazardexonthenet.net

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News Extra

Representative image: Shutterstock

Blowout turned ExxonMobil well into methane super-emitter A

February 2018 blowout of a natural gas well in the US leaked more methane into the atmosphere in 20 days than many countries emit in a year.

Scientists have said that 60 kilotons of methane was released – more than the oil and gas industries of France,

effective and best-performing technology, including satellites, that can be adopted by all producers to detect, repair and accurately measure methane,” the statement added.

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that is one of the largest contributors to global

It is thought that as a result of the 2018 blowout in Ohio, methane leaked from the well at a rate twice that of the 2015 Aliso Canyon disaster in California, one of the worst natural gas leaks in US history in terms of environmental impact.

Norway, and the Netherlands release in a 12 month period.

warming. The research by the AmericanDutch team is thought to be the first time methane from an oil or gas incident has been

The Ohio blowout took 20 days to bring under control after an explosion occurred during completion of the well. The resulting

The team of American and Dutch scientists published their findings in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on December

both detected and quantified using satellite data gathered during a routine global survey.

methane emissions were measured by the Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI), a satellite launched by the

16. The team used data from satellites to find that an explosion at a natural gas well run by an ExxonMobil subsidiary in Belmont County,

Satellites are starting to be used to detect and track large emissions of greenhouse gas and can help enable corrective action in the

European Space Agency just a few months before the event. The scientists say that the satellite was conducting

Ohio, caused a release of methane at a rate of 80 tonnes an hour – five times the amount originally estimated by ExxonMobil.

fight against climate change. In November, Montreal-based GHGSat Inc said that one of its satellites had discovered a giant methane plume apparently deriving from unlit flaring in the Korpezhe oil and gas field in western Turkmenistan. The company used US, Canadian and European diplomatic channels to alert the Turkmenistan field operator and

a routine global survey of methane emissions and was able to calculate changes in well pressure and the speed of emissions from the Ohio well.

the emissions were stopped.

“ExxonMobil is working with government laboratories, universities, NGOs and other

EDF plans to launch its own satellite in 2022.

The company estimates that emissions from the oil and gas sector are 60 per cent higher than estimates given by the Environmental

emissions is an essential prerequisite.

Satellite-based instruments that regularly scan the entire globe provide a means to detect and quantify methane emissions, which are challenging to measure,” the scientists said in their recently published

industry participants to identify the most cost-

Protection Agency.

article.

In a statement, ExxonMobil said: “We deeply regret the event occurred and have instituted systematic well design and monitoring procedures to prevent it from happening again. We are eager to learn more, and our scientists are currently reviewing the study and its assumptions.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

“To combat climate change and build a low-carbon economy, being able to accurately monitor greenhouse gas

News Extra

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Representative image: Shutterstock

US pipeline owner fined $30 million for 2018 explosion E

Regulators have been investigating Energy Transfer and its contractors since the incident and found that poor construction

the ruptured Revolution pipeline and its major Mariner East natural gas pipelines which are nearing completion.

in September 2018. The Texas-based energy company signed an agreement with Pennsylvania’s Department of

and oversight were leading causes of the blast. The DEP says that Energy Transfer had known about the impacted area’s

Issues with underground drilling during the construction of the Mariner East pipelines

susceptibility to landslides since January 2016 but failed to notify the engineers who submitted permits for construction.

caused several sinkholes in eastern Pennsylvania which meant Energy Transfer had already received $12 million in fines in

According to internal documents revealed during the DEP’s investigation, the site where the blast occurred suffered several slips in April 2018. However, Energy Transfer failed to consult engineers or geotechnical experts on how to stabilise the ground.

2019 before the latest penalty. Now that the DEP and Energy Transfer have reached a settlement for the September 2018 explosion, the DEP will resume its evaluation of the energy company’s plans for its Mariner East pipelines.

Instead, employees dried the soil out, transported it back uphill and installed

In a press release announcing the $30m penalty, DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell

underdrains despite not having a permit to do so. A consultant report from February 2019, commissioned by Energy Transfer, said that it was this soil that was affected by torrential rain in September 2018, leading to a slip and

said the settlement shows that Energy Transfer “has demonstrated its intention to correct its unlawful conduct to DEP’s satisfaction.”

the subsequent rupture of the pipeline.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that $30.6 million is the highest penalty ever for an oil and gas project in Pennsylvania. $28.6m of the sum will go towards the DEP’s oil and gas program and clean water fund, while the remaining amount will be given to community environmental projects.

nergy Transfer Corp. has been fined $30.6 million after a landslide caused one of its pipelines to explode

Environmental Protection (DEP) which also allows Energy Transfer to resume its pursuit of environmental permits for its pipeline projects.

The settlement was announced on January 3 and means Energy Transfer can also begin the process of repairing its Revolution pipeline which suffered an explosion on September 10, 2018 – just days after it had been activated. Torrential rain and saturated ground caused a slip to occur near a 24-inch diameter gathering segment of the Revolution system which resulted in a rupture and subsequent blast.

There were no injuries as a result of the explosion, which occurred 30 miles northwest of Pittsburgh in Center Township. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, two major customers of the Revolution pipeline – one of which has already filed for bankruptcy – remain embroiled in lawsuits with Energy Transfer.

The DEP stopped issuing new environmental permits to Energy Transfer in February 2019 due to repeat violations of environmental rules. These violations came while Energy Transfer attempted to stabilise soil around

www.hazardexonthenet.net

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News Extra

6.0%, biomass 3.4%, oil 0.7%, waste 0.6% and peat 0.2%.

Representative image: Shutterstock

The UK saw power generation from fossil fuel sources only slightly higher than that from renewable sources over the quarter.

Fossil fuels generated a combined 25.1TWh, of which 24.7TWh came from gas-fired power stations and 0.4TWh from coal-fired power stations. Against these figures, renewables generated 24.4TWh, coming close to exceeding fossil fuel output for the first time in history.

These renewable generation levels were not the highest on record, with the record high for renewable generation in a quarter

Generation from renewables edges close to that from fossil fuels in Europe and UK for third quarter of 2019

U

K-based energy data service

The size of the shift from coal to gas is

being the 28.2TWh produced in the fourth quarter of 2018. However, while renewable generation levels dip in the summer months due to reduced wind speeds, the quarter still saw higher levels of renewable production than that achieved in the fourth quarter of 2017, signalling the on-going growth in output.

A major factor in this growth has been the on-going commissioning of new wind projects, with offshore wind farms continuing to come online, with further increase set to be boosted by the award

provider and consultancy EnAppSys released its quarterly review of the EU and UK energy markets showing near

variable by market and is dependent on the availability of both coal and gas plants and infrastructure in each respective market.

of CfD contracts to new offshore wind projects.

parity between renewables and fossil fuels in both markets.

For instance, in the Czech Republic coal/ lignite continues to provide a large share of generation, whilst other markets such

In the quarter levels of nuclear generation dropped 20% from the levels achieved in Q3 2018 and this 3.3TWh drop in power

The third quarter of 2019 – running from the start of July through to the end of September – saw a significant shift in levels

as Greece, Italy and Spain have seen an increased shift from coal/lignite to gas.

output was a key factor in higher than might otherwise be expected gas-fired generation levels.

of generation from gas-fired plants and coal/ lignite plants in EU countries.

Renewables continue to provide a large share of European power generation, but growth has stalled to a degree, with renewable output levels having declined 2% from the previous year.

Coal generation continues to be very low (less than 1% of total production) with numerous plants set to be closed by the end of 2020.

This stalled growth will be offset by the gains made by switching from coal/lignite

Power prices in the quarter were low, with this being driven by a greater than

to gas, but highlights a market requiring fresh momentum in order to further grow renewable generation levels significantly.

50% drop.

In Q3 2018 the levels of generation from gas and coal/lignite were 111.2TWh and 145.9TWh respectively, with 31% more power coming from coal/lignite than from gas. By contrast, Q3 2019 has seen levels revert to 134.6TWh and 95.8TWh, with 41% more power coming from gas stations.

With gas having lower levels of carbon emissions per MWh of power produced, this shift should result in a significant reduction in

In the quarter nuclear plants produced 28.7% of generation, gas 20.5%, coal/lignite

In the quarter 37.0% of UK power came from gas-fired plants and 36.7% from renewables. The remaining power came from nuclear (19.2%), imports (6.5%) and

levels of European carbon emissions.

14.6%, hydro 14.3%, wind 11.1%, solar

coal plants (0.6%).

www.hazardexonthenet.net

News Extra

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time this has occurred since May 1982.

Image: Shutterstock

Rystad Energy believes total primary energy production will grow from 95 quadrillion Btu in 2018 to 138 quadrillion Btu in 2030, with crude oil and natural gas production driving that growth at 75 percent and 38 percent, respectively.

US close to energy independence

T

Production in the Permian, Bakken and Eagle Ford shale plays will drive crude output growth while supply increases in the Marcellus, Haynesville and Utica basins will drive natural gas production growth.

As for demand, Rystad Energy forecasts cumulative average growth of about 0.4 percent from 2018 to 2030, to about 106

he US should soon be fully energy independent and by 2030,

will have primary energy surplus – and not a deficit – by February or March 2020,

the country’s total primary energy production will outpace primary energy demand by 30%, according to a forecast by Norwegian energy research consultancy Rystad Energy.

depending on the intensity of the winter season,” said Sindre Knutsson, Vice President on Rystad Energy’s gas markets team.

quadrillion Btu in 2030.

“This milestone follows a strong period of growth in both hydrocarbon and renewable

The US is thought to have been selfsufficient in primary energy for a full 12-month period, from October 2018

growing exports,” said Knutsson. “While renewable energy output will be consumed domestically, the future for oil and gas

resources, and we forecast that the US

through September 2019. This is the first

exports is bright.”

“The emerging energy surplus will make the US less vulnerable to foreign energy-related politics and facilitate

cortemgroup.com

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News Extra

Image: Luca Frediani / Wikimedia

35 years after Bhopal disaster, report says many still dying from effects of chemical releases O

n 2 December 1984, an explosion at the Union Carbide chemical

plant at Bhopal in India released 40 tonnes of toxic methyl isocyanate gas into the air, killing over 3,000 instantly

area around the former factory remains severely contaminated.

German government to carry out tests and clear it up have been refused by the Indian government.

Surveys done by the Bhopal campaign groups have shown this toxic waste, which

Nevertheless, the chief secretary of the

A report by the Guardian in December

according to their tests contains six of the persistent organic pollutants banned by the UN for their highly poisonous impacts on the

energy department for the state government told the Guardian that plans have finally been made to carry out a toxicity assessment in

2019 says that corporate and government indifference since the disaster has resulted in hundreds of thousands more suffering

environment and human health, has now reached 42 areas in Bhopal and continues to spread.

the coming months.

and injuring many more.

the consequences of chemical releases into the local environment.

Activists allege that there has been a deliberate

The report says there is a worsening impact on the second and third generation. The Chingari children’s centre, established for those born with disabilities as a consequence of the disaster, has registered over 1,000 children, with most affected by cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, autism,

suppression by the Indian government of any research which proves the long term systemic or genetic damage caused by the gas explosion, to protect the corporations involved. Proof of the lasting damage of the gas exposure could have major legal implications for Union Carbide and its current owner Dow Chemicals, which took ownership

intellectual disabilities and severe learning difficulties.

of the company and its legal responsibilities in 2001, in terms of compensation liability.

No cleanup operation of the chemical

Madhya Pradesh state officials have disputed that this waste has any harmful impact, accusing activists of inventing it to

A civil court case, begun in 2010, is ongoing in the supreme court, which is arguing to reopen the compensation case for the victims

waste has ever been conducted and the

get charity funding; offers by the UN and the

of Bhopal.

This has included prolonged pain, cancer, stillbirths, miscarriages, lung and heart disease and led to many thousands of other deaths in the local population. The official death toll is still disputed but the Guardian says an estimated 574,000 were poisoned that night and upwards of 20,000 people have died since from related conditions.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

News Extra

Representative image: Shutterstock

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Four dead after methanol tank explosion in India

A

n explosion inside a methanol storage tank on December

tank when the explosion occurred. The blast blew the roof of the storage tank off.

area there are 12 terminals consisting of over 100 tanks in which chemicals and

30 killed four people in the state of Gujarat, northwest India. The blast occurred after a fire broke out inside a storage tank belonging to Indian Molasses Company (IMC).

A fire lasted several hours as firefighters fought to prevent flames from spreading to other nearby storage tanks which were holding around 1,800 tonnes of methanol.

oils are stored. According to local police, the blast occurred just 500 metres away from storage tanks belonging to Indian Oil which contained large quantities of petroleum.

The four men who died consisted of an IMC employee and three labourers who were

The storage terminal where the explosion happened is located in Kandla town, a

The cause of the explosion has not been confirmed. An investigation into the incident

conducting an inspection of the storage

short distance from Kandla Port. In the

is underway.

10 News Extra

Image: Shutterstock

New report finds Nigeria has lost $42bn to crude oil theft in last decade A

report published by the Nigeria

process lapses and pipeline vandalism. The

continued sophistication of its illegal trade,

Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has revealed that crude oil and refined products worth $41.9

report says: “While figures from government put the loss at between 150,000-250,000 barrels per day (BPD), data from private

NEITI has suggested the need for a forensic investigation of syndicates involved in the country’s oil and gas industry. “Curiously,

billion have been stolen in Nigeria since 2009. The report, titled ‘Stemming the increasing cost of oil theft in Nigeria’,

studies estimate the figure to be between 200,000-400,000 BPD. This implies that Nigeria may be losing up to a fifth of its

the volume of losses does not particularly reflect the rate of pipeline breaks for the corresponding years, suggesting either that

urges the federal government to embrace new technologies to combat oil theft and pipeline vandalism.

daily crude oil production to oil thieves and pipeline vandals.”

the criminals are becoming more efficient, or crude theft is occurring increasingly elsewhere,” the report says.

A breakdown of Nigeria’s losses in NEITI’s report shows that $38.5bn was lost on crude theft alone, $1.56bn on domestic crude, and another $1.85bn on refined petroleum products between 2009 and 2018. NEITI says that as the country faces dwindling revenues from its oil industry, prevention of oil theft must become a priority in order to expand revenue generation.

“In terms of volume, 138,000 barrels of crude oil were lost every day for the past 10 years, representing 7% of the average production of two million BPD. Nigeria lost more than 505 million barrels of crude oil and 4.2 billion litres of petroleum products between 2009-2018,” the report continues.

NEITI also identifies several other effects from oil theft in Nigeria, including costly pipeline vandalism and criminal sabotage, as well as illegal refineries which endanger local communities.

The agency has also called for a special security task force to be created made up of oil companies and technical experts to help minimise theft and vandalism. NEITI has said the team should focus on improving response time to incidents and have access to real-time data provided by leak detection and localisation systems installed and operated by oil companies.

The NEITI report calculates that Nigeria loses an average of $11 million a day,

Given the increasing amount of crude

Nigeria is Africa’s largest crude oil producer and has been plagued for many years by theft, vandalism, piracy and corruption in

around $349 million a month, due to theft,

oil being stolen in Nigeria, as well as the

the oil and gas industry.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

News Extra 11

Representative image: Shutterstock

Dutch cash machines to be closed overnight due to explosion thefts T

he Dutch Banking Association (NVB) has said that the majority of outdoor cash machines (ATMs) in

The impact on customers is thought to be minimal, the NVB said, as only 2% of cash withdrawals are made at night.

the Netherlands will be out of service every night between 11pm and 7am in an effort to deter criminals who

Most of the attacks in 2019 have focused on ABN Amro’s cash machines. At the

“The security features in ATMs remain unaffected. The deactivated ATMs are less accessible, which means that [an explosive theft] is less likely to succeed,” the NVB said in a statement.

have been using explosives to break into them

beginning of December, the Dutch bank removed 470 of its cash machines across the Netherlands which were located

Cash machines will be placed in standby mode overnight until a better solution is found. Meanwhile, the NVB is also

From December 16, many cash machines will be moved away from residential buildings and densely populated areas in order to limit

underneath or near housing. Authorities said the move would likely mean other banks would be targeted instead, as shown

looking into ways to make the cash stolen from recent attacks unusable in order to disincentivise the crimes from taking place in

the damage caused by criminal gangs who place explosives in the machines to blow them open and steal cash.

by a string of attacks on Rabobank cash machines in the following weeks.

the future.

In 2019, there were a reported 71 such attacks compared to 43 in 2018.

The measure, one of several put together by justice minister Ferd Grapperhaus, finance minister Wopke Hoekstra and the NVB, will be reassessed at the end of January 2020.

The use of explosives to steal from cash In the attacks, flammable gas or an explosive is inserted into the metal slot which opens when money is withdrawn.

The gas or explosive is then ignited which blows the machine open, allowing the thieves to take the cash within. The NVB did not confirm whether this was the reason for turning cash machines off overnight.

The World’s #1 Issuer of Hazardous Location Certificates Let’s work together csagroup.org/hazloc

machines is also prevalent in other countries.

In the UK, five men were jailed in November for a total of more than 45 years after a series of cash machine burglaries across northwest England. The men stole just under £500,000 between March 2018 and February 2019 from 15 cash machines in Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Yorkshire and Wales.

12 News Extra

A room temperature cell with a nail through it exploding - Image: WMG

R

batteries completely removes the risk of an explosion and means they could be

Currently, the transportation of damaged and

The researchers, who were part of the ELEVATE project funded by ESPRC, WMG Centre High Value Manufacturing Catapult, and supported by Jaguar Land Rover, tested

esearchers from WMG at the University of Warwick, in

collaboration with Jaguar Land Rover engineers, have been able to freeze batteries with liquid nitrogen to allow for safer transportation.

Researchers cryogenically freeze batteries for safer transport

transported safely in a plastic box.

defective car batteries is an expensive process as they need to be placed inside an explosion proof box. A box to transport a typical Teslasized battery costs €10,000 and a further €10,000 for the UN accreditation, for example.

However, the ability to transport them in plastic

the batteries’ activity before and after freezing cells with liquid nitrogen. They also drove nails through the frozen cell to test the safety of them and managed to show that their performance was not impacted after freezing.

containers which cost a couple of hundred euros has been made more accessible thanks to the researchers from WMG.

When being transported, the batteries will have to be kept at -35 degrees Celsius, however there would be significantly less packaging than explosion proof boxes,

In the paper, ‘Cycle life of lithium ion batteries after flash cryogenic freezing’ published in the Journal of Energy Storage, the researchers highlight that cryogenic freezing does not

making the process more sustainable.

reduce a lithium ion battery’s energy capacity or affect cycle or service life. The researchers say that cryogenically flash freezing the

with companies from both the public and private sector to drive innovation in science, technology and engineering.

DNV GL’s large battery destructive test chamber – Image: DNV GL

The WMG is an academic department at the University of Warwick that works in partnership

The report concludes that ventilation alone will not adequately mitigate gas accumulation if a significant portion of the battery system ignites.

“In addition to fire suppression and ventilation, the battery design must have preventative safety barriers so that the fire and gas emissions are limited to as small a part of the battery system as possible,” Henrik Helgesen, Project Manager for the research project and Senior Consultant at DNV GL said.

New report assesses risks posed by maritime batteries

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The report provides new recommendations on ventilation systems, based on a newly created model which identifies the appropriate size and type of ventilation system based on a vessel’s battery installation. Early fire and gas detection are also essential, meaning that the

NV GL has released a new report on battery safety in ships following a three-year collaboration with the Norwegian, Danish and US maritime authorities, battery manufacturers, system

associated with maritime battery installations and the effectiveness of fire extinguishing systems in the event of a battery fire.

DNV GL’s new report presents the results of

Batteries are being used in around 300 vessels currently in operation or under

integrators, suppliers of fire extinguishing systems, shipyards and shipowners.

research on what happens during a fire in a battery compartment, the release of gases, and the usefulness of various extinguishing systems in combatting the fire and preventing explosions. One of the most important findings concerns ventilation systems, which are critical to avoiding an accumulation of explosive gas.

construction. DNV GL’s report follows an explosion onboard a Norwegian batteryhybrid car ferry in October 2019 which is thought to have been caused by a coolant leak from a gasket in the liquid-cooled energy storage system. Visit the DNV GL website to download the report.

The report, Technical Reference for Li-ion Battery Explosion Risk and Fire Suppression, offers several new safety considerations and determines the explosion and fire risks

www.hazardexonthenet.net

gas sensor should be located as close to the battery as possible.

News Extra 13 Inside reactor No.3 at Fukushima - Image: Nuclear Regulation Authority

Removal of Fukushima nuclear fuel delayed by up to five years T

he Japanese government has announced that plans to remove spent nuclear fuel from two reactors

the spread of radioactive dust. This is the fourth time that plans for the removal of Fukushima’s fuel rods have been delayed.

dumped in the Pacific Ocean. At present, around 170 tonnes of water is used to cool the melted cores. The aim is to lower this

at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant have been delayed by up to five years. The announcement on December 27 has increased doubts as to whether the government is able to achieve its target of dismantling the complex within the next 30 to 40 years.

If no more delays are announced, the plan is to have all 4,741 spent fuel rods removed from Fukushima’s six reactors by 2031.

to 100 tonnes per day by 2025.

TEPCO has already started the process of removing reactor No.3’s fuel rods,

The extent of the damage at reactor No.3 was recently revealed in a video released on December 26 by Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA). The video, filmed on December 12, shows an on-site

while the No.4 unit’s have already been removed due to the reactor being offline for maintenance at the time of the 9.0 earthquake and tsunami which struck the east coast of Japan in 2011. The

investigation of the No.3 reactor’s building which was destroyed by a hydrogen explosion. Radiation levels in the building are extremely high compared with reactors No.1 and 2, but the source of the radiation

decommissioning plan says that the plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO), will not begin the process in reactor No.1 until 2027 or 2028.

Work in reactor No. 2 is now expected to start between 2024 and 2026.

disaster resulted in reactors No.1, 2 and 3 experiencing core meltdowns.

has yet to be determined. The investigation by the NRA was conducted in order to identify the unknown source and determine the causes of the explosion.

The government says the delay is to allow for extra safety precautions to be made, primarily the construction of an enclosure around reactor No.1 which will prevent

2019, Japan’s Energy Minister said storage facilities for radioactive water would be full by 2022. As a result, he said, future contaminated water might have to be

The process to remove spent fuel from reactors No.1 and No.2, which is estimated to take two years to achieve, was scheduled to begin in 2023. The latest

As part of its revised plan, the Japanese government also said it would aim to reduce the pace at which water is being contaminated at the plant. In September

The footage shows severe damage to the building where radiation levels have been measured at 150 millisieverts (mSv) per hour in some areas. The NRA aims to publish its findings in a report by the end of 2020.

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Digitalisation is king!

Standards 1

1 StandardsStandards 15 to the business. But why am I giving you the independent verifier Standards 15 to the business. But why am I giving you the independent verifier basicBut information if, like organisation, with the to thesuch business. why am I giving youmost of the the independent verifier as a “person or a basicBut information if, like organisation, with the to thesuch business. why am I giving youmost of the the independent verifier as a “person or a suchreadership, basic information likefamiliar most of the organisation, with the appropriate compete youif,are with the hazardous in the applied protectio suchreadership, basic information if,are likefamiliar most of the organisation, with the appropriate compete with the hazardous in the applied protectio readership, you areyou familiar with the hazardous in the applied protection methodology, area business? responsible for the verifi readership, you are familiar with the hazardous in the applied protection methodology, business? the verifi area area business? responsible forresponsible the verificationfor of design assessme area business? responsible forcalculations, the verification of design calculations, assessment and testing who calculations, assessme calculations, assessment and testing who I mention these facts to highlight a big issue are separate and distin I mention these facts to highlight a big issue separate and distinct by management I mention these facts to ahighlight a bigare issue aredistinct separate and distin I mention these facts to highlight big issue are separate and by management for manufacturers of explosion and other resources inc for manufacturers of explosion protected protected and other resources including financial, fro for manufacturers of explosion protected and other resources inc for manufacturers of explosion protected and other resources including financial, fro the respective Chairmen andsystems: Executive complete industry Theresponsible products and systems: they couldthey come into come the person or organisation for products and could intoIT infrastructures. the person or organisat In order toand ensure high IECEx andperson ambient temperature products systems: theyquality, couldthey come into come thetemperature person or organisation responsible foro products and systems: could into the or organisat Secretaries, are invited tothis the CAB bases for this are the IEC standard series serious conflict with their customers. all the activities associated with the designo In order to ensure this high quality, IECEx temperature and ambient temperature serious conflict with their customers. all the activities associa started the Proficiency Test Program (PTP) -40 °C) and two different explosive mixtu conflict with their customers. allestablish the activities associated design meetings to report the status of 62443 for Operational Technologies (OT)with the common reply about to these concerns The serious equipment mobile worker serious conflict with their customers. the associa manufacture orall sales ofactivities the explosive equipment.” started the Proficiency Test Program (PTP) -40 °C)aaand two different mixtu The common reply to these concerns equipment establish mobile worker manufacture or sales o for ExTLs in 2010.

The idea behind this is to (ethylene & hydrogen) selected accordin their systems and to get relevant and and 27000 for Information Technology manufacture or sales of the equipment.” is – don’t worry too much.

Apparently, concept for process plants, including On the one hand, end users will not accept a manufacture or sales o for ExTLs in 2010.

The idea behind this is to (ethylene & hydrogen) selected accordin is – don’t worry too much.

Apparently, concept for process plants, including updated information.

During the six (IT).

Both standards can be combined select type test as itavailable is defined in a accept certain IEC 60079-1. thereOn willthe beaone many new forusers hazardous areas. hand, end users will not a accept On the onejobs hand, end will not a(equipment protection level) “a”, th situation in which they can establish modern For EPL select a type test ashand, itavailable isI became defined in a certain IEC 60079-1. there will be new jobs forusers hazardous areas. years asin-Chairman ofdigitalisation.

IECEx, with sector specific standards, such as On the one end will not accept people the age of Aestablish study IEC TCmany 31which standard (IEC 60079 – XX) and situation in they canthey modern For EPLa(equipment protection level) “a”,pro th situation inthe which can establish modern For EPL (equipment digitalised processes and procedures inand the evaluation of the the equipment has to be don people in the age of digitalisation.

A study IEC TC 31 standard (IEC 60079 – XX) quite experienced with work of this the IEC 62351 series for electrical by adigitalised US IT consultancy recently suggested If questions emerge during the work in to create standardised andprocedures calibrated test On the basis ofequipment two configurations the situation in which they can establish modern For EPL (equipment pro processes and in the evaluation of the has to beofdon by asafe UScreate ITdigitalised consultancy recently suggested Ifthe questions during the work in and areas of new theiropportunity plants, cannot by three verifiers, for EPL organisation.

This will energy sector.

Now, asupervisors program tocan test processes andbut procedures inemerge the evaluation of the equipm to standardised calibrated test On the basis of two configurations of“b” the several new job profiles inprocess thisand brave new plant, experts orindependent samples for this test.

The samples are than Test Sample “EP” two explosive mixtures safe areas ofperspective theirprocesses plants, but cannot by verifiers, for EPL “b” digitalised and procedures in three the of the equipm several new job profiles inprocess this brave the plant, orindependent supervisors can help toincluding widen my on thenew global certify the experts cyber security ofevaluation products and apply the same technologies in hazardous two, and for EPL “c”, one independent ver world designer of aero taxis, be contacted, pictures can be taken samples for this test.

The samples are than Test Sample “EP” two explosive mixtures safe areas of theirhave process buttwo, cannot by three sent tothe thesame ExTLs which makeplants, thesystems two ambient temperatures and five igniti apply technologies intohazardous and forcan EPL oneindependent independent verv world including designer oflack aero taxis, be contacted, pictures be“c”, taken conformity assessment of IEC. the electrotechnical sphere can their process butiniscannot three v planner stadiums, smart–home After the by job is done,independent areas because of of aactivities of applicable modern enough. sentofsafe toe-sport theareas ExTLs which have to makeplants, theand transmitted. two ambient temperatures and five igniti apply the technologies in hazardous and for EPL typeofand test with their and send the each, auploaded total of industry, 40 explosion tests“c”, musto planner e-sport stadiums, smart–home and transmitted.

After the two, job iseasily done, areas because ofsame aequipment lack offor applicable modern istoenough. be offered the international designer recycling specialist data the new data can be products due to restrictions setand by send the safety apply the same technologies in hazardous and for EPL type and testrecycling with their equipment the each, auploaded totaltwo, of 40 explosion tests“c”, musto specialist for data the new data can bemore easily test results to a are notified authority.

IECEx, be performed by each is participant for the Idesigner willproducts also trygood! todue broaden the scope of customers and regulators. to restrictions set byAt the safety areas because of a lack of applicable modern is enough. trash.

Very But these jobs realistic to the database.

No paperwork standards.

On otherof hand, manufacturers The two years after introduction of test results to athe notified authority.

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Every twomonths, months, IECEx Chairman topics trash.

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Notwo more is forGerman my in Iorcreating the PTB isHazardex this and “Explosion Pressure”.

Every two Prof.

Thorsten alternatives forarticles forklift and truckauthority, drivers necessary, theprogram efficiency ofpaperwork increases standards.

On the other hand, manufacturers The first years after the introduction of Everytwo twomonths, months, IECEx IECExDr. Chairman Prof.

Every Chairman Prof. products due to restrictions set by the safety Every two months, IECEx Chairman are obliged to fulfill these safety standards, this new procedure were quite a surprise.

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German PTBand is plenty this and development program Pressure”.

Prof.

Dr. Thorsten Arnhold provides Arnhold provides anIECEx update onan update alternatives for forklift truckauthority, drivers orcreatingAnother necessary, the efficiency of increases Every two months, Chairman Prof. am sure that there be of and safety is“Explosion related to Dr. Thorsten Arnhold provides factory dramatically and sources ofwork failure are quite a surprise. N Every two months, IECEx Chairman Prof. products due to restrictions set by thethis safety producing the test samples evaluating the are obliged towill fulfill these safety standards, new procedure were Dr.developments Thorsten Arnhold provides an update Prof.

Dr. Thorsten Arnhold provides within the IECEx System.

Dr. Thorstenon Arnhold provides an update an update developments within which are defined by the CB for first a are scope and onThorsten developments within his organisation. factory hands? dramatically and sources failure standards.

On thedocuments hand,the manufacturers The twoextension years after producing the test samples and the and security related issues from allother four evaluating IECREIECEx system for asked the of conformity Dr. Arnhold provides anChairman update removed. onondevelopments within his organisation. organisation.

Every two months, After feedback from ExTLs, a test results. an update on developments within which are defined On by the documents IECEx CB asked for first aparticipating scope extension and developments withinIECEx his standards. the other hand, manufacturers The two years after his organisation removed. on developments within his organisation. mentioned above. as a result, no certificates were published. systems to report on.

If we consider just assessment of products and systems in Every two months, IECEx Chairman After feedback from participating ExTLs, a test results.

Despite these concerns, I cannot deny the are obliged to fulfill these safety standards, this new procedure wer hisDr. organisation Prof.

Thorsten Arnhold provides Despite statistical of thewere results is carrie mentioned above. Ito as a result,evaluation no certificates published. these concerns, cannot deny the safety are obliged fulfill these this new wer hisThorsten is my first article two global megatrends, the growing need the renewable sector.

The During theevaluation last year, however, the situation fact that we can expect many benefits from must confess that I am for notHazardex totally Nostandards, wonder thatenergy process industries are Prof.

Dr. Arnhold provides statistical ofsafety theprocedure results is carrie an update on developments within for which aresecurity, defined by the documents IECEx CBthan asked fortoajois ne of the most frequently asked out.

The are invited In the meantime, the following seven programs During theparticipants last year, however, the situation must confess that I am totally No wonder that process industries are fact that we can expect many benefits from since I left my role as not the are energy and cyber we by can see and quality of solar wind power digitalisation inbeen the hazardous area sector. convinced ofmost all the supposed so eager tochanged introduce these new systems t ne the time, there few This has a major concern for documents IECEx. significantly.

Now we havefor more an update on developments within are defined the IECEx CB asked ofpresent the frequently asked out.

Thepanels, participants are than invited toajoist In thewhich meantime, the following seven programs his organisation atall IECEx conferences and some workshop inenergy which the results are present have been conducted or are still for running: convinced of the supposed so eager tochanged introduce these new systems digitalisation inbeen the hazardous area sector. t question theChairman present time, there are few This has a major concern IECEx.generators significantly.

Now we have more t mentioned above. as a result, no certificat IECEx at the end of 2019. interesting developments regarding and marine equipment is blessings of digitalisation.

During my into their plants, and so far, so good. conferences or technical trade and Three yearsconducted ago, atabove. itsor annual Management 10 Ex CBs inand ExaTLs with ano respective sc his organisation question at IECEx conferences workshop which the results are present havementioned been are still running: result, certificat blessings of During my into their and far,as so andEx discussed.

Angood. important part of thissc similar events is about the difference According todigitalisation. our rules, after two terms conformity assessment atstandards IEC. crucial forplants, the acceptance and sustainability conferences or Itechnical trade years ago, at its annual Management 10 CBsso and Ex TLs with a respective At itsThree most basic, toTest keep professional career, have visited However, these shiny new possibilities During the last year, ho • Spark Ignition for Ex “I” Test Round 2010 shows that do not have the Industrial Committee Meeting in The Hague, the extension and a number of applications. andenergy discussed.

An Conformity important part of this similar events isthe about the difference professional I in have visited However, shinysolutions. new possibilities At itsCommittee basic, toTest keep standards of three years, chairmanship of the – renewable lastayear, ho workshop is training to the achieve common between ATEX andhave IECEx. worries •most Spark Ignition forthe Ex whole “I” Hague, Test the Roundof 2010 shows that docareer, not theNo Industrial Meeting in The extension and aDuring number of applications. of safety high throughout many manufacturers many different can make these you forget that all these of Things (IIOT) as the main organisation launched a new procedure to • Flame Transmission for Ex “d” Test Round 2013 tInternet the present time, there are few This has been a major concern for IECEx. changed significantly.

N workshop is training to achieve a common between ATEX and IECEx. No worries – many manufacturers in many different can make you forget that all these of safety high throughout the whole IECEx System must be handed over assessments can help to achieve safe operational life of equipment in these industries all the world and smart devices are poweredchanged bythe electrical I don`t want toover give a lecture about this understanding of bestsignificantly. working practic of Things (IIOT) as the main organisation launched a “d” new procedure • Flame Transmission for Ex Test Roundto 2013 tInternet the present time, there are few This has been a major concern for IECEx. N focus.

One of the most important adopt the new IEC 60079-33 standard.

This A look in the IECEx online database shows • Temperature Classification Test Roundand 2013long-lasting industries all world and smart devices areequipment. powered by electrical operational life of equipment in general these I don`t want toover give a lecture this understanding of the working practic to a new person.

Inthe my case, Iabout handed This isbest conferences or technical trade Three years ago, at its annual Management 10 Ex CBs and Ex TLs areas, it is necessary to conduct regular most of those with the highest levels energy, normally stored in batteries.

As a topic now.

It is not so obvious but there new focus.

One of theor most important adopt theThis new IEC 60079-33 This A look in the IECEx online database • Temperature Classification general Test 2013 normally conferences technical trade years ago, atthose itsstandard. annual Management 10 Ex CBs and Exshows TLs most of those with the highest levels energy, stored in batteries.

Asmeet acertificates areas, it isThree necessary to conduct consequences of this trend arebut the covers the maintenance. protection method “s” forRound “special”, already more than 20 base the position onto Paul Meanwell, a there important for investors and assurance topic now.

It is not so obvious • Electrostatic Charge general Test Round 2015 thethat inspections and Butregular of that automation continue tointerested employ consequence, those products have to shows do not have the Industrial Committee Meeting in The Hague, extension and aPressure numbe are many differences.

For The workshop for the Explosion consequences of this trend are the covers the protection method “s” for “special”, that already more than 20 certificates base • Electrostatic Charge general Test Round 2015 opportunity will of automation continue to employ consequence, those products have to meet inspections and maintenance.

But those manufacturer’s from companies who rely onelectrical theextension achievement drastically shrinking value chains and which was introduced to permit theRound quick IEC 60079-33 have been published, an shows that notrepresentative have the Industrial Committee The Hague, theon and aPressure numbe responsible might have toMeeting manage a in couple significant numbers ofFor manual all requirements which products are manydo differences. interested The workshop for the Explosion • Intrinsic Safety Test 2015 readers I can recommend the IECEx 01A Program took place in June 2018 at the drastically shrinking value chains and which was introduced to permit quick on to IEC 60079-33 have been published, an Internet ofAfrica.

Things (IIOT) assector, the main organisation launched athenew procedure significant numbers of manual all requirements which electrical products responsible might havecovered to manage a couple South of the prospected life time of renewable • Intrinsic Safety Test Round 2015 innovation cycles in every and adoption of new technologies, new materials am confident that many others will follow. of thousand products by ‘Ex’ or workers, whether in production, intended for use in hazardous areas have help to widen my readers can recommend IECEx 01A Program took place in June 2018 at the Internet of IThings (IIOT) asthe the main organisation a new procedure to • Explosion forlaunched Ex “d” Test Round 2017 for Guide: Informative Guide comparing PTB inin Braunschweig, Germany, 80 innovation cycles ininevery sector, and adoption ofPressure new technologies, new materials am confident manyin others willand follow. workers, production, intended use hazardous areas have of thousand products by ‘Ex’ or energy for theirthat safety standards, transport or logistics. to2017 fulfil. equipment focus.

One“An ofwhether the most important adopt thecovered new IEC 60079-33 standard.

This Acommercial look the IECEx onli • Explosion Pressure for Ex “d”when Test Round especially in the process industries. etc.

This implements aand practice which has Guide: “An Informative Guide comparing functional PTB in Braunschweig, Germany, and 80 perspective on the • Pressurised Enclosure for Ex “p” est Round 2017 transport or logistics. to fulfil. functional safety standards, and when focus. ofinthe most important adopt the this newcan 60079-33 standard.

This A look in the IECEx onli participants from international ExTLs joine various elements of both IECEx and ATEX”paperwork InOne the future I the will remain active for the calculations. especially process industries. etc. This implements a IEC practice which has is involved, often prove been field-proven in the ATEX For IECEx, this development recognition • Pressurised Enclosure for Ex “p” area est Round 2017 consequences of this trend areand theATEX”paperwork covers thethis protection method “s” for “special”, that already ismore than participants from international ExTLs joine various elements of both IECEx is involved, can ATEX often prove IECEx System as a member of the which can be downloaded from the IECEx this event.

In the eight years the program global conformity been field-proven in the area For IECEx, this development is recognition an impossible task.

Every day we see tens of thousands At IEC and IECEx we have recognised these consequences of this trend are the the protection method “s” for “special”, that already more than h In process facility safe areas, thethe speed sincecovers 2003. that its we focus this area hasthe been useful which can be downloaded from IECEx this event.

In on the eight years program h Every day we see tens of thousands At IEC and IECEx have recognised these an impossible task. drastically shrinking value chains and which was introduced to permit the quick on IEC 60079-33 have executive and as the convenor of the new One important precondition for the largeofprocess trucksunder onfacility ourPublications highways driven the by speed their importance for thethat website beenand wethis have seen the quali As an 2003. illustration of the program, here is aspecific short issues In safe areas, since that itsrunning, focus on area has been useful assessment drastically shrinking value chains and which was introduced to permit the quick on IEC 60079-33 have of adaptation to this trend is restricted the industry and high levels of safety will be of trucksunder on our highways driven specific and theirenergies importance for thethat the quali website Publications been running, weahave seen an illustration of digitalisation, the program, here is ascale shortuseissues working group for marketing.

As ofby2020, and Now,As of renewable is smart and drivers. however, thanks to market.

We have established special IEC innovation cycles in every sector, adoption of new technologies, new materials am confident that many our test has and risen from a satisfactory level description of one chapter of the 2017 Test ofexperienced adaptation to responsible this trend is restricted the industry high levels of safety will be byIexperienced the innovation of the suppliers and the Under the ATEX directive, the fulfillment of maintained. and responsible drivers.

Now, however, thanks to digitalisation, market.

We have established a special IEC activities of IEC. innovation cycles in every sector, and adoption of new technologies, new materials am confident that many am the German representative on the supply networks or smart grids from the our test has risen from a satisfactory level description of one chapter of the 2017 Test In the supermarket, I am happier to pay equipment in hazardous locations is working group to deal with questions on What I want to highlight in this article isand the the the beginning to an excellent level today.

Round: by the innovation of the suppliers Under the ATEX directive, the fulfillment of maintained. especially in the process industries. etc.

This implements a practice which has In supermarket, I aminBoard happier to pay in hazardous locationsofisappendix II with working group toend deal withto questions onis financial and technical capabilities of the equipment the general requirements Conformity Assessment (CAB) of the producer to the customer. thethe cashier directly rather than attempt becoming smart. how modern mobile digital devices can be level today.

What I want to highlight this article is the beginning an‘Smart’ excellent Round: especially in the industries. etc. implements a practice which has fact that IECEx isprocess notrather a lawcapabilities like ATEX, it of is an For the This program “Explosion Pressure - how Test financial and technical the the general requirements of appendix II with the cashier directly than attempt becoming smart. modern mobile digital devices can bethis develop IEC which is comprised of representatives beautiful but can be particularly vulnerable been field-proven in the ATEX area For IECEx, operators. the basic health and safety requirements is The executive group is preparing a promot to use a checkout machine that will only safely transformed to meet the requirements fact that IECEx is not a law like ATEX, it is an For the program “Explosion Pressure - Test been field-proven in the ATEX area For IECEx, thisofdevelop organisation acting worldwide on a voluntary We at IECEx are so convinced Round 2017” the general routine procedure operators. the basic health and safety requirements is The executive group is preparing athe promot to use a checkout machine that will only safely transformed to meet the requirements from 15 member countries ofattempt, the IEC, the For example, IECEE (IEC System for to cyber threats – which takes us back to allow me to pay on my third and One advantage is the easy identification of of hazardous area standards. and harmonised are just conference TC 31 spring sessio In process facility areas, speed obligatory, since2017” 2003. that its focus on this are organisation acting safe worldwide on athe voluntary We at IECExduring are sothe convinced of the Round the general standards routine procedure allow me to pay on my third attempt, and of hazardous area standards.

One advantage is the easy identification of basis.

Our Executive Secretary, Chris Agius importance and the trust-building effect of is described by the standard “Explosive obligatory, and harmonised standards just security. conference during the 31 spring sessio CAB andfacility IEC officers.

Assessment for Electrotechnical In process safe areas, the speedConformity since 2003. that itsTC focus onbethis are thenprocess only when a human assistanthave comes individual products by means of digital type arecyber Many sector companies to one way to do this.

Split Croatia on 23 April 2018, to held basis.

Our Executive Secretary, Chris Agius importance and theindustry trust-building effect of is described bymeans the standard “Explosive of adaptation to this trend is restricted the and high lebb then only when a human assistant comes individual products by of digital type Equipment and once that IECEx iscompanies like a franchise thewe PTP we23 decided at theto2014 IECE atmospheres - Part 1:members Equipment Many process sector have system. to oneInspection way toComponents) do this.

Split Croatia on April 2018, behigh held oversaid to help! labels. plans, equipment data, protection Furthermore, arethat making special efforts of adaptation to this trend is restricted the industry and le handle hazardous substances, with potentially IECEx in that conjunction with thethe UN, UNECE thewe weavailability decided at 2014 IECE once said that IECEx is like a franchise system. use atmospheres - Part 1: Equipment protection over to Furthermore, are making special efforts labels.

Inspection equipment data,- IEC The CAB is responsible for suppliers setting the thelayouts, principle ofplans, mutual recognition Another precondition is the of by the innovation of the and the Under the ATEX directive, the fulfillment ofPTP maintained.

There is ahelp! certain infrastructure and apotentially powerful Management Committee Meeting in The by flameproof enclosures “d”” 60079facility inspection records, repair to intensify market IECEx handle hazardous substances, with IECEx insurveillance. conjunction with will the UN, UNECE severe for the life and health To layouts, enable thethe IECEx Certification the Standards Institute. focus by the innovation of the suppliers andofthe Under ATEX directive, the fulfillment ofCroatian maintained.

There isconsequences aold-fashioned, certain infrastructure and a powerful Management Committee MeetingThe in The by flameproof enclosures “d”” IEC 60079to market surveillance.

IECEx will facility inspection repair IEC’s conformity assessment policy, (reciprocal acceptance) ofrecords, test results to-Bodies powerful energy storage technologies, Call me but I can’t help protocols and many other important data be intensify working hand into hand with EU’s steering organisation but the day day Hague make it the obligatory for allThe ExTLs a Edition An essential characteristic severe consequences for the life to and health ofthe To 1, enable the7.0.

IECEx Certification Bodies the Croatian Standards Institute. focus financial and technical capabilities of the general requirements of appendix II with the employees inmaintaining their plants. and Labs issue Test Reports and thisquickly conference willEU’s be on industry and a Call me old-fashioned, but I can’t help be working hand in with protocols and many other important data of promoting and relations with obtain certification orto approval at national which canof buffer the characteristic steering organisation but the day to day Hague tohand make it the obligatory for all ExTLs 1,Test Edition 7.0.

An essential characteristic but wonder what is going to happen to are stored in special data banks.

ATEX ADCO to ban unsafe mobile financial and technical capabilities of the the general requirements appendix II with business is done theplants.

Certification Bodies applicant ExTLs. will be on industry and the Labs testing and assessment of the the employees in by their andforTest to issue Test Reports and of this conference operators. basic health safety requirements isquickly The executive group is but wonder what is the going to to ATEX ADCO to ban unsafe mobile are stored in special data banks.

Certificates based on IECand 60079-33, the users of Exmarkets, equipment, all IEC international organisations onhappen conformity levels around the world. volatility offrom renewable energies.

One of business ispeople done by Certification Bodies applicant ExTLs. forthe the testing and assessment of the all those once we are completely products global and a and, new as with operators. the basic health and safety requirements is The executive group is (ExCB) and the Test Labs (ExTL).

In the IECEx explosion protection is the ability of the Certificates based on IEC 60079-33, the users of Ex equipment, and, as with all IEC all those people once we are completely products from global markets, and a new assessment matters, creating, modifying the most promising carriers is hydrogen.

The equipment intended for use all in areas If anIECEx Operational Document OD 233 was International Conferences, is frT enveloped in the digital with inspection jobprotection is due, theharmonised working group these issuesattendance obligatory, and standards aredealing just with conference during the (ExCB) and the Test Labsage (ExTL).

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Split Croatia on 23 Apri can be found in the Operational Documen 57 accepted ExCBs plus 5 Applicants and 15.2.).

This is of decisive importance for the the innovations and consequences we informs the technical management of the started work in May 2019 at Singapore to about fulfillmonitoring certain requirements orderquality, and and the second ofIECEx. charge systems, themedia, operation ofhave efficiency andpublished, overall performance we come of back to the (See: IECExwww.iecex.com/meeting-a System.

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57read accepted ExCBs plus 5 Applicants and can be found inSplit the Operational Documen 15.2.).

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These requirements are defined 2017.

The central and critical element of both handle hazardous substances, with potentially IECEx in conjunction 68examining accepted ExTLs plus 5relevance Applicants forming OD 202 ed. 2.0 (2017) which can be w design and workshops, construction ofhealth “d”onproducts. autonomously driven trains, ships and necessary are downloaded continued of the for offices, and assessments can onIECEx and on,website. a global network for robots testing and certification downloaded the Therefore, explosion pressure (reference vehicles asthe well as dealing with tablet computers orthe smart phones.

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Such pressure) has been selected as the quantity we have been dealing with appropriate offering further insights into the of supermarkets.

These devices together with cameras, supporting this process will bethis awork crucial the employees in their plants. and Test Labs to issue Test Reports and of conference will network organisation heavily depends on the When I wrote this article I was in the final b to be compared in the program “Explosion IEC 80079. ‘independent verifier’. working group meetings in Weimar, Germa supermarkets. supporting this process bearticle a crucial These devices together cameras, in June where feedback from application towith ensure the IEC assessment systems in myequipment, based on IEC“Explosion 60079-33, users of network organisation heavily depends on the assessment When Imission wrotewill this IEx was in the final o toCertificates beschemes compared in the program smart glasses and other digital part conformity of thethe IECEx into the future. competence and quality management of every smart glasses stage of preparations forfrom the equipment, 2018 IECExo Pressure Test Round 2017”. in June where feedback application based onand IECdefines 60079-33, users Ex part ofcomment thethe IECEx mission into the future. and- other digital The representatives ofsay, the systems, i.e. security ofCertificates components, OT systems future Interesting, you might if you are new Under paragraph the standard this Expieces. process willof also discussed. competence and quality management of every stage of“s”preparations for thebe2018 IECEx Pressure -Operational Test3.4, Round 2017”.

The equipment intended for use in these areas IECEx Document OD 233 was International Conferenc single member.

The overall of the test Management Committee in Cann Interesting, you might say, ifquality you are new Under paragraph 3.4, the standard defines this Ex “s” process will alsoMeeting beConferenc discussed.

The equipment intended for use in these areas IECEx Operational Document OD 233 was International single member. The overall quality of the test Management Committee Meeting in Cann has to certainprocess safety needs requirements in order The developed and published, andwith the second of charge (See: www.ie andfulfill certification to be be high France. explosion pressure is determined www.hazardexonthenet.net has to certainprocess safety needs requirements in order The developed and published, andwith the second of charge (See: www.ie andfulfill certification to be be high France. explosion pressure is determined www.hazardexonthenet.net and uniform, and the of these processes theedition Test Sample “EP” for two different www.hazardexonthenet.n to avoid the ignition ofresults potentially explosive has been available since February events/iecex). and uniform, and the results of these processes theedition Test Sample “EP” for two different www.hazardexonthenet.n to avoid ignition ofat potentially explosive has(single been available mustthe be the same or least comparable I will report on events/iecex). the outcomes of this, the m configurations chamber andsince February atmospheres. are defined configurations 2017. The (single central and critical must be theThese same orrequirements at least comparable willboth report on the outcomes of this, the m chamber and element I of

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Oil & gas warming up to wearable tech PPTex Products Creating the future of oil & gas with intrinsically safe wearable computers How technology is creating safer working environments Utilities company puts handheld gas detection to the test

18 PPTex – Products

IoT enabled hard hat provides real-time situational awareness productive work environment for frontline industrial workers in heavy manufacturing industries. Founded in October 2014

and provides real-time alerts to both the user and their supervisor in the event of a fall, exposure to toxic gases, lockout zones

by industry veterans and a former steel & mining CEO, Guardhat’s aim is to modernise safety and enhance last mile connectivity in the industrial workplace.

and proximity to moving equipment.

Guardhat collaborates with IBM Watson IoT and integrates its KYRA IoT platform with

Detroit-based Guardhat develops

Guardhat modernises traditional workplace safety equipment – like the hard hat – by adding an IoT component. The Guardhat

the IBM Maximo Worker Insights solution to provide near real-time situational awareness using smart personal protection equipment (PPE).

wearables, infrastructure and software platforms to provide a safer and more

system actively monitors a user’s location, pulse, body temperature and environment;

www.guardhat.com.

IBM / Guardhat

Exoskeletons reduce risk of injury and augment user strength Sarcos Robotics has developed two technologies to help reduce the risk of injury within industrial and hazardous environments.

The Guardian GT is a human-controlled, dualarmed, exoskeleton system that enables the operator to lift and move heavy objects, or to cut pipelines and handle hazardous materials from a safer distance.

The Guardian GT is designed for dexterity

Guardian GT - Image: Sarcos

and is kinematically equivalent, which means the cameras and arms on the robot are positioned in a way that mimics the human body. Each seven-foot arm is controlled by the user’s real-world movements, making the robot feel like a natural extension to the user’s

lift and manipulate up to 90 kilograms (200 pounds) without fatigue or strain.

The onboard power source offers up to eight hours of operation on a single charge with

arms. Force feedback means the operator is also able to feel the environment through the machine’s hands. These features mean that an inexperienced user is able to control the machine with little training.

a hot-swappable battery design extending operational uptime and flexibility. In the event of sudden power loss, redundant hardware and software limit-stops enable “passive braking” to prevent operator injury. The XO Pod docking station facilitates battery charging as well as easy don/doff operation and configurations for transport/shipping. Users are also able to select from different end effectors depending on the use case.

A second technology designed by Sarcos is the Guardian XO, a full-body, batterypowered exoskeleton. The Guardian XO has been designed to augment operator strength without restricting freedom of movement.

The exoskeleton allows the operator to safely

www.hazardexonthenet.net

Guardian XO - Image: Sarcos

https://www.sarcos.com/

PPTex – Products 19

Wearable technology eliminates microsleeps The Life series of products, developed by Australia-based SmartCap, are wearable technologies that help prevent microsleeps by providing accurate alertness measurements in real-time to operators and drivers. While there are several technologies that react to a person showing signs of fatigue, Life proactively monitors the initial stages by alerting an operator before symptoms of fatigue progress, enabling them to better manage their fatigue.

The LifeBand can be attached to several types of headwear, including hard hats and caps, or can be worn on its own. It then monitors fatigue measurements by using a method called EEG (electroencephalography) technology that measures the electrical activity of the brain.

Workers can monitor their fatigue levels in real-time via Bluetooth using the LifeApp. The

Image: SmartCap

app provides a fatigue level ‘speedometer’ and can help prevent microsleeps before they even occur. The early warning system

need for in-cab cameras, Life ensures ongoing compliance with the strictest of workplace privacy requirements. The products are

enables proactive intervention to better manage fatigue risk.

currently in use within the mining and road transport industries.

By providing fatigue monitoring without the

http://www.smartcaptech.com/

Haptic gloves for virtual reality training California-based BeBop Sensors has developed smart sensor fabric that is able to capture data and track the wearer’s hands.

The Forte Wireless Data Gloves have flexible sensors embedded in the fabric which enables tracking and data collection. This enables a person’s hand movements to be realistically recreated in a virtual environment.

The one-size-fits-all glove includes haptic feedback and can be used wirelessly for up to 15 hours. The gloves are ideal for

Image: BeBop Sensors

immersive training in a digital environment using virtual reality. Tasks that are complex or dangerous can be recreated in virtual

complex tasks in a realistic, yet safe manner. The gloves can also be used for the control of objects such as robots and

a user interface when wearing virtual reality headsets.

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20 PPTex - Industry trends

Oil and gas industry warming up to wearable tech W

earable tech is still in its infancy in the industrial space, and much of the developments today are largely

operations with an increase in deployment of wireless connectivity and the Internet of Things (IoT). Wearables, which essentially

Wearable technology has the potential to enhance workers’ efficiency and productivity in several ways. The technology can augment

catering to the consumer markets.

However, oil and gas companies have started evaluating the possibilities of

function as portable data collection devices when worn by field personnel, can gather sensor or imagery data in different areas

physical and cognitive processes through over-the-air support from experts located onshore, which is currently being tested by

deploying wearable devices in day-today operations.

of a production facility based on the type of device worn, such as wristbands, smart helmets, smart glasses, and smart workwear,

Shell and Baker Hughes at their respective facilities. It also has the scope to deliver relevant information to field personnel to

Earlier, the trend among oil and gas companies was to equip workers with industrial-grade smartphones or similar devices when sending them out on field assignments to enable continuous communication. Wearables are an upgrade over smartphones as their ‘hands-free’ feature allows workers to go about their

wearables. These devices also transmit the data to the control room using wireless networks for further processing and may even notify the wearer in case of an emergency.

support spot decisions while reducing complexity.

Human augmentation to simplify hazardous operations

One such use case is being implemented

by Anglo-Dutch major Royal Dutch Shell (Shell) in its oil and gas operations. In 2019, the company began equipping its workforce with a head-mounted wearable device to

duties while maintaining remote contact with the control room. In the case of both types of devices, mobility and real-time data exchange are of paramount importance for companies.

Adoption of sensors and camera technologies

The major area of interest in wearable tech is its ability to free up the wearer’s hands, enabling them to perform tasks without any hindrance. Wearable devices can augment natural human capabilities, such as enhanced vision or smell (gas detection), thereby adding

fast-track maintenance and repair activities.

The device features a head-mounted wearable computer with microdisplay, camera, and headsets that can be worn by field technicians while executing maintenance procedures. It incorporates mobile

has grown considerably in oil and gas

productivity and safety in oil field operations.

computing, augmented reality, and mobility

www.hazardexonthenet.net

PPTex – Industry trends 21

software to enable workers to interact with remotely-based experts in real-time. The

accidents while working in industrial settings that involve remote locations, assets that are

crew members and also sends an alert to the centralised monitoring centre. This, in

hands-free device allows a technician to execute the repairs while getting the required technical assistance from the expert via video call. Shell observed a notable improvement in the execution of maintenance procedures with the adoption of these devices. It enabled

not easily accessible, extreme temperature and pressure variations, and the presence of heavy equipment in the surroundings. In such working conditions, wearable devices are able to capture vital statistics of the field workforce and monitor health conditions and

turn, helps the crew to follow the standard evacuation procedure that is then tracked by the monitoring centre in real-time to ensure personnel safety. The location-based system also helps to deploy first responders in the event of an accident.

workers to perform with a higher level of efficiency, encouraging Shell to deploy the technology across 12 countries worldwide.

transmit these to command centres on a real-time basis.

Similar application of wearables is being tested by oilfield service providers Baker

Some wearable devices are equipped with gas detectors to monitor external surroundings for poisonous or corrosive

Oil and gas companies are actively involved in the research of wearable technology to open up even more use cases in field operations.

BP is developing a wearable jacket that has sensors placed at strategic points to monitor

Hughes and Schlumberger in their respective operations. Baker Hughes has issued ARenabled helmets to its maintenance crew for enhancing productivity and efficiency

gases and send location-based alerts to the wearer and other crew members using geofencing solutions. These devices enhance safety while working under harsh

physical movements of personnel in heavy lifting operations. The company is aiming to use sensor data from these jackets to train personnel on the correct posture to be

during inspection and maintenance activities.

The field technicians can capture the exact condition of the machinery using the helmet and share that data to its offices in the US. A

environmental conditions observed on oil and gas production platforms and refineries among other industrial facilities.

adopted while lifting. In 2019, a Norwegian company, Wenaas Workwear, introduced workwear using high-tech fabric that offers superior thermal protection and mobility

team of experts from the US can supervise the whole operation remotely without actually traveling to the production site. Schlumberger

Marathon Petroleum, the US-based refiner, has developed an end-to-end gas detection and alarm management system

under sub-zero operating conditions at oil fields.

has customised Google Glass to gather field data via gestures and voice commands, enabling technicians to take hands-free notes.

with technical assistance from Accenture, Cisco, AeroScout, and Industrial Scientific.

The system comprises a wearable multi-gas detection sensor with integrated wireless

Wearable technologies allow for the possibility of creating numerous types of data collection and information exchange devices in oil and gas applications. By leveraging sensors,

infrastructure and location tag to transmit gas-level data and personnel location simultaneously. In the event of hazardous gas

wireless connectivity, artificial intelligence and augmented reality, wearables could bring about a paradigm shift in worker safety and

leakage, the system automatically triggers an alarm, informs the individual and nearby

efficiency in field operations.

Wearable tech for enhancing workplace safety and emergency response In the industrial context, wearable devices provide a safe and secure workplace to the wearer while minimising the impact of unforeseen events. Field personnel are generally more prone to health issues and

If you have any queries about this report or would like further information, please contact eninfo@globaldata.com

www.hazardexonthenet.net

22 PPTex - Wearable Computers

With hands-free wearable computers, O&G workers can take pictures in hazardous areas with one simple voice command: ‘Take Photo.’

Creating the future of oil & intrinsically safe wearable co F

or each day that a typical 200,000-barrel-a-day refinery goes offline, that’s close to $12 million USD in lost revenue. That’s $12 million USD lost for every day your frontline workers have to wait for an expert to learn about the situation, travel to the site, and complete

have been shown to improve productivity while maintaining situational awareness, including some that are certified for ATEX and IECEx zones.

the fix. It doesn’t have to be this way.

70% increase in safety compliance and a 10% improvement in productivity.

For example, Saudi Aramco found that wearable technologies can contribute to a

Visual Assist Inspections and audits are a fact of life in the O&G industry. But how can your workers take pictures and video while maintaining situational awareness?

Equip them with voice-operated and

An increasing number of oil and gas (O&G) majors are minimising downtime and boosting profitability through the use of carefully chosen “enterprise-ready”

In this article we’ll review several typical use cases for purpose-built wearables in O&G, and how 21st century technicians might

hands-free rugged wearable computers approved for use in highly restricted zones. For example, when using RealWear’s intrinsically safe HMT-1Z1, a worker can simply say, “Take Photo,” to capture high-res images when performing

wearables. These purpose-built solutions

benefit from these devices.

routine safety checks, equipment

www.hazardexonthenet.net

PPTex - Wearable Computers 23

of miles away. In these situations, O&G workers need more than a Visual Assist,

Previously, Bill would have had to travel to the rig and identify the problem first-hand.

they need a Remote Mentor.

Remote Mentor

Now, frontline workers and remote experts can collaborate in real-time to fix problems quickly and reduce unplanned downtime.

Many O&G technicians work in extremely isolated locations. And when equipment breaks down, sometimes they don’t have

And that’s exactly what Shell is seeing right now. In early 2019, Honeywell helped Shell

the skills to fix it. In this case, the typical solution looks like this: 1. Workers halt production.

2. Expert spends hours or days travelling to the site.

3. Expert completes repairs in minutes or

deploy the HMT-1Z1 to 24 operational sites across 12 countries. Shell’s Digital Realities Leader, Michael Kaldenbach, explained: “In the past, we would have to actually fly people over in order to resolve issues. In this case, it’s nothing more than a phone-

hours.

4. Full production restored.

5. Expert returns to home base to await the next emergency shutdown.

call away. We can still offer the same level of support or even better, using this kind of augmented reality. We’ve significantly reduced the cost of travel. But at the same

Fortunately, there’s a better way. Frontline workers can use Remote Mentor solutions to connect with subject matter experts from

by 10% can mean savings of $220 million USD to $260 million USD just for one site. Based on all of this, Remote Mentor

day offline can cost millions of dollars in lost production, every minute counts.

solutions deserve a closer look.

free computers, what would this look like?

inspections, and to confirm timely repairs.

Workers who use these wearable computers can also take full HD video with another simple command, “Record Video.”

The whole process is 100% hands-free, so workers don’t get distracted. This makes

Imagine an inexperienced wellhead tech,

However, what happens if it takes more than a video conference call to fix the problem? What if the remote expert needs to share a document with the frontline worker? This is where Remote Mentor

Luke, and he’s inspecting equipment on a rig in the Mariner field 95 miles east of Shetland in the North Sea. Luke identifies a

meets Document Navigator.

major vibration that he doesn’t recognise, and he needs a second opinion. Luke initiates a Remote Mentor video call with

If we take the Luke and Bill example again, but imagine that this time Bill wants to give Luke a bit more information.

Bill, his rotating equipment expert out of the company’s Amsterdam office.

Luke: “I’ve got this sensor that’s telling me there’s a problem with the assembly. Can you see what I’m looking at?”

Document Navigator

Bill: “Thanks for submitting that work order.

Now, I’m going to send you the manual for this assembly so you can identify these issues in the future.”

Luke: “OK, what do I need to do?”

Bill: “OK, I can see the part you’re referring to. Can you let me hear the machine?”

Bill: “I just shared it, check notifications.”

Luke: “Got it. Switching to Noise Capture

Luke: “Ok, got it.”

audits and inspections easier and faster.

mode now.”

But sometimes pictures and video aren’t enough. If there’s an emergency repair, your on-site team might need to share pictures and video with an expert at the home

Bill: “Yeah, I hear it. It’s a problem with the second stage bearing. Submit a work order in Maximo. We need to take care of this immediately.”

base and that expert might be thousands

McKinsey estimates improving productivity

anywhere. Remote experts can see what the operators see, hear what they hear, and provide real-time guidance. And when each

If your frontline workers had rugged hands-

& gas with omputers

time, we’re quicker in resolving issues that might contribute to leaks or spills.”

Bill: “Now, whenever you have issues with this assembly, refer to the schematics here.”

It’s hard to provide global teams with upto-date paper manuals on a regular basis.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

24 PPTex - Wearable Computers

Digital Workflow solutions on rugged wearable computers can improve worker productivity and help them maintain situational awareness

And even if these paper manuals are always

Jack has two years of experience working

So not having to take off our gloves to do

current, what are the chances workers will have them nearby when they need them?

with equipment like this, but he doesn’t want to leave anything to chance. If he doesn’t fix this second stage bearing right

the maintenance.

With Document Navigator, workers can get just-in-time training right when they need it.

They don’t need to worry about stopping their work to grab a binder from a locker

now, that means another technician will have to deal with it later. They might even need to halt production, both of which Jack would like to avoid.

not missing steps, we’re not missing part of the process. So now we can systematically force them to do checks, in the manner we want to do them. But the big one

on the other side of the rig. If they want to check a job, all they have to say is, “Open Manual,” “Page 23,” “Zoom Level 4.”

Once Jack completes each part of the repair, he can proceed to the next step in

that we saw was the efficiency. From the maintenance side we saw a 33% efficiency gain. And we can translate this into financial

Technicians can use Document Navigator during inspections, safety checks, and

the Digital Workflow. Each step includes areas where he can dictate notes and attach images from the camera on his

dollars internally, and that’s going from the hand-held to the hands-free.”

anytime they need to verify equipment status.

Now, workers like Luke don’t have to choose between carrying a manual and staying

rugged wearable computer. This way, Jack’s Operations Manager back at the home base can get valuable context and

It only takes a few minutes to build a Digital Workflow, but these solutions can reveal a tremendous amount of previously hidden

aware of their surroundings. They can keep their hands free and eyes forward at all times.

monitor his work.

Schlumberger is already seeing the benefits

information which could prove invaluable for O&G executives and data scientists: • “How long does it take our workers to

Digital Workflow

of rugged wearable computers. They chose Ubimax connected worker solutions for some of their quality and compliance inspections. David Redding, Digital Innovation Manager at Schlumberger, shared the following observation at the RealWear Summit in May 2019: “I almost think of this as hands-free YouTube.

advance from one step to the next in a Digital Workflow?”

• “We want to evaluate our technicians’ performance across different sites. How well do technicians on this rig complete repairs on Digital Workflows compared to technicians on other rigs in different parts of the world?”

Jack has just arrived on Luke’s rig. Jack got the work order Luke submitted, and now he’s ready to fix the assembly so it doesn’t deteriorate. Jack simply says, “My Programs,” then opens a Digital Workflow application. This solution will show him how

The guys are actually able to watch a video of building something, whether it’s manufacturing or maintenance, and they can see that real-time on the device, completely hands-free. And of course, HSE is a big one for us, so now we’re moving

• “How long does it take experienced workers to complete this task vs new hires?”

to complete the fix step-by-step.

from something hand-held to hands-free.

the skills shortage as experienced workers

After a worker talks with a Remote Mentor and examines schematics with Document Navigator, how do they address that issue when it comes up again? This is where checklists can help in the form of Digital Workflows.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

“And also, quality and compliance. We’re

The O&G industry is currently facing a skills crisis. Companies need ways to make up

PPTex - Wearable Computers 25

retire, and Digital Workflows are one way forward. When technicians use Digital

IIoT Visualisation solutions allow technicians like Jack and Luke to examine IIoT data for

Conclusion

Workflows, they can complete repairs more quickly and accurately the first time. And this will also improve workers’ situational awareness, since they can now keep their hands free and devote their full attention to each step on the checklist. With hands-free

the right machinery right when they need it. With just a few simple voice commands, frontline workers can analyse machine health and take appropriate action.

Savvy O&G companies can use IIoT data

revolutionise the O&G workforce.

Devices like these can transform how data is collected, how work is completed, and the performance of entire facilities. Intrinsically safe wearable computers can improve

wearable computers, workers like Jack, Luke, and Bill have a better way to do work more quickly and smartly.

to improve the bottom line: • Reduce the number of times a worker has to go on site for a fix.

• Decrease the number of workers that have to show up for that fix • Limit the number of repeat visits to fix a

worker productivity and preserve their situational awareness at the same time, without compromises. Now it’s no longer a question of if industrial wearables can deliver a solid Return on Investment, but how much.

But there’s an additional area where wearable devices can have a major impact on worker productivity. Technicians can use these rugged wearable computers to analyse machine data from the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

specific issue.

About the author This is what the connected workforce will look like in the future. Machines will freely

O&G companies that learn how to harness IIoT data will see higher profits and

share IIoT data with O&G workers, and workers will have an easy way to visualise that data. From there, technicians will be able to take appropriate action, extending

increased productivity. But if that data is siloed, that won’t help technicians who deal with machinery every day. How do you

machine life and reducing the cost of repairs. This type of human + machine collaboration will improve productivity and

package IIoT data in a meaningful way for your frontline workers?

keep workers out of harm’s way.

IIoT Visualisation

Enterprise wearables promise to

RealWear develops rugged enterprise wearable computers for Oil & Gas, Petrochemicals, and other industries where safety is non-negotiable.

Founded in 2016, RealWear has achieved global recognition through its focus on safety, security, and stability.

Learn more at www.realwear.com.

Workers can analyse real-time machine health with the IIoT Visualisation capabilities of wearable computers

www.hazardexonthenet.net

26 PPTex - Communications

Mind the gap: How technology is creating safer working environments H

azardous working environments

safer amidst some of the most potentially

so on-site communication gets smoother

occur in multiple industries and sectors, all over the world. Such hazards cover everything from machinery and

dangerous conditions in the world.

Reliable communication

and more sophisticated also. It is increasingly possible for on-site communications networks to incorporate rich data and

equipment that could potentially injure people, to ATEX-rated environments.

In this article, Noel Sheppard, General

A foundational principle for keeping hazardous working environments safe is ensuring that all stakeholders can

automation, so that, say, when a worker begins operating a new piece of machinery, they receive automated alerts reminding them

Manager at Distec, discusses how technology is improving communication and operations in hazardous areas.

communicate with each other reliably.

Without this, workers cannot be warned – or warn each other – of potential hazards. It is harder to implement safe working protocols and ensure that everyone is aware of the latest onsite movements and developments.

of core safety practices.

Lone workers

Communication, in this instance, means not

Lone workers can be placed in some of the most potentially hazardous conditions of all, without colleagues on hand to alert or assist if they get into difficulties. But as communication technologies like those

Health and Safety Act posters on our office walls. But what about the technology innovations that are helping to reduce the impact of hazards and create safer working environments? Here innovation is abundant, and a raft of exciting hardware and software

only equipping all workers with appropriate devices for voice and data sharing, but also ensuring that an appropriate alert system is in place to warn the entire site of one-off hazardous events. And as devices such as portable radios and site-wide monitoring

outlined above get smarter and more efficient, so even individual, remote workers remain intricately connected to their teammates at other locations. Augmented reality headsets can help guide lone workers through complex tasks for which they might otherwise have

solutions are truly helping to keep workers

systems get more and more sophisticated,

just received voice instructions, for example.

Most of us are familiar with the processes, working practices and legal and regulatory frameworks which have evolved to mitigate these risks; we certainly recognise the

www.hazardexonthenet.net

PPTex - Communications 27

Other technological innovations are reducing the need for lone workers altogether. IoT

enables the proactive reallocation and resting of individuals who may need it, but it can also

Technology: creating safer working environments

innovations, for example, are making it easier and easier for heavy machinery to be operated remotely, avoiding the need for single on-site operators.

provide long-term insight into the effect of different workplaces on health.

From construction sites to power stations, rugged outdoor environments to manufacturing facilities, millions of workplaces around the world need robust and effective means of mitigating hazards and keeping people safe as they work amongst them.

Mobility across sites In many industrial and construction settings, tracking the whereabouts of individual workers and major assets across the site is a key part of ensuring safety. Managers need to know where everyone and everything is at all times. When major pieces of machinery are

Likewise, connected sensors throughout a working environment can measure environmental conditions such as levels of air pollutants, temperature, humidity and wind levels, providing instant insight into just how hazardous conditions are. Should worrying changes take place, then staff can be automatically alerted.

being moved, workers need to be warned to keep out of the way.

Operability in harsh conditions

Innovations in digital technology are making

All these technological innovations can only do their job of creating safer working

this far easier to achieve. Location trackers on key assets – and even wearable GPS sensors for workers – can together build an interactive, real-time picture of locations and

environments if they are able to continue operating at the highest levels throughout the harsh environmental conditions we laid out at the start. This is where ruggedised

movements, ensuring that the right workers are warned at the right time, and kept safe throughout.

hardware comes in – equipment which has been specifically designed to remain operable throughout extremes of temperature,

Staff health and welfare

moisture levels, chemical cleaning and unusual air conditions.

We’ve all heard of Fitbits for tracking how much exercise we’re doing. Similar wearable

ATEX-rated environments, for example, are

devices in hazardous working environments can help monitor staff health and welfare through factors like how many hours

likely to feature large volumes of very fine dust in the air – so hardware needs to be specially designed to ensure that said dust cannot

worked, heart rate, breath rate, and body temperature. Such data not only provides a real-time picture into workforce welfare and

enter its casings. It also needs to be able to withstand potentially robust washing very frequently.

Innovative technologies have been used to achieve this for centuries. From the earliest days of protecting clothing and guards on machinery, through to today’s exciting uses of IoT sensors, artificial intelligence and highly ruggedised hardware, the technology industry has been keeping workers safe.

About the author

Noel Sheppard is Director of specialist hybrid technology solutions provider Distec, offering hardware and software solutions to sectors including healthcare, retail, manufacturing and transportation.

The company, which was founded by Noel and his business partner in 1992, is part of KAMIC Group’s Electronics division.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

28 PPTex - Case study

Utilities company puts handheld gas detection to the test L

aunched in 2005, Wales and West

Utilities (WWU) has a regulated gas distribution business which includes approximately 35,000 kilometres of gas pipes across Wales and the south west of England.

Covering a sixth of the UK, WWU takes care of 2.5 million gas supply points in homes and businesses in a catchment area with a population of 7.5 million people.

A Bluetooth option is available which allows the device to communicate gas levels

The challenge In order to overcome these issues, WWU wanted to observe new technologies in action and understand how they could deliver the best results and support existing methods. The utilities company therefore conducted a trial of different technologies.

The purpose of the trial was for WWU to understand the technologies’ respective

The readings are measured in three categories – Parts per Million (ppm), Percentage Gas in Air (% GIA) and

capabilities, how the new products performed alongside traditional gas measurement instruments and whether

Percentage Lower Explosive Limit (% LEL) which (for methane) can be converted to 50,000 PPM = 100% LEL = 5% GIA when in proximity of a leak.

these products could improve efficiencies in surveying (including saving time and increasing safety).

WWU operatives predominantly used these portable devices to scan an area

Although this was an effective method of detection, the detection probe needed to be operated at arm’s length which meant

In January 2017, WWU invited Crowcon Detection Instruments to take part in the trial which showcased three different

for escaping gas by using a hand-held probe attached to the device. This method of leakage detection dominated the UK market for decades and although effective, had limitations as the operative was unable to visually observe the leak and so could

an operative had to be close to the leak source. This presented problems when looking for leaks that were out of arms reach, such as those above rivers or train tracks or in locked/enclosed environments.

There was also a delay in the device

technologies.

not survey from a safe distance.

readings.

• Laser detection which uses laser

WWU used three types of ‘traditional’ detection equipment; all of which involve pumping a sample from the potential leak source across a sensor commonly using catalytic or flame ionisation (FIM/FID) technology to detect flammable gases.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

The trial

These included: • Optical gas imaging (OGI) camera technology which gives a visual representation of the leakage point

PPTex - Case study 29

technology to detect methane concentration from a distance • Infrared technology to detect leaks and potentially reduce bar holing

The seven scenarios WWU carried out seven scenario surveys to detect leakage and monitor quality.

The scope of the trial was to test the three products in different scenarios to gain an understanding of the products strengths, weaknesses and how each performed against the existing devices. This helped WWU identify individual capabilities and how

damage to other underground utilities such as electric cables. Pipelines commonly run

The LMm is a compact handheld detector which specialises in the detection of

under roads and pavements, resulting in road closures and in this instance, there must be a safety consideration and again additional costs can be incurred. Additionally, the use of hand probes requires the operative to be near potential emissions.

methane gas at a safe distance (0-100m).

Utilising laser technology, methane leaks are located by pointing the laser beam towards the suspected leak, or along the survey line.

LMm is aimed at industrial, commercial and research environments or anywhere that

6. Above ground crossings

methane could be present and in need of locating or monitoring.

River or railway line crossings can have pipelines crossing them. The challenge associated with this scenario is that these areas are difficult to access leading to the

An automatic self-check during startup ensures consistent performance and reliability every time units are turned on.

they could achieve ‘increased timesaving and safety’.

requirement for specialist equipment and resources.

The green laser guide light is highly visible, even under strong sunlight. A Bluetooth option is also available which allows the device to communicate gas levels, time and

The seven test scenarios included:

7. Flight surveys

1. Leakage surveys on >7 Bar pipelines Leaks on 7 Bar pipelines can be difficult to detect as much of the High-Pressure

Flight surveys are currently conducted by helicopter. The operative will survey the local transmission system fortnightly. These flight surveillance activities confirm there is no

date to the GasViewer app, which combines these data points with position information from the android smart device.

Network (HP) is buried ≥ 1.1m deep as they are mainly situated in fields and must avoid farmers’ crops.

construction or encroachment on highpressure pipelines. Also, to utilise drone technologies for ‘difficult to survey’ assets

WWU gained an excellent understanding of the LMm’s capabilities during both pre-trial workshops and in-field training sessions.

such as those crossing estuaries.

2. Offtake, Above Ground Installations, District Governors

The outcome

Before gas becomes odorised, it can be

The trial results demonstrated there would

This provided capability training as well as use-case insight to the team carrying out the trials. The trials themselves provided valuable insight into when and where the

more difficult to detect a leak as operatives cannot rely on their senses to alert themselves to leaks. In addition, there are

be benefits to implementing Crowcon’s LaserMethane mini (LMm).

LMm’s strengths could be applied within the organisation.

many small fittings within the station, so surveys can take longer (depending on the size of the station).

3. Multi occupancy buildings It can be difficult and costly to inspect a pipe that is located externally on multiple story risers due to lack of access. In this instance, scaffolding would have to be erected resulting in increased cost and the need for specialist resources

4. Undertaking surveys of gas storage facilities (pressure vessels) Large pressure vessels can take a long time to survey with a handheld probe and operatives need to be at close range.

5. Location of gas leaks on made and unmade ground The challenges in this scenario included minimising the time taken to find leakages, the use of bar holes (which can cause defects and incur costs) and potential

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Alarms 31

Shutterstock

Alarming your tank farm T

wenty-five years on from a major explosion at an oil refinery, what

electrical storm in the area caused lightning to strike the crude distillation unit that

consequent explosion was calculated to be the equivalent of at least four tonnes of high

can we learn about alarm annunciation?

Here, Gary Bradshaw, Director at alarm annunciator specialist Omniflex,

provided feed to the PCC units. This resulted in a fire that caused disturbances that affected the vacuum distillation, alkylation

explosive. This caused a major hydrocarbon fire at the flare drum outlet itself and a number of secondary fires.”

explains why many sites that fall within the scope of the Control of Major Hazards (COMAH) regulations are in

and butamer units, as well as the fluidised catalytic cracking unit (FCCU).

urgent need of physical alarm panels that emit light and sound in the event of imminent danger.

What followed was a cascade of failures that highlighted severe shortcomings in the plant’s safety and control systems. The

when the control system indicated it was open; control panel graphics did not provide necessary process overviews; a modification

At 13:23pm on Sunday July 24, 1994, twenty-six people were injured when an explosion erupted through an oil refinery in an otherwise quiet corner of South Wales.

The site was occupied by two companies: Texaco’s Pembroke Refinery and the Pembroke Cracking Company (PCC), a joint

report produced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following an investigation into the events, concluded that, “the direct cause of the explosion that occurred some five hours later was a combination of failures in management, equipment and control systems during the plant upset. These led to the release of about 20 tonnes of flammable

had been carried out without assessing all the consequences; staff attempted to keep the unit running when it should have been shut down; and the company failed to take the necessary overall perspective, concentrating instead on the local, immediate symptoms rather than looking for the underlying cause.

venture between Texaco Ltd and Gulf Oil (Great Britain) Ltd.

hydrocarbons from the outlet pipe of the flare knock-out drum of the FCCU.

The site produced hydrocarbon fuels such as gasoline, diesel, kerosene and liquid petroleum gases (LPG) from crude oil.

“The released hydrocarbons formed a drifting cloud of vapour and droplets that found a source of ignition about 110

The 14 subsequent recommendations that were given included everything from improved safety management systems, human factors, protection systems, plant layout, inspection systems and emergency

The incident started before 9am when an

metres from the flare drum. The force of the

planning.

The HSE investigation found several causes of the incident. A control valve was shut

www.hazardexonthenet.net

32 Alarms imminent danger. The endless stream of visualisations presented to an operator can be overwhelming and it’s worrying to think how an operator may respond if similar events were to take place today.

While it’s lucky that no-one was severely injured, the incident reinforces the need for alarm annunciators. These are physical panelbased alarms that are hard wired directly into each process and capable of sounding and lighting the relevant window in the event of a critical breach in containment. The HSE’s findings show that, had more effective alarm systems been in place, staff at the site may have had a better chance of preventing such catastrophic circumstances and perhaps avoided the subsequent rebuild cost of £48m at the time – or over £96m today.

Quench tank alarm annunciator

COMAH

When I was reading the HSE report, as an

for flare systems, are distinguishable from

Today, tank farms are used in all areas of

alarm annunciator specialist, two things stood out to me. The first relates to human factors, where the report mentions that,

other operational alarms; alarms are limited to the number that an operator can effectively monitor; and ultimately plant safety should

industry, not just in oil refineries. Any facility that stores toxic or dangerous substances and materials that could cause damage

“display systems should be configured to provide an overview of the condition of the process.” The second relates to protection systems, where it explains that, “the use

not rely on operator response to a control system alarm.”

You see, it’s striking because, even 25 years

or harm to people or the environment are regulated by the Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) Regulations 2015.

Dangerous materials might include those that

and configuration of alarms should be such that: safety critical alarms, including those

on, many of the sites I visit today rely largely on their control systems to warn them of

are toxic, explosive, flammable, self-reactive or pyrophoric, and dangerous substances

Milford Haven Refinery in 2015 - Image: Phillip Roberts / Shutterstock

www.hazardexonthenet.net

Alarms 33

may include things like ammonium nitrates, potassium, arsenic, bromine, chlorine, nickel

over 30 years ago – so may not meet current IEC 61508 safety integrity levels (SIL).

Each alarm should be well justified and suitably prioritised, and each window should

Sites are classified into upper and lower tiers. Upper tiers have the potential to cause danger of death or major environmental issues, while lower tiers still handle

Because the operator response times are an important part of this rating, it’s vital that alarms maximise, rather than impede, the operator’s ability to respond quickly.

Managing a mix of critical and non-critical

be colour coded to match the severity of the alarm. Additional benefits to look out for include the ability to remotely network the alarms to SCADA systems and the cloud, and to benefit from SMS and GSM alerts so everyone on site can be immediately alerted

dangerous substances but pose a lower risk.

Businesses in both tiers must consider the potential for a major accident arising from their work and plan accordingly, writing up prevention policies and revising their systems to manage and control the risks where

alarms in your control system interface can quickly become overwhelming, so physical alarm annunciators must be up-to-date. They must also only display the safety, health and environmental alarms that the plant operators need to respond to.

powder and fluorine; the list goes on.

necessary.

Part of the planning required to meet these

Sensors that detect tank levels and are designed to protect against overfill can be hardwired to high priority alarms.

regulations requires that plant managers employ the relevant technical measures to control the process and prevent the loss of containment of dangerous substances. In

In emergencies, these alarms give visual indication and provide a horn output before a fuel leak has chance to vaporise and become an ignition source.

part, this can be achieved through safety instrumented systems and alarm systems that include fire and gas detection.

Plant and safety managers updating their alarm annunciators should check for a few

This problem is that, while many plants have visualised alarms in their control systems, their physical alarm annunciators are severely

key things. You should ensure that the alarm annunciator is hardwired into the sensor, that it has a panel of windows permanently dedicated to specific processes to enhance

out of date – many in use today were installed

situational awareness for the operator.

Update your alarms

in the event of imminent danger.

By taking suitable precautions and updating their last defence against potential breaches, tank farm managers can learn from the lessons of the past and give themselves the best chance of preventing such disasters from happening again.

About the author

Gary Bradshaw is Director at Omniflex, a global specialist in remote monitoring, protection and critical alarm systems.

Having qualified as an engineer at GEC Switchgear, he went on to establish the Conlog brand in the UK and was later part of the management buyout by Omniflex in 1997. Over more than twenty years, Gary has grown the business from a start-up to a leading remote monitoring brand across many industrial sectors.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

34 Fire safety Image: Shutterstock

Are you using outdated technology to protect the health of your workforce?

I

n this article Rob Head, Specialist Product Business Manager, for global life safety manufacturer, Hochiki

completely devastating an out of control fire can be. With so much electrical equipment, new technology and complex industrial

source of ignition occurs in the wrong place.

This is due to the fact that many flours, when in powdered form and suspended in air, can

Europe, outlines best practice for dutyholders when addressing life safety in hazardous areas.

processes engrained in the world around us, the number of sources from which a fire can unintentionally start has never been more

become highly combustible dusts. A notable case of this is the wood flour mill explosion in 2015 near Macclesfield, Cheshire, which

varied. This being said, those responsible for safety across this broad spectrum of modern workplaces must recognise and

resulted in a fatality.

Thankfully, fire safety doesn’t hold a regular spotlight in the news agenda, but when it does, it’s usually under disastrous and more

minimise the risks by specifying, installing

storage areas or places where substances

often tragic circumstances. In 2019, one

and maintaining systems that are specifically

can become airborne will also require

of the most culturally significant cathedrals in the world was devastated by flames. At the time of writing, there is still speculation about the cause of the fire, with some pointing the finger at construction and

tailored to them.

specialist life safety systems. Warehouses using certain types of battery-powered forklift trucks are also deemed hazardous, due to the possibility of an explosive disaster in the case of fire near the batteries. Any areas

renovation work taking place on the historic Notre-Dame Cathedral. In March 2019, another fire at a chemical plant in China led to a blast which killed 78 people and injured hundreds of others, making it the worst industrial accident in the country in recent years.

measures. For example, petrochemical storage plants, gas refineries and offshore oil rigs, seem obvious as areas which require solutions tailored for hazardous environments. However, there are many other settings which should also be of particular concern for risk assessors, duty holders and building owners.

A world full of hazards There are ‘typical’ places in society in which you would expect to find specialist fire safety

University laboratories which have chemical

within commercial buildings which store flammable materials classed as ‘hazardous’ will require specialist ultra-dependable fire safety equipment.

Intrinsically safe

These terrible events serve as a stark reminder of the unparalleled importance

Wood flour mills, for example, can quickly

The kinds of devices which need installing in the aforementioned areas must be declared as ‘intrinsically safe’. These devices need to be able to perform adequately during

of life safety in the current era and how

become extremely volatile environments if a

emergencies but also keep the risk of ignition

www.hazardexonthenet.net

Fire safety 35

to an absolute minimum. In terms of any life safety systems installed in these areas, such

certification is so important. Across Europe, intrinsically safe and explosion proof certified

for each element installed on an application, but there is also an overall system approval

as smoke and heat detectors, manual call points or beacons, these products must be manufactured in such a way that they can operate at very low voltages so that when installed, they are unable produce any kind of spark (or ignition) from an overheated component (in the event of a short circuit)

products must be declared as such by ATEX (General European Directives for controlling explosive atmospheres). Internationally, the IEC Standards cover the equivalent global standard. Countries in Europe but not in the EU, such as Switzerland, will use IECEx as the accrediting body.

rating once installed. The rating of the entire application will depend on the lowest rating SIL device within the system.

or an electrical power overload. These

Ideally suited With so many complex areas of industry being developed to bring about new technologies across the world, those

products are designed to operate with specialist Zener or Galvanic Isolator barriers which must be used on the fire cabling between the ‘safe zone’ and the ‘hazardous

SIL is another important product standard for life safety systems that has been widely adopted by the global oil and gas industry, as well as many others where life safety is a

responsible for designing and maintaining these spaces must remain focused on life safety. By installing certified solutions which have been proven to be ultra-dependable

zone’ in order to limit the amount of electrical current travelling into the hazardous environment.

particular 24-hour concern, such as in the healthcare and transport sectors. SIL is an acronym for Safety Integrity Level, and is a classification used to quantify and qualify the

and especially designed to minimise risks in hazardous environments, disasters can be stopped before they ever happen.

As well as intrinsically safe devices, hazardous area duty holders should consider whether to install ‘explosion proof certified’ products. These devices are usually

requirements for, and performance of Safety Instrumented Systems.

contained within robust, heavy duty steelalloy enclosures. This means that should there be a spark within the device this is

SIL applications should be awarded a SIL certification between 1 and 4. This level is judged on the risk of a device failing. If a

completely contained within the housing so as not to affect the environment in which it is installed.

device is deemed to be SIL 2 capable and is installed alongside other SIL 2 capable equipment, then the likelihood of failure is virtually non-existent. Most SIL applications

Investing in ultradependability

About the author

All life safety devices designed to go into

would call for SIL 2 capability of any life safety equipment.

Of course, what a life safety device says it does and what it actually does, can be two very different things, which is why third-party

Unlike a standard fire alarm system, on a SIL system, there are individual SIL approvals Robert Head is Specialist Product Business Manager at Hochiki Europe spearheading the company’s strategy on specialist products and their applications.

Since joining Hochiki in 2004, Robert has gained a wealth of product knowledge and sales experience through his roles in Technical Support, Overseas Sales and his three year secondment as Assistant Managing Director at Hochiki’s Middle East office in Dubai.

Image: Shutterstock

www.hazardexonthenet.net

36 PPE

Head for safety: unlock the associated benefits of great head protection O

ur head and the brilliantly complex brain it protects are integral to

The fact remains, however, that even on a well-run, modern-day site, head injuries

pinch your feet and hurt, perhaps hamper the way you walk, and likely make you

everything we do – at home and at work.

100,000 miles of blood vessels and 100 billion neurons enable our brains to

can still happen. Falling objects and other hazards for instance, can do significant damage if the worker isn’t wearing their

a little miserable. The hard hat a worker wears on site for upwards of seven or eight hours a day is no different.

breathe, think, dream, retain memories, and make 35,000 decisions each and every day. That’s 2,000 decisions per

hard hat. Of course, all PPE has its limits, and it is important to ensure the appropriate hard hat is worn for the specific application.

Work in potentially hazardous environments can be demanding enough

hour. One every two seconds. It’s therefore only right that our heads are given the very best possible protection,

In 2016, Eurostat reported that 254 people were incapacitated long-term due to head injuries at work in the UK; 39 tragically died.

without having to worry about head protection. But if the hard hat workers are wearing is ill-fitting, bulky, heavy, or poorly

The statistics are sobering, which is why helping to protect heads and save lives

balanced, then they’ll probably do just that – worry. Or worse, they won’t wear it. A worker wearing a comfortable hard

especially when working in potentially hazardous environments.

It’s hard to think of workers without hard hats, but they haven’t always been as ubiquitous as they are today. Before Joseph Strauss insisted on them being worn during construction of the Golden Gate Bridge, they were largely optional, and workers died at a rate of one per every million dollars spent on construction in the US (according to

is, and always will be, the most important purpose of a hard hat. That goes without saying. But a hard hat is much more than its hard-outer shell. Its job shouldn’t stop at safety. There are a whole host of other associated benefits great head protection can offer: comfort, confidence, happiness, productivity and efficiency. All contribute

hat – one that’s balanced, fits properly, and works well with accessories – is free to concentrate on the job at hand and crucially, more likely to keep it on all day.

This can be the difference between life and death.

goldengatebridge.org). Thankfully, due to improved technologies and the introduction of extensive standards, like Directive 89/686/EEC introduced in 1989, and later Regulation (EU) 2016/425, hard hats are much more sophisticated and largely

to safety in their own way, but collectively they also help to unlock your workforce’s potential and improve business results.

You wouldn’t buy a pair of shoes that

heads also contribute to a workforce’s general happiness and wellbeing, thus unlocking all sorts of benefits for workers and importantly, the business. Not least improved safety and minimised risk – both of which can help to mitigate financial

mandatory across the UK.

didn’t quite fit. Why? Because they would

liability.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

Greater comfort

From a business perspective, comfortable

PPE 37 Increased confidence, improved happiness, boosted productivity When it comes to the head, there’s no tool more important or valuable. It’s only right that it gets the best treatment: a compliant and comfortable hard hat that helps workers concentrate on the job at hand and work efficiently.

down. Demonstrate investment in the wellbeing of your workforce with quality, comfortable hard

Protect your greatest asset

hats that allow workers to focus on completing the job at hand as safely and efficiently as possible.

Delivering projects on time and in budget is a constant challenge and dependent on many

its hard-outer shell. It’s much more than just a hard hat, it’s a lifesaver and a crucial cog in your operation. It’s an enabler of greater wellbeing, increased productivity and improved efficiency and helps to instill greater confidence and improve your workers’ contentedness. And all-importantly, it’s what

Maximise efficiency

There’s much more to a great hard hat than

different factors. It’s why, understandably,

helps to protect their greatest asset and

Work on site – whether it be a building site or oil rig – comes with associated hazards and requires both physical exertion and mental aptitude, which is why hard hats need to

safety and project managers are constantly on the lookout for anything that can make their business and/or project run more efficiently.

most valuable tool – the head. Make sure it’s looked after.

be adapted to the worker’s task, his or her working environment, fit comfortably, work seamlessly, and provide the highest level of safety. If it doesn’t, it can impact workers’

Well, what if the hard hats your workers wear could help? If efficiency is a direct consequence of improved productivity and happier workers make for more productive

confidence. Having confidence in your safety instils confidence in your work and a more confident worker typically makes for a happier, more productive worker. Forbes even suggests

workforces, why wouldn’t you look after workers’ most valuable asset – their heads?

that a happier worker can be up to 20 per cent more productive.

and you’ll foster a greater sense of teamwork and pride. Your team will be proud to wear their hard hats and more likely to take better care of

Lots of things can contribute to a worker’s happiness on site, of course. But just like those shoes that don’t quite fit, an uncomfortable hard hat can bring the mood of your workforce

them, which means you won’t have to replace them as frequently. On top of that, putting your company logo on your hard hat will increase your company visibility and brand awareness.

What’s more, add your logo to the hard hats

About the authors Established in 1914, MSA Safety develops, manufactures and supplies safety products that protect people and facility infrastructures. Many MSA products integrate a combination of electronics, mechanical systems and advanced materials to protect users against hazardous or lifethreatening situations. The company operates around the world in a range of markets, including the oil, gas and petrochemical industry, the fire service, the construction industry, mining and the military.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

38 Legislation & regulation probability that the heat transfer will cause the PPE material to break open and expose the operative. However, the new ELIM ratings are measured to ensure a 0% probability.

It’s crucial to note that under the new ELIM testing, a product’s ELIM rating could be different from its ATPV rating, despite it being the same garment.

BS EN 1149-5 BS EN 1149-5 is the European Standard for garments that protect against electrostatic discharge in areas where there is a risk of explosion, and is most applicable to petrochemical and fuel distribution businesses.

It states that workers must be provided with appropriate clothing consisting of materials which do not give rise to electrical discharges that can ignite explosive atmospheres. In other words – the outer fabric of the garments worn must be made from antistatic materials

All you need to know about the latest arc flash regulations

and cover all noncomplying materials. The standard also states that non-dissipative materials (labels, reflective stripes etc.) must not exceed 50mm in length, unless they also pass the anti-static test.

RIS – 3279 – TOM RIS-3279-TOM (formerly GO-RT 3279) is a high visibility standard that only applies to the rail industry in the UK, as opposed to the EU-Wide nature of other EN standards. The aim is to ensure that rail workers on or near the trackside are sufficiently visible to trains

P

IEC 61482-2

is widely acknowledged to be the last line of defence for workers, meaning that understanding the different standards

The first standard is IEC 61482. This is the overall standard covering protective clothing that protects against the thermal arc hazards

approaching at speed or any other traffic.

governing PPE is of vital importance. Yet a study by ProGARM, arc flash protective clothing specialists, uncovered that

of an electric arc, and covers many aspects of garment design and testing.

Another standard concerning visibility is BS EN ISO 20471 specifying the requirements for clothing noticeability during the day and

78% of industry workers were unfamiliar with the relevant legislation for arc flash protection.

The thermal energy generated by an arc flash can reach temperatures of up to 19,000°C – up to four times hotter than the surface of the sun – and is the key element that distinguishes a ‘normal’ electrical blast from an arc flash blast.

at night. It deals with things like illumination in car headlights and classifies garments based on the number of square meters of fluorescent fabric/reflective tape incorporated into the clothing.

ersonal Protective Equipment (PPE)

With so many different industries at risk of arc flash – a relatively misunderstood, but extremely common type of electrical explosion facing sectors from industrial

To determine whether garments meet the

electrical, to utilities, civil engineering and rail – Mark Lant, technical expert at ProGARM, explains the relevant legislation and guidelines to ensure managers and workers alike are up to date on the latest standard updates, and to ensure protection against the potentially

requirements for this standard, all prospective PPE must pass one of two test methods: Open Arc or Box Arc. These tests will measure the ATPV or the new ELIM ratings of a garment. ATPV values are calculated from a prediction of the incident energy

fatal consequences of an arc flash.

level of an arc flash, at which there’s a 50%

www.hazardexonthenet.net

BS EN ISO 20471

The BS EN ISO 20471 standard has replaced EN 471 which has now been withdrawn.

BS EN ISO 14116 BS EN ISO 14116 is the standard which has replaced the withdrawn EN533. It covers outerwear that would usually be worn over other protective garments. The objective is to ensure that, once in contact with the material,

Legislation & regulation 39

the amount the flame spreads and the time it burns are limited. This is tested using different

BS EN 343

codes; Index 1, 2 & 3, with each getting more rigorous as the numbers increase.

The BS EN ISO 11612 standard replaces the now-withdrawn EN531 standard and applies to clothing intended for a wide range

garments must adhere to, with regards to protection against rain, snow, mist and ground moisture. BS EN 343’s icon shows an umbrella placed under two numbers that represent the X and Y values. The X value indicates the waterproofness and the Y value indicates the water vapour permeability. There

of application which offer limited flame spread

are 3 classes for both X and Y values, with 3

and provide protection against various hazards including radiant heat, convective heat and splatters of molten metal. The standard requires that the material of a garment shall

being the highest and 1 the lowest.

not ignite or melt and shall not shrink by more than 5% with mechanical strength and heat resistance at a temperature of 180°C

manufacturers are allowed to certify their own products. This is because the only risk to the wearer is getting slightly wet and is not life threatening.

BS EN ISO 11612

There are several fabric tests within this EN standard, and the results of the tests are represented by the pre-fix letters A, B, C, D, E and F. The number after these letters indicate the performance of the fabric within this test.

If a (0) is shown, then the fabric has not been tested or does not achieve the lowest value

About the author

Finally, BS EN 343 outlines the requirements

This particular standard falls under the bracket of ‘self-certification’ meaning Mark Lant has been a Sales Manager at ProGARM for almost seven years and was previously involved in the sales team for ASKAS, a workwear safety brand based in Hull. Due to his large range of experience in the sales world of protection wear, Mark is perfectly placed to educate on how to protect lives through Arc Flash and flame-resistant clothing.

attainable with the test.

BS EN 13034 Protection against liquid chemicals falls under the bracket of BS EN 13034 which is in place to determine the garment’s resistance against small splatters or fumes of chemicals. This is achieved by chemical coating the garments in order to repel any contaminants and preserve the properties within the clothing. Testing for this standard consists of a ‘mannequin test’, in which the wearer must perform 7 basic movements and the permeability of the clothing to chemical is subsequently determined.

BS EN 14404 BS EN 14404 relates to trousers and coveralls which offer kneepad pockets to protect the wearer when kneeling. Knee pads are tested based on three properties – penetration resistance, force distribution and shock absorption.

Two levels of protection can be provided according to BS EN 14404. Level 1 requires kneepads to provide protection against objects more than 1cm high. Level 2 requires pads to be able to withstand use under heavy conditions such as kneeling on stones in mines and quarries.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

40 Dust

Are you using outdated tec to protect the health of your w W

Can the problem be suppressed?

The flaws of current continuous monitoring

safety controls in hazardous environments is impossible, argues Glyn Jones, CEO, Trolex Group.

Efforts to control the level of exposure workers have to fine dust particles has spawned a wave of suppression systems and products.

There are existing devices that are considered to provide continuous dust monitoring, but only in the sense they are

Accurately monitoring and controlling the displacement of fine dust in harsh and

However, controlling the levels of dust is not the underlying issue, understanding its presence in a given environment in the first

continuously present in the environment they are monitoring. The crucial missing element here is applying real-time insight

hazardous workplaces is not just a prerequisite of any competent safety procedure, it is a genuine health hazard with potentially

place is the real challenge when it comes to monitoring harsh and hazardous environments.

to this approach.

fatal consequences.

The fact is that existing technology has been unable to monitor dust in the workplace over a continuous period in real-time, or properly understand the size and profile of the dust particles workers are being exposed to.

ithout real-time and continuous monitoring, applying accurate

Consistent and long-term inhalation of fine dust particles can lead to any number of lung and respiratory diseases – from asthma and silicosis, to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and in some cases, Cancer.

Even if prolonged exposure doesn’t result in a fatal health condition, the impact is chronic and life-altering illnesses are widespread among current and former workers within industries from mining, tunnelling and quarrying to ceramic and foundry businesses.

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The inability to combine continuous

A lack of continuous, real-time monitoring means that operatives have no idea what levels of dust they are being exposed to until after it has occurred.

monitoring with real-time insight means there is no way of accurately identifying when the majority of dust was generated.

Dust particles are captured within a device on filter paper, which is then sent off to an external laboratory to be analysed. How can this delayed response time provide adequate protection to the workers?

One potential safety solution is to run dust suppression systems 24/7 – but from an operational stand-point this isn’t realistic or

There is also another limitation to consider – because these continuous devices rely on pumps, filters and moving parts to operate, they become clogged and require regular and ongoing maintenance from

cost-effective.

engineers. The devices are prone to failure,

Dust 41 The flaws of current realtime monitoring

These robust, state of the art devices are – for the first time – able to provide real-

Real-time dust monitors typically require an engineer to be on site and take a reading to record the level of dust at that specific moment in time.

time, continuous and accurate profiling of dust particles in harsh and hazardous environments.

This is a snap shot instance in time and can be highly inaccurate in reflecting what

By providing a second-by-second picture of dusts levels and identifying how these levels change during the day, operators can finally

the actual working environment is like. This

plan effective suppression systems.

method also comes into question when readings are taken during off-peak working hours, when the presence of dust is much lower than when the area is active.

The use of this technology will have a fundamental positive impact to the long-term health of operatives working in some of the

The risk here is that because the levels of dust are being recorded as being lower than in practice, suppression systems are

chnology workforce?

not being deployed when they should be to provide adequate protection to workers.

most harsh and hazardous environments in the world.

About the author

What is the solution?

The introduction of high quality and practically obtainable laser technology has enabled devices and techniques, only previously available in expensive laboratory instruments, to be used and developed for harsh and hazardous environments.

which not only adds to the total cost of ownership and inefficiency of the device,

Using lab-grade laser technology coupled with the latest optical particle counting technology is helping operations accurately monitor dust

but also the inaccuracy of the recordings being produced.

in the workplace – therefore providing greater protection to their operatives.

Glyn Jones is CEO of Trolex, the Manchester-based sensing system company. He has been with the company for 10 years, having earlier served in a variety of senior roles in media and industrial sector companies.

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42 Events

OPEX MENA 2020 Date: 31 March-02 April 2020 Location: Bahrain OPEX MENA was launched in 2013 and is a high-level and interactive annual forum that provides organisations in the MENA region with access to current thought leadership and advanced methodologies for improving performance through strategies related to operational excellence.

For organisations involved in highly complex operations including oil, gas, chemicals and aluminium, the goals of attaining a high level of operational excellence and reaching a target of zero accidents, have always been closely intertwined.

In 2020, OPEX MENA will take a close look at safety leadership and management culture, as well as the very latest strategies,

systems, tools and digital innovations that are available to support organisations on their OE journey. https://europetro.com/week/ opexmena2020

EMC 2020 Date: 08-10 April 2020 Location: Nicosia, Cyprus The Eastern Mediterranean Offshore Conference & Exhibition (EMC) will be held in Nicosia, in Cyprus, from April 8-10, 2020. EMC 2020 enjoys the auspices of the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry of Cyprus, and the national energy company, CHC – Cyprus Hydrocarbons Company, is the official National Host and Head of the Conference Steering Committee.

The Mediterranean basin has proved to be a world-class energy source with huge hydrocarbon potential. Cyprus,

on this focus, has become one of the most attractive energy destinations in the Mediterranean, with significant business opportunities, in a unique investment climate and a booming economy. Cyprus enjoys a golden era of prosperity from the hydrocarbon industry and the gas discoveries. With so many opportunities for the exploration, production and export of energy products, its strategic location as oil & gas hub for the wider region, with current and planned pipeline, E&P and Midstream projects, today there is no other best place to go for the oil and gas industry.

From upstream O&G, to LNG, Gas to Power, HSE, Gas Value Chain and Investment

Opportunities, there are wide range of opportunities to get involved with the EMC 2020 Conference, which have been developed throughout a rich programme of technical sessions, workshops, panel discussions and tech talks.

With strong local E&P opportunities and with the leading IOC’s & NOC’s, all in one location, the exhibition provides a costeffective way to reach your market. https://www.emc-cyprus.com/

Safety & Health Expo 2020 Date: 19-21 May 2020 Location: London, United Kingdom The Safety & Health Expo returns to the ExCeL in London on the new date of May 19-21, 2020. The exhibition is the UK’s largest gathering of health and safety professionals providing visitors with the latest health and safety products and services, CPD-accredited education, valuable networking opportunities and much more.

Safety & Health Expo brings together over 13,800 visitors with 300 exhibitors to experience the latest products and

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expertise in the health and safety industry.

With the newest workwear, behavioural safety programmes, safety harnesses, PPE, occupational health products, e-learning, training solutions and more, visitors are able to source the perfect health and safety solutions for their business.

The Safety & Health Expo is colocated with FIREX International, IFSEC International and the Facilities Show, catering for those also responsible for fire protection, security and facilities management of their premises.

The highlights of Safety & Health Expo 2019 included the PPE Attack Zone, 75+ hours of CPD-accredited seminar sessions, networking opportunities with over 14,000 health and safety and HR professionals, the Workplace Wellbeing Show, and the Safety Technology Zone. https://www.safety-health-expo.co.uk/

HAZARDOUS AREA HEATING. STEGO enclosure heaters and thermostats for Ex atmospheres and hazardous environments in space-saving sizes: only as big as necessary! Easy screw or DIN clip mounting.

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Heaters

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Control Panels

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Reduce your cabinet requirements by up to 50% with the MTL SUM5 Smart Universal Marshalling solution

The all new MTL SUM5 combines five functions into one modular design for the lowest lifetime costs and lowest installed costs.

The requirement for complex interconnecting wiring is now eliminated, reducing the cost of wiring, installation, maintenance and most significantly reducing risk of failure.

The highly compact design reduces the number of marshalling cabinets required, delivering significant cost, weight and space savings.

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