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Explosive atmospheres usually occur in process engineering plants such as silos, elevators, mixers, mills and conveyors. In the presence of effective internal or external ignition sources, there is a risk of explosion in the respective plant as well as a risk of propagating of the explosion into connected plant components. Explosion protection is concerned with reducing the effects of an explosion and is the central, most frequently applied explosion protection concept. The explosion protective measures include conventional explosion venting using explosion vents, flameless venting, explosion isolation and explosion suppression. But which protective measure is applied to which plant component?

Plant example 1: Filters

The risk of explosion is particularly high in filter systems. The very fine dust is distributed in the filter and can trigger an explosion if an ignition source is present. Filters indoors are therefore protected with flameless venting, filters outdoors with explosion vents. If there are traffic routes for people and vehicles in the vicinity of explosion venting, add-on modules for explosion vents such as the TARGO-VENT are used. TARGO-VENT limits the opening angle of the explosion vent and directs explosion pressure, flames and heat into defined areas. In this way, safety areas can be reduced.

Explosive atmospheres usually occur in process engineering plants such as silos, elevators, mixers, mills and conveyors. In the presence of effective internal or external ignition sources, there is a risk of explosion in the respective plant as well as a risk of propagating of the explosion into connected plant components. Explosion protection is concerned with reducing the effects of an explosion and is the central, most frequently applied explosion protection concept. The explosion protective measures include conventional explosion venting using explosion vents, flameless venting, explosion isolation and explosion suppression. But which protective measure is applied to which plant component?

Plant example 1: Filters

The risk of explosion is particularly high in filter systems. The very fine dust is distributed in the filter and can trigger an explosion if an ignition source is present. Filters indoors are therefore protected with flameless venting, filters outdoors with explosion vents. If there are traffic routes for people and vehicles in the vicinity of explosion venting, add-on modules for explosion vents such as the TARGO-VENT are used. TARGO-VENT limits the opening angle of the explosion vent and directs explosion pressure, flames and heat into defined areas. In this way, safety areas can be reduced.

Plant example 2: Spray dryers

Dust, which is often flammable, and oxygen are always stirred-up in spray dryers, whether in the food, chemical or pharmaceutical industry. The most frequent ignition sources in spray dryers are glowing embers, damage to rotary nozzles, hot bearings or sparks due to an imbalance.

Take particular care to protect yourself from “overengineering”. Which protection measure makes sense for your plant depends on the volume of the spray dryer to be protected, its respective installation site and strength.

Spray dryers are usually protected with a combination of explosion isolation systems and conventional venting using explosion vents. Flameless venting is used when free venting is not possible.

The special EGV HYP and ERO explosion vents are used in hygienically demanding processes. The connecting pipelines are usually isolated. The aim is to close these pipelines in the event of an explosion in order to prevent the propagation of pressure and flames and thus protect adjacent plant components.

Plant example 3: Conveyors such as elevators

There are various venting options for the wide range of conveyors. Due to the functional and design-based conditions, elevators represent a special source of danger. Conveying a large amount of (combustible) bulk material carries a high risk of explosion. As with the previously mentioned plants, the elevator legs are usually protected outdoors with explosion vents and indoors with the REMBE Q-Box or the REMBE Q-Ball.

Depending on the conditions at the installation site, a combination of conventional and flameless venting can also be the right safety concept. Quench valves can be installed to prevent explosion propagation via connected aspiration lines. The REMBE Q-Bic extinguishing barrier is usually used to isolate the conveyors upstream or downstream.

Plant example 4: Silos

Silos, in particular, are critical plant components when it comes to explosion protection. An explosive dust-air mixture prevails when filling a silo.

If it is not possible to exclude all potential ignition sources, silos must be protected constructively. Outdoors, silos are generally vented with explosion vents – different types can be used depending on the type of filling. Indoors, the REMBE Q-Box or the REMBE Q-Rohr will be installed for flameless venting.

As a rule, explosion isolation is implemented using quench valves. These completely close the pipelines within a few milliseconds; the explosion cannot propagate further.

Conclusion: The explosion protection concept can only be safe and economical if the entire system is observed and the individual protective measures are coordinated. This requires a systematic approach as well as observance of system-specific boundary conditions and knowledge of methods for assessing safety-related parameters.

www.rembe.de

Visualisation of safety-relevant faults in the control room are only half the battle. In order to appropriately react to such faults, pre-defined counter measures have to be initiated – what sounds simple is a true challenge for plant operators in practice. Although protective systems and plant components react autonomously, the right behavior of employees in critical situations is mandatory. Given the risk of human error, the REMBE iQ Safety Cockpit was developed and launched:

Similar to a process control system, the REMBE iQ Safety Cockpit offers an overview of all relevant protective and equipment system status, which can also be monitored in real time from any location remotely via smart phone. However, in addition to the PLC, detailed and automatic and semi-automatic action plans can be linked and initiated: In case of an event in a certain area, sending an email or an SMS to a pre-defined distribution group can be automated to bring the incident to their attention. Such a scenario could for example be, that in the event of an explosion the responsible safety officer might be informed by text message via his service phone, the surveillance cameras in the affected area could be activated or set to a different mode and the management would receive an email. Nevertheless, more importantly, the REMBE iQ Safety Cockpit guides the logged in user through the pre-defined plan of action.

Forced guidance thereby would ensure that all desired and necessary process steps are followed in the event of a disruption. Those applications and process scenarios of the REMBE iQ Safety Cockpit can be individually configured for each plant; both analog and digital signals can be processed. In addition to the REMBE autonomous protective systems, GreCon spark extinguishing systems, camera systems or even fire detectors and other plant components can be combined and connected to the REMBE iQ Safety Cockpit.

Learnings from incidents and systematic root cause analysis are subject to be implemented in improved safety concepts. REMBE iQ Safety Cockpit supports as all data recorded during the emergency plan are compiled and archived in a comprehensive log. This data can be practically expended or adjusted via the various end devices. When the location of the accident is inspected, photos can be conveniently taken and loaded into the log (via app) for subsequent evaluation.

In the end, this means, that all conventional autonomous protective systems from REMBE have become smarter without sacrificing their actual strength, the fast and reliable function.

In the age of digitization, it is just as important to ensure a fast response time and the resulting high availability. The REMBE iQ Safety Cockpit also enables optimal integration of other interfaces through the individually coordinated visualization of each process. Faults or, in the worst case, explosions not only require a regulated emergency plan, but also a predictive maintenance that is not only possible through the pure workforce of the employee on site. By detecting the operationally relevant components such as explosion vents, quench valves for explosion protection or pyrolysis gas and fire detectors or grounding systems for explosion prevention, all these can be registered and connected to a material management system.

With the GSME and HotSpot detectors from REMBE, an artificial intelligence has been created that detects fire and explosion events at an early stage. The GSME detector is an artificial nose, "trained" for pyrolysis - popularly known as smoldering gases, while the HotSpot detector represents an artificial eye that already detects surface temperature changes of 1 ° C.

Connected to the REMBE iQ Safety Cockpit, the two explosion prevention systems can evaluate changes in state and bring the system into a safe state either automatically or via precise instructions to the operator.

If an event, such as an explosion occurs, the system recognizes which areas are affected and provides information about which spare parts are required in order to restore the system to a safe state as quickly as possible. These functions can be submitted in the operator's system as a "suggestion" or sent directly to the manufacturer as a non-binding request. This creates the option to reduce, the time of plant downtime.

In a nutshell: REMBE iQ Safety Cockpit is nothing else than a smart home control or driver assistance system in the automotive industry. Those are used to improve the efficiency and safety of driving a car and enable, in the right mix of auxiliary sensors and smart detectors, autonomous driving.  Staying in that picture, simply spoken, REMBE iQ Safety Cockpit, such as an driver assistance system for plants will allow autonomous operation and push safety and efficiency to the highest possible level in the industry 4.0.

www.rembe.de

These forward-thinking brands are pioneering sustainable business practices in their industries. 

Did you know that bridging the 'The Circularity Gap' by embracing the circular economy could shrink global greenhouse gas emissions by 39%!* That’s why Emma Safety footwear has become a leader in sustainability having created the world's very first ‘100% Circular’ safety footwear range,

While Snickers Workwear is at the forefront of sustainability in the workwear industry by sourcing the highest quality, most hard-wearing products with as little environmental impact as possible. Ensuring garments are made from ‘preferred fibres’, enhances durability and comfort to create hard-wearing workwear with a long product lifetime which is key to reducing waste.

The combined result is environmentally-friendly, ergonomically designed dual-purpose working clothes and footwear that are not only designed to meet the physical demands that tradesmen and women face at work but are also ideal for some sports and leisure activities – and reducing your carbon footprint too!

Getting more information on the Snickers Workwear clothing range is easy. You can call the Helpline on 01484 854788; check out www.snickersworkwear.co.uk and download a digital catalogue or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

New styles from Snickers Workwear deliver winter warmth and cooling comfort when you need it.

 Not only will you stay warm with Snickers Workwear’s 37.5® Technology clothing, you’ll look and feel cool too. With styles for both professional tradesmen and women, they excel at ventilation to keep you cool and moisture transportation to stop you getting cold. They work together to keep you working comfortably wherever you are on site.

The 37.5® Technology fabric is a very quick-drying material that captures and releases moisture vapour – like your sweat - for superior coolness and dry working comfort. It’s integrated into selected Snickers Workwear base- mid- and top-layer garments to keep you working at your best whatever the weather.

After all, keeping a balanced work temperature is not just about staying cool and in great shape, it’s a matter of your wellbeing and job safety.

So, to make sure you get the right protection, visibility, flexibility, durability and ventilation, check out the Climate Control garments from Snickers Workwear that work together to suit your workday.  

For more information on Snickers Workwear’s Climate Control garments visit www.snickersworkwear.co.uk alternatively, call the Snickers Workwear Helpline on 01484 854788.

Snickers Workwear leads the way in developing responsible Hi-Vis protective wear.

With an extensive range of Jackets, Trousers, Shorts, Toolvests, Shirts and Fleeces for men and women, there’s a host of garments in the Snickers Workwear range to satisfy the specific requirements of Class 1, 2 and 3 protection levels.

The requirements of EN standards for wearing high visibility are interwoven with the Snickers Workwear hallmarks of functionality and comfort in all the garments. What’s more, the lightweight Repreve® Polyester padding in the NEW AllroundWork Class 2 Hi-Vis padded jacket takes sustainablility in Hi-Vis workwear to a new level.

This world-leading brand of recycled performance fibre combines with the hardwearing polyamide fabric and CORDURA® reinforcements for enhanced durability that’s windproof, and warm, while stretch panels ensure optimal mobility.

Developed for craftsmen and women in the road, logistics, facilities and general construction sectors who must stay warm and visible in chilly conditions, like all Snickers Workwear Hi-Vis clothing, its durable, colour-fast protection that will last for wash after wash, retaining shape and comfort.

Getting more information on the Snickers Workwear range of ProtecWork and Snickers Workwear Hi-Vis protective wear is easy. You call the Helpline on 01484 854788; check out www.snickersworkwear.co.uk and download a digital catalogue; or you can email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Innovative technology attests and evidences best practice in controls management, ensuring legislative compliance, helping to prevent risks from becoming events and safeguarding the
workforce occupational health and safety environment.  

Maidenhead, Berks - 9 November 2021- Sword GRC, a global specialist in risk, compliance and governance software and services, today unveiled its latest product innovation for occupational health and safety risk management.   

Sword GRC’s latest solution, Sword Verify, digitalizes the health and safety risk management process to reduce an organization’s liability and the likelihood of workplace hazards. Combined with ARM, it offers a single source of truth to provide risk managers with the right information to protect their workforce and reduce business disruptions.

“ARM is the only fully integrated solution that meets the needs of all stakeholders within Projects, Enterprise, Supply Chain and OHS risk management,” said Keith Ricketts, Sword
GRC, Vice President of Marketing. “Confident that effective controls are in place, being followed and that operator safety is ensured, organizations can meet their regulatory requirements and safeguard their business reputation.”  

Nick Scully, Sword GRC Chief Executive Officer said: “We are proud to strengthen the
depth and breadth of our world-class risk management and GRC portfolio, with the release of our occupational health and safety risk management solution. Through digitalization we are equipping organizations, particularly those within high-risk sectors such as mining, energy, and aerospace & defense,with practical solutions to manage the efficacy of their controls, thereby
mitigating risk, as well as providing evidence of best practice that is so important in today’s business environment.  

A leading ventilation specialist is urging contractors to play their part in ongoing improvements to indoor air quality (IAQ) by ensuring ventilation systems are future-proofed.

One of the main challenges for those in the industry is the ever-changing regulatory landscape, particularly as air quality continues to dominate the news agenda. With consultation documents for Parts L and F of the Building Regulations hinting at stricter guidelines on IAQ, building to meet compliance in the present will not ensure systems are suitable in the near-future.

David Millward, Group Product Manager at Elta Group, comments: “It’s never easy to specify and install with one eye on the future, but the rapidly changing air quality landscape means contractors must aim to do just that. It isn’t just regulatory compliance either, as any changes to occupancy levels, purpose of a building, or internal layout can affect the level of airflow required.

“This is something that is especially relevant at the moment as hybrid working models become more commonplace in offices, with a quarter of UK businesses intending to use some form of homeworking going forward^[1]. There needs to be the capacity to adapt ventilation to these changes, and that’s where contractors have a massive role to play.”

One of the most effective ways to do this is to install demand-controlled ventilation (DCV), which facilitates the adjustment (whether that’s automatic or manual) of ventilation rates according to what is required. DCV is a flexible approach that can help to increase the lifespan of a system, because if regulations tighten and there is a requirement to deliver even greater ventilation rates, this is achievable provided the system was originally installed with additional capacity. 

David continues: “I think this is where there needs to be a change of mindset – from what is compliant and suitable now, to what will continue to be compliant and suitable moving forwards. This is why there is inclusion in Part F of the Building Regulations that systems should have the means to increase their performance by 50%, to encourage future-proofing of ventilation.”

Attention has also been drawn to some of the common mistakes that can impact the lifespan of a system. Amongst the most prevalent is overuse of flexible ducting, which can add pressure to a fan by limiting airflow, and ultimately increasing the risk of poor ventilation.

David concludes: “How a fan is installed can be just as important as specification in terms of ensuring longevity of a system. There are a wide range of factors that can affect how well ventilation performs, from vibration and noise control, through to not adhering to manufacturer guidance.

“That’s why we have created our Give a Fan a Chance guide, to provide some top tips for those tasked with delivering effective ventilation.”

To download the Give a Fan a Chance guide, please visit: https://www.eltafans.com/resources/

^[1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/businessandindividualattitudestowardsthefutureofhomeworkinguk/apriltomay2021

A leading ventilation expert has hailed recent guidance from the Institute of Air Quality Management (IAQM) as a turning point for IAQ.

Alan Macklin, Technical Director at Elta Group and Chairman of the FMA (Fan Manufacturer’s Association), has welcomed the provision of authoritative guidance for IAQ professionals. The document is designed to assist anyone involved in identifying and subsequently addressing air quality issues within both existing and new builds.

Alan comments: “The importance of IAQ is rapidly gaining prominence, as the adverse health effects of pollutants becomes more widely known. Equally, the positive impact that high-quality air can have on health and productivity is increasingly informing internal building design.

“The IAQM’s new guidance document is a great supplement to existing protocol and legislation. It is indicative of a steady improvement of awareness of IAQ, with ongoing consultation around Part F of the Building Regulations including proposals for increasing ventilation rates and monitoring air quality.”

Historically, there has been a reliance on natural ventilation to provide fresh air to indoor spaces, especially in public buildings such as offices. However, there is now a general acceptance that mechanical ventilation is the primary means by which acceptable levels of ventilation can be achieved.

Alan continues: “Mechanical ventilation is the only certain means of ensuring that the correct ventilation rates are always maintained and facilitates the usage of suitable filtration to remove external contaminants. A correctly functioning ventilation system is dependent on correct commissioning as well as adequate maintenance.

“Air quality monitoring through appropriate sensors is an essential part of the ventilation management system, which is something that the IAQM’s new guidance document stresses. As an industry, we are on the right path in promoting the critical role of ventilation in ensuring our buildings are fit for purpose, and the more we can emphasise the importance of good IAQ, the healthier our structures will be.”

For more information, please visit: https://eltagroup.com

Pepperl+Fuchs shows first switch with Ethernet Advanced Physical Layer

Ethernet reaches the field within process plants

Ethernet-APL will look familiar to users in process industries. It combines two well-known technologies: Ethernet for seamless, parallel communication - and robust two-wire technology combined with explosion protection for the field within the process plant. Ethernet-APL thus enables the digitization of the instrumentation.

Ethernet-APL upgrades network communications in this special environment. This standardization for Ethernet on the familiar two-wire cable, driven by twelve well-known suppliers, enables long cable runs, power supply and explosion protection with intrinsic safety as integral components. Ethernet-APL eliminates barriers to data flow, helping all stakeholders in the plant lifecycle to simplify designs, get plants up and running faster, keep them up and running better, and thus better manage risk.

With standardization complete, the technology is available to suppliers and users alike. The collaboration has also resulted in conformance tests to which manufacturers are subjected. This ensures interoperability and generates a high level of reliability. The first infrastructure components are available, such as the Ethernet-APL Rail Field Switch. This DIN rail-mountable field switch can be installed in Zone 2. The connections for field devices can be 200 m long and are intrinsically safe for Zone 2 (Ex ic). FieldConnex stands for highly reliable digital communication in the field of the process plant and first-class support from the experts at Pepperl+Fuchs.

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Hart Doors has completed the installation of two Speedor Storms at the Middlewich, Cheshire, plant of British Salt adding to the range of Hart doors already on site.

The Speedor Storm is an external high-speed fabric door designed for frequent use in high traffic situations and where exceptional wind resistance is required up to class 5 as defined by DIN EN 12424, on larger openings up to 6m x 8m.

Brian Woodcock, Hart’s area sales manager, says a wide range of Hart’s doors have been installed at the plant over the years including two types of Speedors and several roller shutters and pedestrian doors.

“The latest Speedor Storms have stainless steel canopies and conduits to extend resistance to corrosion,” says Mr Woodcock. “The air is corrosive so the use of stainless steel gives the doors additional robustness.”

Established in 1969, British Salt has been manufacturing, storing and supplying salt for over five decades, from its state of the art plant in Middlewich, Cheshire. Now the premier supplier of salt within the UK, British Salt has been part of the Tata Chemicals Europe family since 2011.

www.hartdoors.com