News

British Safety Council concerned at continued rise in work-related deaths in Britain

Commenting on the latest Health and Safety Executive data, showing a rise in work-related deaths in Great Britain for the second consecutive year, Dr Julie Riggs, Director of Education and Membership, British Safety Council, said: "The rise in work-related fatalities, as reported by the Health and Safety Executive, serves as a stark reminder that we cannot become complacent about the health and safety of workers. Put simply, the consequences of poor health and safety are too great a price to pay.

"For 50 years, the general direction of travel has seen safer workplaces with falling numbers of workplace deaths and non-fatal injuries; that for a second year this trend has reversed is cause for concern. It sends a message that we need to prioritise worker health and safety, understand the causes of rising fatalities, and take targeted action to return to falling figures and safer workplaces for all."

British Safety Council’s networks: 
Website:                         www.britsafe.org 
Twitter:                           www.twitter.com/britsafe 
Facebook:                     www.facebook.com/britishsafetycouncil 
YouTube:                       www.youtube.com/britishsafetycouncil 
LinkedIn group:            www.linkedin.com/company/british-safety-council 
Safety Management:  https://sm.britsafe.org 

Four Speedor high-speed doors have been installed by Hart Door Systems at a major frozen and cooked meat manufacturing in northern England. The doors, at just 1.5m wide and 1.95m high, are the second smallest Speedors ever manufactured by Hart.

“The contract demonstrates two things,” says Gordon Kipling, regional sales manager for Hart. “Not only is our Speedor range available in distinctly different types of doors but where applicable the doors can be available in reduced sizes for precise requirements.

“In this case there was a need to protect the production environment against drafts, humidity, dust and dirt by installing our Speedor Cleanroom with its fast opening and closing speed. Our pharmaceutical standard Cleanroom Speedors control airflow thus reducing contaminants.”

Designed specifically for manufacturing and research facilities, Speedor Cleanroom works in strictly controlled environments where hygiene standards are high, such as pharmaceuticals, food processing, electronics and micro-mechanics industries.

The main features of Speedor Cleanroom include maintaining strict air leakage requirements over specified pressure differentials. Complete with an intelligent control panel with digital display each Cleanroom has a reliable and clean in-line drive system complete with an integral safety brake and a non-touch safety light curtain ensures maximum protection to personnel.

Seals minimise pressure drops and protect the manufacturing environment against drafts, humidity, dust and dirt.

www.hartdoors.com

Automated Methane Monitoring Solution with OGI by FLIR delivers 24/7 Coverage of Methane Production, Transmission and Storage Infrastructure

AirTower AT is designed to clean ambient factory air, removing the remaining pollutants that existing extraction is failing to capture.Full hall extraction assists extraction systems, removing coolant mist, smoke, and weld fume from the workplace.Designed to extract at high level, where weld fume and atmospheric pollution settles; returning clean air to the working space at low level to create a healthier working environment.AirTower from AirBench uses high power, energy efficient EC fans alongside a filter system selected to suit your application, to clean high volumes of air.Alongside our dust, fume, and mist extraction systems, the new AirTower AT helps you create the right working environment.

Contact us to arrange a site survey.

www.airbench.com

Working pressure tolerances of 90% - now also for high-pressure applications > 400 bar g.  

The HPRRD reverse rupture disk offers a durable and sustainable solution for high-pressure applications with pulsating process conditions. The new design dispenses with predetermined breaking notches or other mechanisms that impair fatigue strength.   The compact design requires no additional support structures and guarantees direct installation in the on-site installation system. Independent and flexible machining of the outer contour allows unlimited freedom for the connections and sealing surfaces.  

Burst pressures from 400 to 4000 bar g with a tolerance of up to ± 2 % of the nominal burst pressure can be realized thanks to consistently precise manufacturing and guarantee a reliable safety function from -5 to 350 °C. 

When triggered, the bursting diaphragm ruptures as a whole and releases the entire relief cross-section. This enables the process pressure to be relieved safely and quickly. 

The unnotched design of the new ST-HPR high-pressure reverse rupture disc enables high pulsating working pressure tolerances of 90 %. As the first reverse rupture disc in the REMBE® universe, no mechanical weakening by blades, for example, is required for opening. The compact design and machining from solid material guarantee almost limitless freedom of shape of the outer contour - whether conical or flat sealing. Burst pressures of 400 to 4000 bar g with a tolerance of up to ± 2 % of the nominal burst pressure can be achieved through consistently precise manufacturing and guarantee reliable opening behavior from -5 to 350 °C. When triggered, the bursting diaphragm ruptures as a whole and releases the entire cross-section. This enables the process pressure to be relieved safely and quickly. 

Fig. 1: REMBE rupture disk for pulsating high-pressure applications

Given the expected and necessary growth of the hydropower industry over the upcoming decades, it could be argued that polymeric technology has a valuable role to play in supporting this growth. Applications, such as the one identified below, demonstrate how assets that would otherwise be decommissioned or sent to landfill can be given a new lease of life thanks to a combination of epoxy repair composites.

Introduction:

Traditionally known for its high performance repair and maintenance solutions, Belzona is expanding its reach into the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) market.

With an extensive range of coatings, Belzona can provide cost-effective alternatives for protecting and finishing OEM equipment such as pumps, tanks and heat exchangers.

One of 14 OEM Heat Exchangers coated with Belzona

Rather than waiting until the damage is done, a large Manufacturer of heat exchangers in the Czech Republic specified the use of Belzona to enhance the durability and performance of their newly manufactured equipment. The Customer reached out to Belzona Authorised Distributor, STROJCONSULT Litvínov s.r.o. for a solution.

Why Chose a Belzona Coating?
After learning about the benefits of Belzona 1593, the Company decided to coat all 14 newly fabricated heat exchangers to prevent corrosion and prolong the equipment's lifespan.

Each heat exchanger was lined with two coats of Belzona 1593, a high temperature brush-applied epoxy coating which provides corrosion protection for equipment operating under continuous immersion conditions. The team at Stroj Consult not only supplied the Belzona solution but also provided an expert team of applicators to complete the lining. The application was completed over a 14-day period offering the customer a comprehensive turn-key service.

Belzona proudly announces the launch of its revolutionary SF₆ Leak Solution.

As the world grapples with the urgency of minimising greenhouse gas emissions, Belzona takes a proactive stance by introducing its solution to SF₆ leakage. Belzona SF6-FIX can reduce leaks to undetectable levels, mitigating the environmental hazards associated with SF₆ usage.

What is Sulphur Hexafluoride (SF₆)?

Sulphur hexafluoride or SF₆ is a synthetic gas comprised of one sulphur and six fluoride atoms. It is commonly used in medium and high voltage electrical equipment to insulate live electrical parts and to switch the flow of electrical current on and off. This same equipment, crucial for the efficient functioning of power grids, also plays a pivotal role in connecting the generation and storage of renewable energy.

Why is Stopping SF₆ Leaks So Important?

Despite its utility, SF₆ is incredibly detrimental to the planet. With a warming potential that is a staggering 23,500 times higher than carbon dioxide (CO₂)^[1], SF₆ is the most potent greenhouse gas. This means that even in minute quantities, SF₆ has a disproportionately significant impact on global warming. Worryingly, the Environmental Protection Agency notes that leak detection surveys show approximately 10 percent of circuit breaker populations leak and, 85% of these leaks are releasing enough of this dangerous gas to be considered significant. Frequent leaks of such a potent greenhouse gas have become a serious contributing factor to global warming.

Commenting on Belzona's new solution for SF₆ leakage, one of the main developers, Training Facilitator, Karl Rodman, said:

“By implementing this solution, the amount of harmful SF₆ being released into the atmosphere will be significantly reduced. Belzona has created a necessary solution to a prolific problem in this integral industry. Belzona SF6-FIX not only addresses the environmental concerns surrounding SF₆ leakage, but also contributes to the sustainable and efficient functioning of power grids”.

The Online Leak Solution in Action

This electric switch gear flange within a Power Distribution Substation was leaking 70kg of SF₆ per month. In addition to being devastating for the environment, such leaks incur substantial costs, as local authorities can issue hefty fines. Leveraging a strategic combination of expertly applied specialist materials, including reinforcement sheets alongside Belzona's advanced resin and coatings, Belzona successfully stemmed the leak in just one day, without the need to degas the system.

Electric Switch Gear Flange with SF₆ Leak                       SF₆ Leakage Sealed with Belzona SF6-FIX

Six months into service, the solution was deemed successful. The leak has been reduced to an undetectable level, resulting in a monumental environmental and financial saving. This triumphant application has paved the way for the solution's expansion to other substations, offering a practical and efficient means to propel the global power distribution industry towards a more sustainable future.

^[1]

Belzona SF6-FIX Leak Solution Launch

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) ﷟HYPERLINK "https://www.ipcc.ch/assessment-report/ar5/"fifth assessment report.

In recent Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) testing, the results showed that the cool roof coating, Belzona 3111 (Flexible Membrane), exhibited high solar reflectance properties with an average* SRI of 99.4%. Considering the vicious cycle of increased global temperatures leading to an increased use of air conditioning, which exacerbates the problem further, polymeric technology like this plays a valuable role in mitigating this damaging process.

*Average figure based on SRI calculated in low, medium and high winds.