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hazardexonthenet.net

May 2020

the journal for hazardous area environments

Chemicals New IBC design solves regulatory issues for ammonia transport Occupational safety The role of poor shift handover in oil and gas incidents

Wearables

IIoT

Communications

Improving workplace health and safety with wearables

Digital transformation in oil and gas

Digitalisation for a new age

P SU

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Conference • Workshops • Exhibition • Awards Programme

ponsor Exhibitor & S w available packages no 1& PPTex 202 for Hazardex r details contact us fo

2021

24th & 25th Feb • Harrogate • Yorkshire • UK

The 2021 event will include a comprehensive conference for all those concerned with hazardous area operations, personnel, and environmental safety systems, alongside the exhibition, workshops, free seminar content, networking dinner and an awards ceremony. The event aims to strengthen and expand the community that looks to the Hazardex brand for essential industry intelligence and information.

Event Sponsors

Email: hazardex@imlgroup.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)1732 359990 www.hazardex-event.co.uk www.hazardexonthenet.net

contents May 2020 At the time of writing, the UK is entering its fourth week of lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic with an extension to the lockdown period set to be announced. Countries all over the globe are under similar restrictions with many people now working remotely from home or under social distancing measures. In terms of our industry, it can be difficult to avoid negative news at the moment but there are still several projects and investment plans moving ahead. Although suffering another setback, TC Energy announced that construction on the Keystone XL pipeline has begun after the Alberta government invested $1.1 billion into the $8bn project. Elsewhere, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) announced that it will continue with its investment plans in order to deliver on its 2030 smart growth strategy to help stimulate economic growth, generate commercial opportunities, and create skilled jobs.

14 20

ramp up gas production and transportation facilities and continue to invest. Oil production also continues at full pace as companies look to cement and improve their market shares. All this means that hazardous area personnel and solutions remain as important as ever. In similar vein, Hazardex will continue to provide news and technical articles to keep you informed and up to date about the industry. We will continue to support the industry and help facilitate business, so feel free to use our LinkedIn forum to stay connected with peers, subscribe to our digital issues and eNewsletters for the latest information, or get in touch if you have content or messages you wish to share with the Hazardex audience.

Simply changing analogue-based information into digital is not enough to realise the long-term benefits of digital transformation

14 22

It is vital that as an industry we do our best to continue operating as best we can and support each other so that on the other side of this pandemic, we are in as strong a position as possible.

Similarly, Russia’s state gas company, Gazprom, provided an update on its major investment projects and said it will continue to

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

in this issue

Major advancements within the wearables market are helping to make the Connected Worker a key part of decision making and health & safety

4 News Extra

• French chemical company charged over 2019 plant fire • US pipeline owner agrees to pay $60 million for 2015 spill • Explosion at Petronas-Aramco refinery in Malaysia kills five • Forest fires near Chernobyl cause radiation levels to spike • 80-mile hydrogen pipeline to be built in Germany • INEOS postpones shutdown of Forties Pipeline System • New setback for Keystone XL just two weeks after construction begins

13 Standards: Coronavirus, IECEx and standards 16 PPTex Supplement 8 – Products 39 Improving workplace health and safety with wearable technology 18

An in-depth review of the Hazardex 2020 Conference, Exhibition, and Awards for Excellence

44 Digital transformation in oil and gas 20

22 Digitalisation for a new age 24 Hazardex 2020 Conference & Exhibition review 30 Problem solving for ammonia solutions 32 The role of poor shift handover in oil and gas incidents 35 Datafiles

the journal for hazardous area environments

May 2020

30 hazardexonthenet.net

Chemicals New IBC design solves regulatory issues for ammonia transport

Occupational safety The role of poor shift handover in oil and gas incidents

Wearables

IIoT

Communications

Improving workplace health and safety with wearables

Digital transformation in oil and gas

Digitalisation for a new age

An EU Directive covering the carriage of dangerous goods created a significant UK problem for the supply of ammonia solution

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

News Extra

Image: Shutterstock

French chemical company charged over 2019 plant fire T

he French subsidiary of US chemical company Lubrizol has been charged with pollution and failing to meet safety

and an extra ¤4 million “to guarantee the rights of victims by allowing for the repair of human and environmental damage that may

were destroyed in the fire in September.

standards after an explosion and fire at its plant in Rouen, northern France. The blaze at the lubricant plant in September

have been caused.”

the failure to meet safety standards resulted in serious health issues and degraded air quality in the area. The amounts that Lubrizol

and October 2019 produced a thick black cloud for several days that spread across the region and caused nausea, headaches, and vomiting amongst locals.

necessarily mean a company or individual will face trial in court. The Paris prosecutor’s statement said that investigators are still yet to determine the cause of the initial explosion.

Being charged under French law does not

The Paris prosecutor’s statement added that

France was ordered to pay “correspond to the magnitude of the disaster,” the statement said. The explosion occurred in the early hours

Lubrizol France was charged on February 27 with the Paris prosecutor’s office releasing

Lubrizol produces lubricants and fuel additives and has its headquarters in Ohio, US. The

of September 28. Firefighters managed to bring the fire under control after 24 hours, but toxic black smoke and soot remained in the

a statement saying the company had been ordered to pay a holding amount of ¤375,000

company is owned by US billionaire Warren Buffet. More than 9,000 tonnes of chemicals

following days and spread across the region as far as Belgium and the Netherlands.

US pipeline owner agrees to pay $60 million for 2015 spill

Refugio beach in May 2015 - Image: USFWS

lains All American Pipeline has agreed to pay $60 million to settle

civil charges in relation to an oil spill in May 2015 at Refugio State Beach near Santa Barbara, California. The US Department of Justice announced on March 13 that the Texas-based oil company would settle the charges after violating federal pipeline safety laws.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

The $60 million includes $24 million in penalties and $22 million in compensation relating to environmental damage and clean-up costs. The government added that the settlement requires Plains All American to implement safeguards across

$335 million, not including lost revenues. The spill from a corroded pipeline crippled the local oil business because the pipeline was used to transport crude to refineries from seven offshore rigs, including three owned by Exxon Mobil.

its national pipeline system to address factors which contributed to the 2015 spill. Although a settlement was reached with the Department of Justice and the US Environmental Protection Agency, Plains

After the incident, federal inspectors found that Plains had made several preventable errors, failed to quickly detect the pipeline rupture and responded too slowly as oil

did not admit any wrongdoing or liability. The spill in May 2015 saw an estimated 142,800 gallons (541,000 litres) of oil spilt, killing hundreds of both marine mammals and birds. The company’s 2017 annual report estimated costs from the spill at

flowed toward the ocean. Plains operators working from a Texas control room more than 1,000 miles away had turned off an alarm that would have signalled a leak and, unaware a spill had occurred, restarted the leaking line after it had shut down.

News Extra

Representative image: Shutterstock

Explosion at Petronas-Aramco refinery in Malaysia kills five A

n explosion and fire at the

Pengerang refining complex in Malaysia killed five people on March 15. The blast occurred at the plant’s diesel

hydrotreater unit, which uses hydrogen to remove sulphur waste from raw diesel.

The Johor state Fire and Rescue Department

authorities to find the cause behind the blast.

said that after responding to an emergency call, its team arrived at the site to find a significant fire. Five people were killed and

PRefChem is a strategic alliance of Malaysia’s national oil company, Petroliam Nasional

one person was severely injured having suffered burns. One person was able to escape unharmed.

Berhad (Petronas), and Saudi Aramco, the national oil company of Saudi Arabia.

The Pengerang Integrated Complex, located near Kota Tinggi in the southern state of Johor, processes around 300,000 barrels of

An investigation into the explosion is underway. The refinery’s owner, Pengerang

The blast is the second incident at the Pengerang Integrated Complex in less than a year. In April 2019, two staff members were

crude oil per day and has a yearly capacity of around 3.3 million tonnes.

Refining and Petrochemical (PRefChem), said in a statement that it was working closely with

injured in an explosion and fire at the plant’s atmospheric residue desulphurisation unit.

Gas processing plant explosion kills 17, injures 25 in Nigeria was caused by a truck hitting gas cylinders near the company’s pipeline.

Representative image: Shutterstock

blast at a gas processing plant in Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos, killed at least 15 people and injured 25 others on March 15. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said the explosion

areas as firefighters worked to contain the spread of the blaze.

The explosion destroyed around 50 buildings and extensive damage was

Pipeline explosions and fires are not uncommon in Nigeria, Africa’s largest

caused to many more nearby houses as well as the NNPC’s pipeline. All pumping operations on the Atlas Cove-Mosimi

crude oil producer. Theft and vandalism are common causes behind pipeline explosions in the country, which lost around $42bn to

pipeline were halted, the state-owned oil company said in a statement.

crude oil theft between 2009-2019.

Local media said that several people were taken to hospital with injuries and burns. Witnesses reported seeing large plumes of black smoke and a fire in the surrounding

Two recent incidents include a blast in January 2020 which killed five people and an explosion in June 2019 which killed 12. Both were the result of attempted oil thefts.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

News Extra

Representative image: Shutterstock

ine explosions in March and April killed and injured

several people in both Pakistan and Colombia. Seven miners were killed and three were injured on March 20 after an explosion at a coal mine in western Pakistan, while an explosion on April 3 killed at least

gas explosion trapped the workers inside. According to the Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation, between 100 and 200 labourers die on average in coal mine accidents every year.

11 miners and injured four others in Colombia.

Elsewhere, in Colombia, a mine blast killed at least 11 people, injured four, and left two more workers trapped in the mine in Cucunuba, north of Bogota.

Local media reported that the Pakistan explosion was caused by a build-up of methane gas. Rescue workers and

Mine explosions kill seven in Pakistan, 11 in Colombia

In July 2019, 10 miners were rescued from another mine near Quetta after a

The local fire department told local media

locals were able to retrieve all the bodies from the mine shortly after the explosion. There were 12 workers inside the mine at the time of the blast. Poor working

that the explosion occurred in a legally operated mine but did not say what caused the explosion. Colombia, the world’s fifth-largest coal exporter of coal,

conditions and lax safety standards in both Pakistan and neighbouring countries, such as India, mean mine explosions are not uncommon.

has experienced several accidents in the past, often involving illegal mines which are common in the area surrounding Cucunuba.

China restricts new mine tailings dams to improve safety, reduce environmental risk communities, wildlife and ecosystems. While work starts on gradually reducing the current number of mine tailings dams in China, the ministry added that new dams would be allowed should a mine be considered a strategic or critical necessity for filling a supply shortage.

Representative image: Shutterstock

hina’s Ministry of Emergency Management has said that

and safety regulations while doing so. The Ministry of Emergency Management

the country will limit the number of new tailings dams built from mining projects in order to reduce environmental and safety risks. The use of existing tailings dams would

is looking to local governments to help regulate mines and place a limit on the number of tailings dams within their region.

also be limited, the ministry said in a notice posted online on March 20.

Mine tailings dams are made from the mining industry’s liquid and solid waste, known as tailings. The waste is typically stored in embankments called tailings dams, which have periodically failed with devastating consequences for

New mining projects are being encouraged to use existing tailings dams and to adhere to both environmental

www.hazardexonthenet.net

In its statement, the Chinese Ministry of Emergency Management said that abandoned tailings dams or dams that have not been in service for more than three years must be closed down within a year. Local governments have been instructed to log details about tailings dams on their websites at the start of every year. Suitable emergency responses should also be established in order to deal with a dam collapse should one happen. China has around 8,000 tailings dams. New dams will now be prohibited from being over 200 metres high (656 feet), within 1km (0.6 miles) of residential areas or critical infrastructure, and within 3km (1.86 miles) of the Yangtze or Yellow rivers.

News Extra

levels meant the country’s emergency ministry sent out an alert in Kyiv on April

Image: Shutterstock

6 about the possibility of poor air quality but attributed the alert to meteorological conditions and not to the forest fires. Kyiv is located around 60 miles south of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Government specialists were sent to monitor

Forest fires near Chernobyl cause radiation levels to spike

wo forest fires within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone caused radiation

levels to spike to much higher levels than the norm. Ukrainian emergency services said that the fires started on April 3 and that one of the fires had spread across 50 acres.

Hundreds of firefighters with the support of airplanes and helicopters were eventually able to put the larger blaze out on April 14. Police arrested a 27-year-old man after he told them he had set fire to grass and rubbish “for fun”. He then tried to put them out but failed after the wind caused them to spread.

air quality in the capital city but said there were no notable changes to radiation levels. Firsov released a further statement as a result and said locals did not need to be afraid of opening their windows. There were fears that the fires could have reached the abandoned Chernobyl nuclear plant itself after Greenpeace Russia said on April 13 that one blaze had come within 1km of the plant. The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, established in 1986 following the world’s worst nuclear

The head of the state ecological inspection service, Yehor Firsov, said in a statement that

In his statement, Firsov said that radiation

disaster, spans across 1,000-squaremiles (2,600-square-kilometres) and was abandoned since the meltdown of the No.4

one of the fires, which had grown to around 12 acres in size, was extinguished on April 6.

levels at the site of the fires was around 16 times above the normal level. The heightened

reactor at the Ukrainian nuclear power station in 1986.

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News Extra

Image: OGE

states of Lower Saxony and North RhineWestphalia. The idea behind the project is to convert power from renewable energies into hydrogen and use it as a carbon-free source of energy in industry and other sectors. OGE announced the plans on March 17 and said green hydrogen would be produced from renewable energies in Lingen, Lower Saxony via a 100 MW electrolyser owned by RWE Generation. It will then be transported to industrial customers and refineries in Lingen, Marl and Gelsenkirchen – mainly via existing gas pipelines operated by transmission system operators Nowega and OGE and converted for the transportation of 100

80-mile hydrogen pipeline to be built in Germany O

pen Grid Europe (OGE), a group of the 16 largest gas transmission grid operators in Germany, has announced plans for an 80-mile (130km) long hydrogen pipeline to be built in northwest Germany as part of the country’s move towards greener energy sources. The project is being developed by a consortium which includes OGE, BP, Evonik, Nowega, and RWE Generation. The consortium will develop Germany’s

Green hydrogen would be produced from renewable energies in Lingen, Lower Saxony first publicly accessible hydrogen network to supply green hydrogen to industrial companies in the country’s north western

percent hydrogen, but also via a partially new construction by Evonik. The project is called GET H2 Nukleus which comes from the name for RWE’s planned hydrogen plant in Lingen, the ‘Get H2’ pilot plant. The plans would see existing, but underused, natural gas pipelines be converted for transporting hydrogen. The pipeline would be open to use by third parties in a non-discriminatory way, including all generators, traders and consumers, as is already the case with power grids and gas networks. Currently, Germany uses around 55 terawatt hours (TWh) of fossil-fuel derived hydrogen.

INEOS postpones shutdown of Forties Pipeline System until Spring 2021 due to coronavirus

n April 7, INEOS announced that it would delay the shutdown of the Forties Pipeline System until Spring 2021 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The Summer shutdown for maintenance had been planned for June 16, however due to the ongoing government restrictions in relation to the coronavirus pandemic, INEOS said it would postpone its plans to

www.hazardexonthenet.net

enable its customers and the UK oil and gas industry to plan with greater certainty.

communicate the exact start date of the shutdown as soon as it is able to.

In a statement, the company said it would continue working with customers

The Forties Pipeline System is carries 30% of the UK’s oil – around 550,000

and relevant parties to prepare for the shutdown in 2021. INEOS said it had written to all its customers announcing its decision after “there was a desire to delay the shutdown to 2021 by the majority of its customers.” INEOS said it would

thousand barrels per day – from North Sea terminals to shore before the pipeline terminates at the INEOS-owned Kinneil processing facility in Grangemouth. INEOS bought the network from BP in 2017.

News Extra

Representative image: Shutterstock

Judge Brian Morris – Image: US Gov

US court rules against permit for Keystone XL pipeline just two weeks after construction begins T

C Energy’s Keystone XL pipeline

The ruling is another setback for the long-

re-issuance of the nationwide permit.

suffered a fresh setback on April 15 after a US court ruled against a permit that allows new energy

delayed project which was first proposed in 2008. If completed, the pipeline will be 1,210 miles (1,947 kilometres) in length and carry

Nationwide permits help streamline the approval of pipelines and utility lines but must be reissued every five years. Judge Morris

pipelines to cross bodies of water. The ruling came just two weeks after TC Energy announced on March

around 830,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

declared that the Corps failed to consult on the risks posed to endangered species and habitats and must comply with the ruling

31 that construction of the pipeline would go ahead following a $1.1 billion investment by the Alberta government.

of the pipeline across the Canada-US border where work began in early April after the Government of Alberta’s $1.1

before it can reissue the nationwide permit to any more projects.

billion investment was announced. The investment would have covered the planned construction costs through the end of 2020, but TC Energy must now re-apply for the relevant permit.

A spokesman for TC Energy said that the Alberta-based company is reviewing the decision but remains committed to building the “important energy infrastructure project.” It remains to be seen whether the court ruling will force TC Energy to revaluate its expectations of the pipeline entering service in 2023.

Montana Chief District Judge Brian Morris ruled that when issuing a nationwide permit for Keystone XL in 2017, the US Army Corp of Engineers had failed to consider the risks posed to endangered species and habitats in rivers and bodies of water which the pipeline would be crossing.

You stand for safety.

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News Extra 11

Representative image: Shutterstock

UK HSE issues notices against two companies for exposing workers to risk of explosions T

he UK Health & Safety Executive (HSE) issued an improvement notice against an oil and gas operator in the North Sea on February 14 and a

The HSE inspector said that the piping on the open hazardous drains system of the Alba FSU had integrity issues which created potential routes for oxygen ingress into the

which gave rise to the risk of electric shock and explosion due to exposed parts.

prohibition notice against an Aberdeenbased drilling equipment company on February 21.

tanks through the drainpipe. Furthermore, no records were made available to confirm whether there was an oxygen deficient

had also failed to maintain some machinery “so far as is reasonably practicable to prevent danger.” Amongst a list of failures,

atmosphere within the cargo tanks.

the drilling equipment manufacturer had also failed to take suitable and sufficient steps to prevent, as far as reasonably

The HSE says that Premium Drilling Tools

Ithaca Energy was given an improvement notice after an HSE inspector visited Ithaca’s

Ithaca Energy has until August 14 to comply

Alba floating storage unit (FSU) in the North Sea between January 14-16 and found that workers had been exposed to the risk of

with the issues raised by the improvement notice. Ithaca Energy was founded in 2004 and is owned by Israel’s Delek Group. It took

practicable, any person falling a distance liable to cause injury.

injury from fire or explosion. The notice states that Ithaca had failed to

over the Alba FSU as part of the £1.6 billion ($2bn) purchase of Chevron’s North Sea assets in November 2019.

Prohibition notices are a step further than improvement notices as they mean that certain operations in a business must be

demonstrate “appropriate measures to prevent formation of a flammable atmosphere within the cargo tanks or associated pipework thereby exposing the personnel onboard to the risk of serious personal injury or death from fire and explosion.”

Elsewhere, Premium Drilling Tools was issued a prohibition notice on February 21 and told to immediately halt works in some areas of the business after the HSE found several failings, including damage to equipment

stopped immediately. An improvement notice gives a company a certain amount of time to respond to the HSE’s comments and make the necessary changes to improve the safety of their operations without having to halt them.

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05/03/2020 13:04

Standards 13

Coronavirus, IECEx and Standards

Every two months, SGS Baseefa Technical Manager Ron Sinclair MBE gives his perspective on the latest developments in the world of standards.

am writing this shortly after the start of April, probably three or four weeks before you will read it. In terms of the

will run smoothly for up to three hours. I will

to cancel the two weeks of meetings that

also participate in five other meetings where I am not chairman. Timing of such meetings with an international

should have been taking place at the UL facility just outside Chicago at the end of April. It was decided that, in the majority of cases, the benefit of meeting face to

participation is not easy. We have settled

face could not be adequately replaced by

on a late afternoon and an evening session of three hours each, based on UK time. This means that very few participants will be working through the night, although the

electronic meetings. Some work will continue electronically on an ad-hoc basis, based on the view of the convenors of the various working groups and maintenance teams, but

Secretariat in Australia will have a very early start to their day.

most work is postponed.

IECEx still hopes to be able to hold its annual

IEC TC31 and its subcommittees should have been meeting for plenary sessions at Frankfurt

health crisis, things are moving at such a rate that what I write now may or may not be relevant in four weeks’ time.

management meetings in Niagara in late September. If this can’t happen, I assume we will go for postponement, as five days of

in late October, early November, along with more meetings of the working groups. Because the April meetings were cancelled,

We shall see.

electronic meetings of well over 100 people, most with voting rights, would be very difficult to manage.

the decision is that the October/November slot will be replaced by rescheduling the April meetings and holding them at UL, as originally planned. This should enable participants who

set up for communications: VPN, Skype, Teams, etc., but also, like most people I suppose, I miss the casual conversations

During early February, IECEx quickly developed an Operational Document to cover the sort of international disruption caused by

held flight reservations and hotel bookings for April to transfer them to the later meetings.

in the office which so often help to quickly resolve technical issues that might not seem important enough for a more formal remote

Coronavirus. Routine QA visits have to be postponed, routine ExCB assessments by the IECEx assessors also have to be postponed.

There will therefore be no plenary meetings this year and any essential formal votes will be conducted by correspondence.

conversation. In terms of international meetings, the first

However, IECEx has to maintain sufficient activity by using remote video, etc. in order to ensure that confidence in the IECEx system is

It is hoped that, come 2021, things will be approaching normal and that, with an April

reaction came from IECEx in late January. We had been scheduled to hold a week of meetings in Shanghai during May. In

not eroded. The document has been issued as a draft for guidance at the moment and should be formalised by the executive at its

session for the maintenance teams and working groups, and the plenary sessions in October, we will be back on track.

conjunction with our Chinese hosts, the decision was taken to move the meetings to Dubai. This seemed a safe arrangement to make at that time, but things have moved on. The possibility of meeting in Dubai no longer exists and there is little possibility of finding a further acceptable location.

electronic meeting in May, ready for formal approval by the Management Committee in September.

In common with many people, I am working from home. I am lucky that we are well

Therefore, a reduced number of meetings will be held electronically during the same period, with the IECEx Secretariat organising this from their homes in Sydney, Australia. I have full confidence that the Secretariat will have organised it well and that the meeting of the IECEx Service Facility Certification Committee

The European Notified Bodies Group for ATEX (ExNBG) followed this up immediately by issuing a similar document in relation to the ongoing surveillance activities that support conformity with the directive. Since many bodies are active in both schemes, using identical processes, it is important that the same criteria apply. In contrast to IECEx, our main standards committee, IEC TC31, has taken the decision

I am sure that, however things are at the start of May, the sooner we are all back to normal, the better.

About the author SGS Baseefa’s Technical Manager Ron Sinclair is a vice-chair of the European Notified Bodies Group for ATEX (ExNBG), as well as Chair of the IECEx Service Facility Certification Committee and a member of the IECEx Executive. He is chair of both the UK and European Standards Bodies operating in this area.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

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May 2020

Digitalisation for a new age PPTex Products Digital transformation in oil and gas Improving workplace health and safety with wearable technology

Image credit: Vuzix

16 PPTex – Products

Next generation electrical safety Canadian company Proxxi has developed a technology from the ground up to improve safety around low and high voltage workplaces. Many workers are exposed to the danger of electrical contact injuries everyday and so Proxxi created a wearable

available to the whole company. The app allows users to change between low voltage settings and high voltage settings, making it a solution for both qualified and unqualified workers in a variety of industries.

voltage sensor that detects energised equipment and notifies the user of danger. The Proxxi device analyses the wearers proximity to an energised device and notifies them via multi-sensory alerts if they get too close.

By reporting data back to an app, Proxxi provides real-time and historical access to data whenever an interaction with energised equipment occurs. Proxxi provides that fail safe backup to virtually eliminate the risk and provides companies peace of mind and visibility to keep employees safe.

Image: Proxxi

The data produced by the wearable device is recorded through an app and made

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©shutterstock, 75571303 | ISM_MA0098_200331

Smart glasses and headsets remove distractions and reduce error rates Vuzix, a manufacturer of Augmented

Another product from Vuzix is its Blade

Reality (AR) technology, has developed several smart headsets and smart glasses. The Vuzix M400 headset is optimised for

smart glasses which deliver a hands-free connection to the digital world by giving access to location-aware information,

harsh environments having been twometre drop-tested and IP67 rated for waterproof and dustproof operation.

data collection and more. The Vuzix Blade glasses include an 8-megapixel camera and voice control. They are also certified to CE EN166, the European certification for

The headset includes a camera capable of recording in 4K resolution, a flashlight, full colour OLED display, GPS, WiFi and

personal eye protection. Furthermore, the glasses have noise cancelling microphones, full colour see-through displays, WiFi,

Bluetooth, Touchpad, voice navigation and has 64GB of storage. Three noise cancellation microphones and Qualcomm

UV protection lenses, and dual haptic feedback. The see-through Waveguide optics merge digital instructions onto

truevoice enables hands-free voice commands in several environments. There is also an app available for Android and

real-world tasks, removing distractions and reducing error rates.

Librestream’s Onsight platform offers a realtime thermal video feed, allowing workers to share thermal images with remote

iOS which allows for monitoring of the smart glasses, access to apps, and a keyboard.

Vuzix recently partnered with Librestream to develop an integrated hands-free thermal imaging smart glasses solution.

experts.

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18 PPTex – Wearables

Improving workplace healt safety with wearable techno T

here have been many arguments

made about how the use of robots and Artificial Intelligence (AI) could replace the role of workers across

Improving workplace efficiency

Since the majority of health and safety

Understandably, many organisations focus on optimising their workforce by streamlining

incidents reported in the UK in 2017/18 within the transportation and storage industry relate to musculoskeletal

numerous industries. However, the reality is that full automation is not a pragmatic approach and will not be a

business processes to improve efficiency and productivity. However, to get the most out of worker activity, there are various

disorders, there is an added element of importance to deploy hands-free wearable technology to benefit the safety of workers.

realistic goal for years to come, despite impressive advancements in technology.

opportunities to enhance employees’ experience, and in turn, their performance.

Instead, we must consider how technology can augment the human worker’s role and improve the safety of workforce environments. Despite the importance of warehouse efficiency, there needs to be

Tiredness is one of the biggest challenges which restricts productivity in the workplace; from physical activities including lifting and putting away multiple items or wasting time walking to and from static work stations,

Ergonomic workspaces aim to decrease the risk of repetitive strain injury and accidents resulting from exhaustion. By removing unnecessary repetitive actions, such as time-consuming walks across the warehouse or constantly picking up and putting down equipment, wearable technology can ease the strain on the

additional emphasis on health and safety concerns in warehouses, and the continued issue of labour shortages. By implementing AI and wearable technology, businesses can move towards improving both productivity and accuracy while enhancing worker safety.

errors are more likely to happen as workers run out of energy. When employees become fatigued, the risk of them hurting themselves or the people around them increases. To reduce this from happening, businesses need to maximise both performance and

worker by avoiding extraneous tasks.

worker safety to achieve higher efficiency.

Not only does this reduce the risk of health

www.hazardexonthenet.net

Workers could immediately be provided with the next pick up location via their wearable device, rather than having to trek back to find out this information.

PPTex – Wearables 19 Acceptance of technology In a generation where technology is always developing, it is no surprise that many workers often have concerns in terms of job security. However, when it comes to wearable technology, the benefits are endless. Workers have been positive about the improvements wearable technology has on their daily routine, including; removing needless repetition, improving precision and reducing physical strain. By making their jobs safer and more straightforward, wearable technology has, in turn, improved workers’ conditions and increased their productivity levels.

th and ology

By not having to hold the device, workers

Wearable technology is one-way companies can apply technology to better their safety standards. With the benefits of the

have both hands free at all times, which makes tasks simpler, quicker, but more importantly – safer. The use of the glove removes any additional weight that could

technology quickly realised, both the workers and the business will reap the rewards from improvements in efficiency, safety and morale.

affect the worker’s fatigue and reduces the risk of dropping equipment. Furthermore, if there was a hazard or an event of danger, the worker can take appropriate and fast action, as they are not carrying any handheld devices. Sensors which emit alert signals can also be added to wearable devices to improve safety by warning workers of motion in

problems and injuries from strain, but

your working environment or highlighting any risk created by moving vehicles. For example, vests for workers on construction

productivity is also increased as workers have higher levels of energy to perform necessary activities.

sites can alert the individual if a hazard is approaching, and also communicates with forklift trucks to alert them of a worker’s

By ensuring that the majority of physical movement is directly linked to necessary

presence to avoid the risk of hitting them. Particularly in noisy working environments, this type of smart technology is crucial

productive duties, risks can be avoided by minimising extraneous movement, removing distractions and cutting out any additional weight.

About the author

where workers may not hear or see potential hazards.

Axel Schmidt is Senior Communication Manager at ProGlove. He has more than 19 years of experience as a senior communications professional.

Remote wearables Traditional scanners typically follow a handheld, point and shoot procedure, but with wearable technology, businesses can upgrade their equipment with an in-built scanner glove. Removing the need to hold a scanner, and instead, scanning with a click of a button in the glove, this shortens the process and allows workers to manage their tasks with ease.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

20 PPTex – IIoT

Digital transformation in o D

igital transformation has been at

the forefront of every industry. Market intelligence company IDC predicts that worldwide spending on digital transformation will reach US$2.3 trillion in 2023. The oil and gas industry will be part of that expenditure, but simply changing paper or analogue-based information into digital is not enough to realise the overall benefits digital transformation has to offer in the long term.

The amount of bandwidth available should be in the 500k to 1MB range, but with the right software, that requirement can

Predictive maintenance (PM) – Big Data In a perfect world, every machine would be able to tell you when it needs maintenance, much like your car’s engine may now tell you when to change the oil. This indicator is based on the frequency and duration of use. The oil and gas industry has ageing equipment and assets that will need

For years, organisations have been investing in technology to improve their

A fully transformed organisation must also prioritise a coordinated effort to change its

additional sensors to take advantage of what PM can offer. This data allows maintenance personnel to evaluate the equipment in terms of how and when repairs may need to be scheduled and results in a more efficient use of personnel,

operations, productivity, safety and more.

people, processes, and technology.

as well as management of fluids and

www.hazardexonthenet.net

be reduced

PPTex – IIoT 21

it matches what the customer thought they sent. Solutions like remote expert software

The role of AI and AR

and digital work instructions help connect technicians to the information they need, including subject matter experts (SME), to accurately inspect and assess the equipment.

factor in the future. In 2019, 37% of organisations had already implemented AI. AI can be used to provide access to relevant information and recommendations across the operation at a much higher rate and frequency than ever before. These

Using remote expertise, the technician can connect with colleagues, contractors, vendors, and the customer for collaboration. Collaborators can annotate, share images, and even diagrams to help understand the repair in real time. Digital work instructions can walk the technician

organisations are investing in AI systems and training them to effectively use the incoming data to predict outcomes. To do that, these systems need data to provide intelligent alerts and recommendations.

through the repair process by displaying the steps and supplemental material to accelerate the repair.

Part of the redesign plans should include gathering data from as many different areas as possible. This includes, if possible, conversion of analogue data to digital so

Industry use case: remote expertise overseas

oil and gas components for that machinery. The reduction in unplanned downtime will reduce costs in terms of planning and production scheduling.

Streamline repair with Augmented Reality Augmented Reality (AR) introduces new functions on almost any device for a worker in a service or repair position. This capability can reduce travel time, expedite time to resolution, and increase worker safety.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be the deciding

National Oilwell Varco (NOV) implemented its TrackerVision system, an augmented-

it is actionable. It also includes capturing more digital information from the field with IIoT feeding it data and AR applications bringing in field-based information.

reality remote expert solution powered by Librestream that combines software, communication devices, and specialised

These AR technologies, including remote expert and digitised work instructions,

hardware, to increase the effectiveness of its global technicians on land rigs and offshore vessels. In one instance, an SME was scheduled to perform a remote inspection

add digital information such as pictures, recordings, and data from unconnected equipment. When used in conjunction with AI-based computer vision technologies

of equipment undergoing testing overseas. When the original date of the inspection moved due to equipment issues, the SME’s

such as optical character recognition (OCR) and object detection, AR tools can auto-tag this field-based information for

day was not interrupted by unplanned travel. Instead, the SME simply rescheduled the remote inspection and continued working.

machine learning modelling. Achieving digital transformation

For many years, digital initiatives were

requires a coordinated investment and commitment across an organisation and the willingness to tackle process change.

brought forward by different business units within an organisation that were working in silos. While a solution may work in one

The technologies are already available and proven to deliver improvements in productivity, worker safety and overall

area of the business, it may fail in others once expanded. For digital transformation initiatives to scale, focus on the redesign of operations and processes is essential.

operations. As the oil and gas industry continues to invest in these digital technologies and process change, innovators will emerge to gain the immediate and long-term benefits of digital transformation.

The architecture is core

Organisations must also prioritise an environment that enables all their facilities and rigs to use the technology in any

In repair situations, when a tool arrives at the repair facility, it will go through a triage

situation. Investment in WiFi availability in the areas where these technologies will be used is one great place to start. The amount of bandwidth available should be in the 500k to 1MB range, but with the right software, that requirement can be

process to assess its condition and confirm

reduced.

About the author Mark Norman was a Systems and Support Development Manager at National Oilwell Varco and is now a consultant for the oil and gas industry focusing on areas within digital transformation, operations and more.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

22 PPTex - Communications

Digitalisation for a new age I

n 2020, there have been and will be many developments across all industries where explosive atmospheres mean strict rules need to be adhered to.

towards the future and key plants looking to become more efficient through the optimisation of assets. The Industry 4.0 market was valued at an estimated US$71.7

computers are an ideal solution for companies adopting Industry 4.0 technology as they are more flexible, save costs, and help with innovation. Operating a closed loop system

There are some particularly exciting developments happening in terms of mobility

billion in 2019 and is expected to reach US$156.6 billion by 2024. The technology advancements related to Industry 4.0 will see

means data/systems can be managed more easily. Key drivers for Edge computing are that as the number of sensors increase,

in hazardous areas, including operating systems/chipset upgrades and new mobile products. However, the certification process for these products can take a long time – up-to 5 years in some cases. This is why the specifications for hazardous area mobiles and tablets, for example, aren’t the same as your desktop/laptop. Certification is for the proposed specification only and they cannot be upgraded (for ATEX/IECEx Zone 1). For Zone 2, there are more options and an I5/I7 Processor similar to the current specifications

much improved Return on Investment for many companies. For large refineries, downtime is extremely costly and many are adopting new technology to keep operations up and running. A Shell refinery in the Netherlands for example has its equipment and operation monitored by 50,000 sensors that generate 100,000 measurements a minute. Machine learning and AI were implemented to analyse and process this key data – preventing failures,

plants gain more insight and data sets. Local devices no longer have the processing power to deliver scaled analytics and the ‘Cloud’ can suffer latency issues. As Digital Twins communicate, low latency is key to make sure processes are done correctly. Edge computers will be heavily used for analysis, data cleansing, and filtering which means only important data is ‘sent’ to the engineering team to ensure all is in order. By using AI/ Machine Learning, algorithms can be used to build in operational limits that, if exceeded,

of ‘mainstream’ desktops/laptops can be used. You can therefore have confidence

helping maintenance strategies and keeping the plant working. The technology meant large

cause an alert to be sent to an alarm system or the control room, depending on the risk

that the devices are fit for purpose when they are officially released. All are MIL-STD-810G certified and have varying IP ratings. This

cost savings for the operator and notification periods increased dramatically.

associated with that part of the operation.

Digital Twins

Onshore and offshore networking

We have all heard the terms IoT, IIoT, and

Digital Twins, where a cloud-based asset is digitally run in the background, also offer ways for production to be improved. Breakages and failures can be seen before they happen, meaning operations teams can optimise the

How does this all work? First an initial radio frequency (WiFi) Survey, through proof of concept, then roll-out and integration, before then linking to ERP (back-end databases). There are key milestones that need to be

Industry 4.0 in relation to sectors looking

output without risking lives in the field. Edge

met – initially network. Without a suitable 4G

is only one piece of the ‘jigsaw’ for digital transformation though – it all needs to be linked, accessible, secure and relevant to the job role or use case.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

PPTex - Communications 23

network, it is not feasible to employ digital devices or technologies in the field. Everything is linked so that data can flow to the right people when it is needed. Without a network, this is not possible. So maximising uptime and having backups in place to ensure 24/7, 365 coverage for key operations and assets are essential. Low latency with LTE base stations are located in all major active areas. VSAT does have limitations on bandwidth and needs expensive receivers at the other side – also high latency. The typical RoundTrip Delay (RTD) is around 580-600ms – the new LTE networks require little hardware in comparison to the older solution and can reduce RTD by 90% to around 35ms – which enables machine-to-machine communication. All this is done with a secure private network

sensors, as well as giving real time data and analytics for evaluation. Different businesses and sectors will have differing needs and requirements, so systems can be scaled,

Conclusion

with many applications available.

upgraded, and deployed as and when they are needed as the options available increase and technology develops.

real-time data which means decisions can be made with clear analytical data that has been fully evaluated, in a shorter amount of time than before.

There is key infrastructure supplied by a handful of specialist companies for offshore who offer fibre networking for 4G LTE networks. They offer data and voice SIM cards and all the hardware for building a

This also links to mobile devices and again these are now beginning to offer better ‘bang for your buck’ with processor speed and

PTP (Point-to-point) or PTMP (Point-toMulti-Point) where distances covered can be as high as 240 km. There are a handful of options and the technology is a step forward,

chipsets improving and delivering the same ability in a Zoned area as in an office.

meaning easier implementation, further distances so fewer links to the Bridge/Link and therefore, in theory, more cost effective.

as asset and personnel tracking, are also enabling data to be sent immediately to the right people for real-time troubleshooting.

Data can be sent ‘Full Duplex’ or ‘Half Duplex’ depending on the need. Full Duplex

All the key players have applications designed for specific job tasks – be it

means that data is sent one way only while Half Duplex means data is split and can be sent both ways (VOIP/Data etc). A BATS

timesheets, P&ID, dates of manufacture, condition monitoring etc. – which provide real-time data. Understanding the needs

gyroscopic solution (the large dome you see on top of ships) helps with offshore assets as a straight line of sight is essential for smooth

of a business drives the development of an application and many companies can now design bespoke software in various formats

operation.

and link it to CRM/ERP so that information is visible to anyone who needs it.

Once a network is established and connected, the RF (WiFi) survey is conducted, offering an insight into areas where there is not a strong enough 4G network. From here, depending on the ATEX Zone, WAPS (Wireless Access Point

Developments in the wearables market, such

Augmented Reality Augmented Reality is playing a key role in showcasing the abilities of new technologies as data and knowledge can be shared in real-time across the globe. This means all

Enclosures) specifically designed for use in the Zone are installed and configured to the network. Normally, the main players in the Wireless Access Point market are covered so you can use the same infrastructure for both Onshore and Offshore. This helps

stakeholders can be made aware of any problems and get a fix in play without having to wait for a specialist team to mobilise. So, time can be saved due to less travel being needed and when coupled with a Digital Twin, a realistic plan of action can

integrating and linking to key plants and

be deployed.

There are many steps to digital transformation, but they lead to lower costs (ROI), enhanced efficiency, optimised operations, and offer

The global COVID-19 pandemic forcing countries into lockdown will see a major demand for new technology to help deliver the services that we are used to, so it is an exciting period for technology across all sectors. About the author

Andy Russell has been involved in engineering projects for over 15 years. Initially from a recruitment background, Andy has experience covering many projects within Oil & Gas, Construction, Commissioning, Nuclear, Pharma, MoD and others. Andy has worked with many ATEX technologies with certification from global names to ensure he is at the cutting edge of new technology for Industry 4.0/IIoT. You can find Andy on LinkedIn with #atexandy or feel free to get in contact via sales@atexsolutions.uk.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

24 Hazardex 2020 Review

Hazardex & PPTex 2020 Conference & Exhibition T

he Hazardex 2020 Exhibition, Conference and Awards – co-located

The first Hazardex event was held in 2002 and each year we have sought to bring

with PPTex – took place on February 26 and 27 at the Majestic Hotel in Harrogate, the elegant North Yorkshire

together the finest members of the process safety and hazardous area operations community – this year was no different.

spa town in north-east England. All participants were enthusiastic about the change in venue for Hazardex 2020, with the Majestic Hotel – now a Double Tree by Hilton establishment – offering much improved facilities and accommodation. The Hazardex team would like to thank all attendees for making this year’s event one of the best we have ever had. Hazardex 2020 was a great success for

www.hazardex-event.co.uk

the industry, and we are thrilled to say that plans are already well underway for Hazardex 2021 which is to be held at the same venue on February 24 & 25, 2021. A special thank you goes to our Event & Awards sponsors, CSA Group and Connectivity, for their support. We are happy to announce that both will be returning as sponsors in 2021!

The main focus of the event was the conference which had a distinguished list of speakers sharing their knowledge and expertise. As in previous years, the event included free-to-attend workshops with the Institute of Measurement & Control hosting one on each day of the event. These involved an introduction to the work and activities of the Functional Safety and Explosive Atmospheres Special Interest Groups as well as two Briefing Notes followed by a Q&A session.

Hazardex 2020 Review 25

Hazardex 2020 Exhibitors ANT Telecommunications

Mutech

ATEXInspect

NEPIC

BEKA associates

OBAC

CCG UK

Pepperl+Fuchs

Connectivity

Phoenix Mecano

CSA Group

R&M Electrical Group

Dekra

RAS Ltd

Dialight

Rheintacho UK

DNV GL

Roxby Training Solutions

Draeger UK

SAFT

Dynaco Entrematic

Site Bright from Shindaiwa

Exloc Instruments

SGS Baseefa

Ex-Machinery

Tempa Pano

ExVeritas

Trant Engineering

F.E.S (Ex)

WIKA Instruments

Institute of Measurement & Control

ZOA Robotics

JT Ltd - CompEx

Jones, Head of CompEx Global, in Stream 2. Thank you to both Ron and Martin for their tremendous support and we look forward to welcoming them back as Chairmen next year.

Ron Sinclair MBE – Technical Manager, SGS Baseefa – Conference Stream 1 Chairman

A second set of workshops were hosted by ZOA Robotics which addressed the

meeting up with senior engineers and safety managers from the high hazard

recent trend towards robotic inspections, the benefits of digitisation, and how ZOA’s robotic platform uses sensors to help clients achieve high operational reliability

and process industries to share their experiences. The informal, very well attended Gala

Day one of the conference began in Stream 1 where Steve Elliott – CEO, Chemical Industries Association – discussed the challenges that

while improving safety for operators. Another key element of Hazardex 2020

Dinner at the end of the event’s first day on February 26 helped to further facilitate networking between attendees. The

hazardous process industries are facing, specifically those related to the three key topic areas of Digitalisation and

was the free-to-attend exhibition, with leading hazardous area sector companies displaying their products and services to

evening consisted of a drinks reception and dinner taking place before the start of the evening’s focal point, the Hazardex Awards

Cyber; Climate Change as a threat to hazardous inventories and processes; and Leadership. Stephen Marcos

the assembled professional audience. Exhibitors comprised certification bodies, lighting manufacturers,

for Excellence. The Hazardex awards are designed to recognise excellence in the hazardous area sector and has become the

Jones – Director-General, UKPIA – then spoke about the potential role for digital in unlocking efficiencies and improving

communications specialists, inspection and asset management experts, cable manufacturers, enclosure specialists, risk

benchmark for those supplying products, services and systems into the industry. An in-depth look at the Hazardex 2020 Awards

safety in the downstream oil sector. He highlighted some of the existing uses that are emerging from the use of digital in the

management companies, and many more hazardous area focused businesses and organisations.

can be found on pages 28 and 29 of this issue.

Hazardex Conference

downstream space and about the digital opportunities across the sector, including new ways to track people to ensure their safety on site.

The conference, exhibition, workshops, free seminar content, networking dinner and awards ceremony are all designed to strengthen and expand the community that

Delegates and visitors were able to hear from an exceptional line-up of speakers at Hazardex 2020 which comprised leading high hazard industry figures, regulators,

Next, Steven Naylor – Associate Director and Technical Lead of Discovering Safety Programme, HSE –

looks to the Hazardex website and journal for industry intelligence and information. The 2020 event again provided exceptional opportunities for networking, with attendees from government agencies, regulators, certification bodies & training providers,

academics, engineers and consultants who offered insights and expertise from a variety of industries. To complement the eminent line-up of presenters, both conference streams had an equally reputable Chairman – Ron Sinclair MBE, Technical Manager

offered insights into the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the opportunities and challenges it has created for health and safety. Steven was joined by Rhodri Morgan – Electrical Control and Cyber Security Specialist Inspector,

consultants and product manufacturers

at SGS Baseefa, in Stream 1 and Martin

HSE – who spoke about cybersecurity

Conference Stream 1

www.hazardex-event.co.uk

26 Hazardex 2020 Review

Steve Elliott – CEO, Chemical Industries Association

Stephen Marcos Jones – Director-General, UKPIA

implementation and compliance in the oil

and Instrumentation elements of the

and gas sector. Chris Agius – Executive Secretary, IECEx – provided an update of the current IECEx Certification Tools that facilitate world trade in Ex equipment,

investigation into the fatal incident at Chevron’s Pembroke oil refinery on June 2, 2011. The presentation focused on aspects such as gas testing,

assemblies and Services and how IECEx can also be used to bridge between differing national regulations through its

electronic data recovery and analysis (PV.data), earthing & bonding, portable electronic devices and hazardous area

“Fast Track” provisions.

classification. This was followed by Carolyn Nicholls – Director, RAS Ltd – who spoke about the lack of appreciation of the appropriate use of tolerability

In the afternoon of the first day, Dr. Zsuzsanna Gyenes – Deputy to the

Peter Newport – Chief Executive, Chemical Business Association

Director, IChemE Safety Centre – discussed the lack of consistency in lead metrics across industry and differing levels of

criteria in risk assessment.

understanding and interpretation of lead metrics in different companies. She then spoke about how the ISC has developed

Engineering Safety Consultants – questioned whether the well-presented stamped paper certificate is an indulgent

guidance to provide context for barrier failures and in particular the lead metric ‘barrier fail on test’ and ‘barrier failing on

bureaucratic way to feel good about using equipment in a safety critical application, or whether it actually carries

Conference Stream 2

demand’.

value with regards to evidencing an adequate level of compliance with IEC61508. Then, Harvey T. Dearden –

the first day in Conference Stream 2 with an introduction on the CBA before moving on to a case study addressing a CBA-

Head of Compliance, Brenntag – who spoke about the personal aspect of safety and provided insights into the initiatives Brenntag has implemented to enhance its safety performance. Dr. Hassan ElSayed – Business Manager - Functional Safety, CSA Group – closed the first day of the event by offering guidance on Fixed

Engineering Director, HTS Engineering Group – explored the relationship between SL and SIL and showed how they may be related through an appropriate risk calibration for a given enterprise.

led packaging development project for members covering the background, design, development, UN testing and approval of a new solution for the safe carriage of higher concentrations of ammonia solution. Further details can be found on pages 30 and 31 of this issue.

Gas Detection Systems for use in SIS and the impact of IEC 60079-29-3 on SIS installations.

and Gas Detector Mapping by Tim Jones – Principal Consultant, RPS Group – before Bill McDonough and Alison Quinn, Dialight, demonstrated how industrial hazardous-location certified LED lighting can dramatically improve facility safety.

This was followed by Alistair Hunter –

Peter Evans – Specialist Inspector, HSE – opened day two with an insightful presentation on the Electrical, Control

www.hazardex-event.co.uk

Paulo Oliveira – Associate Director, Martin Jones – Head of CompEx Global – Conference Stream 2 Chairman

Peter Newport – Chief Executive, Chemical Business Association – opened

Stream 1 closed with a presentation on Fire James Steven – Development & Innovation Manager, DNV GL – explored how common practises have led to threats to the integrity of hazardous area installations and what effects this has had on completion of projects. Chris Thomas – Electrical Engineer, Intertek – informed attendees

Hazardex 2020 Review 27

Peter Evans – Specialist Inspector, HSE

Chris Agius – Executive Secretary, IECEx

Dr. Zsuzsanna Gyenes – Deputy to the Director, IChemE Safety Centre

about what the various markings typically

areas by focusing on the main challenges

Smith – Technical Sales Manager,

placed on equipment mean and why certification bodies require certain markings to be shown. Chris also explained what and why certain markings are required.

and explaining how to technically deal with these issues.

ProGARM – spoke about the importance of layering PPE to protect against Arc Flash and Tony Ennis – Director, Haztech Consultants – clarified the issues which have been raised by the reclassification of

Sean Clarke – Managing Director, ExVeritas – then looked at why intrinsic safety has always been ‘evolving’ and

– presented on facility assessment and certification and Dr. Geof Mood – Technical Director, CCG Cable Terminations –

Diesel and similar fuels.

adapting, the problems that can give rise to and the potential benefits to designers in the future. Sean also considered ‘why’

explained what an IP rating means and more importantly what it does not mean (but is usually assumed to mean) as well

topics and several interesting conversations and debates were had through the Q&A sessions at the end of each presentation.

we assess the way we do, why there may be variability in assessment techniques, and what we are doing collectively or as

as offering guidance about what to look for to make sure that the installation meets its intended IP rating.

Thank you again to all exhibitors, speakers, delegates, and visitors for contributing to

individual Certification Bodies to overcome that. Dr. Alexander Horch – Vice President R&D and Product Management,

Glynn Warren – Product Manager, Extronics – then asked why IIoT

another outstanding Hazardex event and we look forward to welcoming everyone back on February 24 & 25, 2021 in

HIMA Group – discussed remote access security and security solutions for remote maintenance before Gido van Tienhoven – Director, Ex-Machinery Explosion Proof Equipment B.V. – spoke about the challenges of air conditioning in hazardous

technologies could pose a risk hazardous areas and Scott Harding – Sales Director, Woodcock & Wilson – discussed the IECEx Hazardous Area certification which now covers non-electrical (mechanical) equipment. Ending Stream 2, Hamilton

In the morning of day two, Michael Marrington – General Manager, IndEx

In all, the conference covered numerous

Harrogate! Visit www.hazardex-event.co.uk for full presentation details and further information about Hazardex 2021. Click here to watch the Hazardex 2020 Review Video.

www.hazardex-event.co.uk

28 Hazardex 2020 Review

Hazardex & PPTex 2020 Awards for Excellence www.hazardex-event.co.uk

Hazardex 2020 Awards Sponsors

he Hazardex & PPTex 2020 Awards for Excellence took place during a

area sector. The categories were Technical

Over the last decade, the Hazardex Awards programme has become

well-attended Gala Dinner on February 26 following a fantastic first day of the Hazardex 2020 Conference & Exhibition.

Innovation, Best User Application, Best Customer Service, Contribution to Safety, plus the additional Delegates’ Award which was voted for on the day by event attendees.

A total of 25 nominations were shortlisted across five categories, designed to recognise excellence in the hazardous

Thank you to our Awards sponsors, CSA Group and Connectivity, for their support!

voted by Hazardex journal and website readers and users, as well as event attendees.

standard. The guide reduces the chance of glands being over or under tightened – a

smartphones and tablets that meet the highest requirements in industrial use. At the Hazardex

major health and safety issue for companies within harsh and hazardous environments. Highly commended BEKA associates – New alternative to

event, Pepperl+Fuchs ecom showcased its application-oriented range of mobile phones, tablets, PDA’s, two-way radios, remote speaker microphones, headsets and HMI

Ex d indicators Eaton – MTL SUM5

solutions, designed for use in harsh and potentially hazardous environments. There was also an opportunity to try out new products

the benchmark for those supplying products, services and systems within hazardous areas. The winners were all

such as the Zone 1 / Div 1 Android 4G/LTE Smartphone Smart-Ex 02, the Smart-Ex Watch 01, the Zone 1 / Div 1 Android 4G/LTE

Adam Garner, CSA Group (Centre) with Andrew Reid (Left) and Matt Ogden (Right), Hawke International

Category 1 – Technical Innovation Sponsored by CSA Group

tablet Tab-Ex 02 and the Ex-Camera Cube 800, designed for safe operation in Ex-certified and rugged environments, bringing hands-free

An innovative product or system for use in hazardous area environments. Winner – Hawke International

collaboration to the world’s toughest locations. Highly commended RealWear – RealWear HMT-1Z1

Cable gland conversion kit & tightening guide

Adam Garner, CSA Group with Max Begley and Karen Jarrett, Pepperl+Fuchs ecom

Category 2 – PPTex Innovation Sponsored by CSA Group

Hawke International developed a special conversion kit for its Universal 501/453 cold flow compliant cable gland. The kit enables the Universal to be easily converted into a barrier gland. Essentially this means

The best innovation in Personnel Protection Technologies (PPT) equipment incorporating electronic and technological systems that the user can wear, hold or use to improve safety

that Hawke has created a ‘one gland, two applications’ proposition, allowing customers to purchase one gland for both their standard and barrier gland needs.

within the process and high hazard industries. Winner – Pepperl+Fuchs ecom ATEX certified mobile computing and communication devices

Hawke also has a patented tightening guide

Pepperl+Fuchs ecom’s products consists

which is integrated into all its glands, as

of explosion-protected mobile phones, 4G

www.hazardex-event.co.uk

Re-Gen Robotics – Explosion proof, robotic tank cleaning technology

Ernest Kyei, InstMC and Adam Garner, CSA Group

Category 3 – Best User Application Sponsored by CSA Group

Hazardex 2020 Review 29 An application story highlighting the benefits of a product, system or service for use in

a full range of LED Ex luminaires, Raytec also provides outstanding customer service

fully integrated offering from initial conceptual design, to product selection, through the

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Paige West, Connectivity Editor and Darren Lindsay, Librestream Alistair Hookway, Hazardex Editor (2nd from right) with Lenny Collins, Tom Irwin and Bruce McHattie (Left to Right), Dron & Dickson

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or russell.goater@imlgroup.co.uk for

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30 Chemicals The redesigned IBC for ammonia solutions

operate. The expiry date for MLAs can vary, but they normally last for five years unless they are extended due to the advent of new regulations. MLAs provided the industry with some breathing space in order to tackle the precise requirements of the ADR regulations. The ADR regulations contained three key requirements in relation to the carriage of ammonia solution: (1) It specified three types of Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs) that could be used to carry ammonia solution (Types 31H1, 31H2, 31HZ1). (2) The IBC must be fitted with a device to allow venting during carriage and the venting device had to be sited in the vapour space under maximum filling conditions. (3) The IBC(s) must be carried on an open vehicle (this includes curtain-sided vehicle). Carriage through the Channel Tunnel was specifically excluded. These requirements are valid until 31 January 2022 for carriage of ammonia solution in territories that continue to remain contracted to the ADR agreement.

Problem solving for ammonia solutions A

The central challenge within these provisions was the creation of a venting device that would conform to ADR’s requirements. The first step was to review a range of IBC models to establish if any conformed or could be adapted to meet the ADR’s provisions. It quickly became apparent that a simple solution of this kind was not available. The main stumbling block was the vapour pressure restriction imposed by the ADR.

n EU Directive covering the carriage of dangerous goods

Ammonia solution in the higher concentration is used for a number of specialist

created a significant UK problem for the supply of ammonia solution. Temporary fixes will come to an end in February

applications. It is a key chemical component in the recycling of catalytic converters, the approval process for many pharmaceutical

Other problems involved the size and construction of IBCs. Supply chain companies required an IBC capacity of 1,000

2022. Chief Executive, Peter Newport, explains how the Chemical Business Association (CBA) and its member companies tackled the issue.

products, in the disposal of military ammunition, and in dealing with slurry in the oil and gas sector.

litres. In addition, the use of plastic to form the containers was limited to five years and it was not economically viable to construct a more robust plastic container.

The UK adopted the revised provisions of the When the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) regulations almost halved the percentage concentration of Ammonia solution that could be legally carried by road, from 35% to 19%, several specialist sectors of the chemical supply chain faced serious issues.

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ADR in 2000 but agreed to allow deliveries at the higher concentration to continue through the use of Multi-Lateral Agreements (MLAs). MLAs offered an interim solution that ensured supplies could continue. They are authored by one party and have to be counter-signed by at least one other party in order to

It became clear that a new design for an IBC would have to be developed. CBA therefore contacted Thielmann, a German company recognised as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of stainless steel containers and offering tailor-made in-house solutions to meet a range of design requirements.

Chemicals 31

The specification provided to Thielmann by CBA and a group of interested member

valve handle onto the base plate causing the valve assembly to leak so the required

companies was for a 1,100-litre cylindrical stainless steel IBC suitable for a liquid (Packing Group II) with a specific gravity not exceeding 1.00 and able to withstand hydraulic pressures of 550kpa. This specification was agreed, and development

pressure could not be maintained.

work began.

For different reasons, these solutions were not appropriate.

Several possible solutions were considered, including making a hole in the base plate to allow the handle to move and making the walls of the IBC thicker.

A prototype IBC was produced in a conical shape, with 2.5mm thick sidewalls, a convex head, two-inch camlock filling aperture, a butterfly outlet valve, and a pressure-relief

The design team then recalculated the ADR formula suggesting that the hydraulic pressure the IBC had to withstand was

valve. In January 2018, testing the prototype began. It successfully passed all its tests apart from the hydraulic pressure test. Over 510kpa, the base cone distorted forcing the

550kpa. Research showed that the actual hydraulic pressure was 460kpa. The UK Department for Transport subsequently agreed this revised calculation.

A standard IBC

About the author

In August 2018, the new IBC was retested and maintained its integrity at 460kpa for ten minutes. The results of the full range of testing procedures were: • Vibration test • Bottom lift test • Top lift test

3.95Hertz for 60 minutes 1,816.02kg load with 75% fork penetration 2,997.57kg load for 5 minutes

• Stacking test 5,101.30kg load for 5 minutes • Leakproofness test 20kPa for 10 minutes • Hydraulic pressure test 65kPa, 200kPa, 350kPa and 460kPa (ten minutes each) • Drop test

98% water filled IBC dropped from 1.2metres

This example of the industry creating an innovative and effective solution to a

Agency in September 2018, the Department for Transport’s authorisation

significant regulatory issue was brought to a successful conclusion with the issue of the new IBC’s Vehicle Certification

issued in April 2019, and the beginning of the final roll out phase in January 2020.

Peter Newport is the Chief Executive of the Chemical Business Association. Peter is a key industry advocate to governmental and regulatory authorities in the UK and Europe. He is also a board member and current Treasurer of the European Association for Chemical Distributors (Fecc) and a board member of the International Chemical Trade Association (ICTA).

What is the ADR? The ADR is a European agreement covering the transnational carriage of

and toxic substances. A distinguishing four-digit UN number is allocated to each

européen relatif au transport international des marchandises Dangereuses par

dangerous goods by road. It establishes specific conditions of carriage for nine separate classes of dangerous goods – from gases to flammable liquids and from oxidising substances, corrosive materials,

hazard class along with an explanatory pictogram that must be displayed on the vehicle carrying the dangerous goods.

Route’. From 1 January 2021, the treaty is to be renamed the Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road.

ADR is derived from the French ‘Accord

About CBA CBA represents the UK’s independent chemical supply chain. Its membership includes distributors, traders, warehouse operators, along with logistics and transport companies. CBA’s members, the majority of which

are SMEs, are the main industry interface with thousands of UK downstream chemical users. CBA member companies employ more than 8,700 people. They distribute,

pack, and blend over 4 million tonnes of chemicals each year with a market value of almost three billion euros. In addition, CBA’s logistics member companies handle more than four million tonnes of chemicals annually.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

32 Occupational safety

Image: Shutterstock

The role of poor shift handover in oil and gas incidents I

n the oil and gas industry, hazards

Research has revealed that whilst start-ups,

which occurred during a shift. Finally, it was

are inevitable and if they are not identified properly, they may lead to incidents. When it comes to continuous

shutdowns, and changeover periods account for less than 5% of engineers’ time, 40% of plant incidents occur during these instances.

also revealed that there was an insufficient amount of time allocated for the handover between supervisors.

processes, engineers are required to be available 24/7 to carry out operations or maintenance. Workers are therefore frequently rotated on a routine basis

Role of shift handovers in major incidents The importance of shift handovers has been

The BP Texas City Refinery explosion in 2005 is another example of the total failure of shift handover management. The explosion

within a cycle of shifts and conduct a handover between teams at the end of each shift. A shift handover is defined

highlighted by major oil and gas incidents such as Piper Alpha, Texas City, Buncefield, and Deepwater Horizon. The Cullen report

occurred when a flammable vapour cloud was created by liquid overflow from a blowdown stack. The investigation team found that there

as transferring responsibilities and tasks from one individual or team to another and it is the best-known type of

published following the Piper Alpha disaster clearly mentioned, as one of many factors, that the failure of transferring information

was no procedure to follow when conducting a shift handover. The absence of a lead operator during handover, miscommunication, unclear

safety critical communication. The goal of a shift handover is to communicate “accurate, reliable, task relevant

during shift handover contributed to the incident. Specifically, information about a pressure safety valve which had been removed

information and a lack of detail in the logbook were all evident. Operators were working in shift patterns for 30 consecutive days at a

information across shift changes, thereby ensuring continuity of safe and effective working.”

and replaced by a blind flange was not communicated between shifts. In addition to that, there was no written procedure for shift

time which led to excessive fatigue among personnel and demonstrated an ineffective policy for shift work. Even though shift

handover and information that was written in the shift handover logbook was left to the lead operator’s discretion.

handover management issues and the general lessons learned from BP’s Grangemouth refinery incident in 2000 were available, the BP Texas City management did not appear to learn from the Grangemouth incident.

This article describes the key challenges in shift handovers and illustrates how poor handovers contributed to some of the oil and gas industry’s worst disasters, before offering some recommendations on how to implement robust and effective shift handover management.

Elsewhere, the Buncefield oil storage depot explosion and fire in 2005 was also partially caused by poor shift handover. The incident investigation team revealed that effective

Communication matter The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

A shift handover is a critical activity with a direct influence on production and safety. Poor shift handover is known to cause operational problems such as plant upsets, unplanned shutdowns and product reworks, all of which

arrangements for shift handover were not in place and there was confusion between supervisors about which tank was being filled. The shift logbook was also only used to capture information about one pipeline and only had information about the plant’s situation

guidance document HSG48 clearly states that reliable communication is highly critical to safety. Effective communication during a shift handover provides a strong layer of protection against major incidents. People tend to underestimate the complexity of the

can result in considerable revenue loss.

during the end of a shift and not about events

communication process, and consequently

www.hazardexonthenet.net

Occupational safety 33

overestimate their ability to communicate effectively. Good communication between management, supervisors and workers at an informal level, is a feature of low incident plants. All communication is prone to error and misunderstandings are an inevitable feature of human communication. In complex processes, the occurrence of errors is more likely, so it is critical to check that information has been received and understood correctly. Unreliable communication can stem from issues including: - - - -

Missing information Unnecessary information Inaccurate information Poor quality of information

Buncefield oil depot fire – Image: Stuart Axe / Flickr

- Misunderstandings

Barriers to effective communication in shift handover

Miscommunication of maintenance issues when maintenance is runnning over a shift

There are several reasons why making improvements to shift handover management

Shift handover is effectively the transfer of knowledge from the outgoing staff to incoming

change can have serious safety implications unless a clear picture of activities is given. If activities are miscommunicated, all the actions

can be difficult, but the above are areas that can be improved to reduce risk.

staff. A handover is typically thought to be a unidirectional process in which the outgoing operator decides which information is of importance and needs to be communicated.

done by the incoming shift will be based on poor and incomplete information. Further high-risk situations include shift handovers between experienced and inexperienced staff,

An organisation’s set-up and culture both play a critical role in improving the shift handover process. In many cases there is no guidance or procedure provided by a company or it

However, when operators write shift handover reports, they assume that all staff members have a shared thought process and common

changing crews when the incoming staff have been absent for a long period of time, or when a safety system has been overridden. When

is unclear how a shift handover should be conducted. Management teams should ensure they control all aspects of communication in

understanding in line with their personal ‘mental model’. Herein lies the problem – this assumption leads to miscommunication and

possible, maintenance work should always be completed within one shift in order to eliminate the risk of miscommunication between

handovers. If information is not being received, understood or acted upon, the organisation should investigate and remove any barriers

a lack of common understanding which can lead to potential incidents. When an outgoing operator writes anything that they feel is

operators and crews.

preventing clear communication.

Regulatory requirements

Shift handover logbook

relevant to the incoming shift, it will mostly be written in an unstructured manner and based on their own personal judgment and individual

Following major incidents, regulators look closely at shift handover management and the defined requirements for handovers.

Efforts should be taken to prevent the use of a blank logbook during a handover because this means the content is left to the discretion

mental model. Lack of structure, poor legibility, and

When the UK HSE examined 16 companies operating offshore on the UK Continental Self, it noted the following issues in relation to shift

of the out-going shift personnel. It is good practice to involve any related personnel in the structuring of the logbook. Research

insufficient information in shift logbooks are common issues. Literature reviews have indicated that 80% of oil and gas production facility logbooks are in an unstructured style and don’t capture key information. Sometimes,

handovers: - Did not clearly define responsibilities and information requirements - Did not provide written guidance - Did not mention it in their safety case

conducted by Honeywell on improving shift handovers showed that structuring a logbook and informing workers what information needs to be reported helps reduce the risk of miscommunicating critical information. A

they include unnecessary information while key information is buried in the content.

- Lacked risk awareness among their operators - Provided little or no training - Did little monitoring or auditing - Had accidents that involved miscommunication at shift handover, e.g. maintenance or plant status

High risk shift handovers It is important to give special attention to handovers during certain circumstances, such as maintenance or abnormal plant conditions.

structured logbook also helps individuals recall specific information and acts as a record of what was communicated prior to any potential incidents. Structured logbooks also help further by providing information regarding minor incidents, near misses, and human error which personnel can learn from.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

34 Occupational safety Time management The most important person in a shift handover

is also essential that an organisation looks to improve certain attributes in their workers’

Shift handover improvements require a systemic approach, including procedure,

is the person who is finishing their shift. The effectiveness of a shift handover heavily depends on the quality of information this person provides and their communication skills. However, at the end of a shift, even the most conscientious person is eager to go

communication skills so that handovers can be conducted in a clearer and more structured way. These attributes include but are not limited to, providing unambiguous information, choosing the correct method of communication, selecting the right tone, non-

training, assessment, monitoring and auditing. Face-to-face shift handovers are essential and using more than one communication medium (written and verbal) increases the efficiency of handovers and clarifies any misunderstandings. High-risk shift handovers,

home. A typical 12-hour shift handover may last up to 30 minutes; however, it is crucial that the length of a handover is not impacted by time pressures. A handover should be allowed to take longer if there are unusual operational circumstances to report or if a handover report

verbal cues, being assertive where necessary, confirmation of understanding messages etc.

such as maintenance activities across shift changes or deviations from normal working modes at a plant, need to be given particular attention. Allocating more time for handovers between experienced and inexperienced staff, and implementing a structured logbook are

is left unwritten until the end of a shift and the operator needs to remember several fine details that occurred up to 6-12 hours prior.

possible, handovers should be conducted face-to-face with relevant information, such as a logbook and computer screen, easily accessible. Both parties should participate in

Preventing any interruptions during a shift handover is also critical. An organisation should make plans to prevent any interruptions and remove devices such as phones that

two-way dialogue which includes questioning, clarification and explanation. In recent years, digital handover systems have been used in some organisations, however face-to-face

may interrupt safety critical communications. Oil and gas facilities are also noisy, so it is essential to find an appropriate, quiet place to

communication is the best way to conduct a complete and accurate shift handover.

It is not good enough to just leave a logbook for the incoming shift to read because there is no opportunity for feedback. When

conduct a handover.

Conclusion

Improving communication skills

Poor shift handover has contributed to some of the world’s worst oil and gas disasters. Organisations must promote a positive

In many organisations, learning about how to conduct a shift handover is done informally through trial, error and observation. It is

safety culture and improve their approach to communication at all levels so that effective shift handovers are conducted, and incidents

fundamental that a company ensures its employees are aware of the shift handover procedure and what is expected of them. It

are prevented. Handovers are a critical activity and should be regarded as high priority for any organisation active in hazardous industries.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

also vital in helping to reduce the level of risk in a handover. About the author

Shahram Vatanparast MSc CFIOSH is a Chartered Safety and Health Practitioner and Human Factors Engineer. Over the last 20 years, he has worked on various oil and gas projects throughout Middle East and South East Asia.

Image: Shutterstock

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Articles inside

The role of poor shift handover in oil and gas incidents

Datafiles

News Extra

Digitalisation for a new age

Problem solving for ammonia solutions