hEX_21_02

Jan-Feb 2021

hazardexonthenet.net

Imperial Sugar explosion in 2008 – Image: US CSB

the journal for hazardous area environments

Dust Compliance vs. Competence – what makes you safer?

Legislation & Regulation Understanding the compliance conundrum Tracking

Mobile devices

UAVs

Hybrid RTLS technology for site wide tracking

Digitisation in service and maintenance

An unmanned revolution

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36 14

contents Jan-Feb 2021 We are almost one year on from the first lockdowns being announced around the globe as a result of COVID-19 and, despite the uplifting news of vaccines, we find ourselves in largely the same position.

This issue of Hazardex features our 11th PPTex supplement and it is interesting to consider just how much Personnel Protection Technology (PPT) has changed since the supplement was first introduced and particularly how it has progressed and adapted in the last 12 months.

Many commentators have said that the changes forced upon us, including remote or socially distanced working, would accelerate digitisation and the adoption of smart technology as companies looked to overcome the challenges posed by COVID-19. This has certainly been the case and as shown in PPTex, several new devices

have been developed or adapted to address the challenges posed by the pandemic.

Technologies that have seen market growth include devices that sound an alarm if a worker breaks social distancing and encroaches on another worker and technology that enables remote collaboration and inspections. Before COVID-19, most people wouldn’t have known what Zoom or Microsoft Teams were, now they seem a part of everyday life and have even been combined with wearable computers to allow for remote collaboration and inspection of sites.

Hopefully, the momentum gained from the last year will help PPT continue to grow as a market and help bring huge benefits to the industry at a time when safety, cost savings, and time savings are more crucial than ever.

As an inherently hazardous industry, ‘being compliant’ has much deeper resonance and reverberations for the global oil and gas sector and goes way beyond a tick box exercise.

20 40

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

in this issue

For those operating in Ireland, an ATEX professional is expected to maintain, or have access to, a reference library including IEC/NSAI standards.

4 News Extra

• Inquest finds death of contractor at UK chemical factory in 2018 was accidental • Explosion at UK water treatment works kills four, injures one • China jails 53 people for March 2019 chemical plant explosion that killed 78 • Fire at Indian natural gas well extinguished five months after initial blowout

44

15 Standards: Back to work 17 UKCA Focus 20 PPTEx Supplement 11 – Products 22 Hybrid RTLS technology for site wide tracking

A look at how the nuclear sector can benefit by adopting new systems that save time and money while also improving plant safety.

26 Digitisation in service and maintenance 30 Secure remote maintenance for safety systems

47

34 An unmanned revolution in the oil and gas, energy and petrochemical industries 36 Understanding the compliance conundrum 40 Which standards and documents does an ATEX professional need in Ireland?

44 The importance of networking radiological protection equipment 47 Compliance vs. Competence – what makes you safer?

36

the journal for hazardous area environments

Jan-Feb 2021

30 hazardexonthenet.net

A discussion about what is more important; Compliance or Competence?

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

Imperial Sugar explosion in 2008 – Image: US CSB

40 Dust Compliance vs. Competence – what makes you safer?

Legislation & Regulation Understanding the compliance conundrum Tracking

Mobile devices

UAVs

Hybrid RTLS technology for site wide tracking

Digitisation in service and maintenance

An unmanned revolution

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

4

News Extra

Inquest finds death of contractor at UK chemical factory in 2018 was accidental The inquest was told that both Robert and Owen Cranston would not have been aware of the explosive gas being present within or around the chemical tank.

During the inquest, the court heard evidence about Briar Chemicals’ use of gas monitors and how some equipment was unsuitable for detecting Toluene. Area coroner Yvonne Blake said that it “seems

The inquest was told that both Robert and Owen Cranston would not have been aware of the explosive gas being present within or around the chemical tank.

odd” that a chemical company would not provide a gas monitor supplier with a list of gases that they need to test for in order to keep their operations safe.

Responding, Briar Chemicals’ Quality,

A

Cranston, who had been tasked with

Health, Safety and Environment Manager,

fixing a chemical tank, had been using a

Mark Smith, said that Briar did not

an explosion at a chemical plant in Norwich, UK has concluded that it was accidental. The 11-day inquest into Robert Cranston’s death at the Briar Chemicals factory ended on December 1 with the area coroner offering the jury a conclusion of “accidental death”.

grinder to perform welding when the blast

comprehend that a flammable gas detector

happened. He had been working with one

was better at detecting some gases than

of his two sons, 22-year old Owen, who

others and that the issue had not been

had started an apprenticeship with Pruce

raised in 25 HSE audits between 2012 and

Newman just a few weeks earlier. Owen

2018. Smith added that the company now

was providing “fire watch”, the inquest

has two types of flammable gas monitors in

heard.

place at the factory, one of which is much

Yvonne Blake, the area coroner for Norfolk,

Owen Cranston told the inquest that there

found that “accidental death” was the only

had been “a bang and a ball of flames”. He

The inquest also heard from Gordon

finding she deemed appropriate by law.

rushed to a fire alarm before returning to

Wilcox, a Supervisor at Briar Chemicals,

The jury agreed with her findings, bringing

the chemical tank where he found his father

who said Briar had concentrated on

an end to the 11-day inquest at Norfolk

on the ground.

possible hazards from drains nearby the

jury inquest into the July 2018 death of a contractor following

more sensitive than previous devices.

Coroner’s Court.

tank because he did not think flammable An investigation conducted by the UK Health & Safety Executive (HSE) found that flying sparks from the grinder were likely to have come into contact with Toluene, a chemical used in paint thinners and TNT.

vapours would be inside the tank. Wilcox

establishment, when an explosion

Toluene had passed through the chemical

At the end of the inquest, Yvonne Blake

occurred. Cranston, who was working

tank previously; however it had been

said that she was only able to leave the jury

for pipework and fabrication firm Pruce Newman, suffered serious injuries and

emptied. The HSE said that two leaking valves likely meant that around 160 litres of

with one possible conclusion to consider, which was that of accidental death. Blake

thermal burns. He was taken to Norfolk and

the gas escaped into pipework, resulting in

said that it was not a case of unlawful

Norwich University Hospital where he died

some gas vapour being present directly in

killing, a verdict which Robert Cranston’s

later the same day.

and/or around the tank.

family had wanted.

During the inquest, the court heard how on July 9, 2018, 46-year old Robert Cranston was conducting maintenance work on a chemical tank at Briar Chemicals’ factory

said that he believed the vessel had been completely washed out, so the inside of the chemical tank was not considered to be a hazard.

in Norwich, an Upper Tier COMAH

www.hazardex-event.co.uk

News Extra

Avonmouth sewage works Image: Derek Harper/Geograph.org.uk

64, Brian Vickery, 63, and Raymond White, 57, died at the scene of the blast.

5

incident shortly following the explosion and began an immediate investigation into the surrounding circumstances with

Brian Vickery and Raymond White were employees of Wessex Water, while Luke Wheaton was an apprentice. Michael James was a contractor working at the Avonmouth site near Bristol.

the assistance of the UK Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and the cooperation of Wessex Water.

In a statement, the HSE said that it is fully supporting the investigation into the incident,

Explosion at UK water treatment works kills four, injures one F

our people were killed by an explosion at a water treatment

plant near Bristol, south west England on December 3. One person was also injured during the incident at the Wessex Water site. Police confirmed that Luke Wheaton, 16, Michael James,

Emergency services were called to the

for which Avon and Somerset Police

site at around 11:20 local time after locals

have primacy. Giles Hyder, HSE’s head of

reported hearing a large explosion that

operations in the South West said: “We send

shook nearby buildings. Police urged local

our deepest condolences to the families of

people to avoid the area while businesses

those who tragically died. It is important a

located near to the water plant were closed

joint investigation with the police is carried

for the day. A helicopter and search dogs

out. We will provide specialist support to

were brought in to help search for casualties

what is likely to be a complex investigation

and missing people following the blast.

under the command of the police.”

The explosion is reported to have occurred in a silo containing treated biosolids which are intended for use as fertiliser. The workers had been standing on top of the silo at the time of the incident. Avon Fire and Rescue Service said that there was no report of a fire being caused by the blast.

Wessex Water Chief Executive Colin Skellett

csagroup.org/hazloc

the tragic incident at our site earlier today has resulted in four fatalities. Our thoughts are with the families, friends and colleagues of those involved. We are working with the Health and Safety Executive to understand what happened and why.”

Ch Insp Mark Runacres, from Avon and Somerset Police, told reporters that the impacted silo contained treated biosolids before it is recycled as organic soil conditioner. Treated biosolids is the product of treated sewage sludge when it is made safe for use on land.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson also expressed his sympathies and tweeted: “Deeply saddened to learn that four people have lost their lives in the water works explosion in Avonmouth. Our hearts go out to the victims and their families. Thank you to the emergency services who attended

Avon and Somerset Police declared a major

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said: “We are absolutely devastated that

the scene.”

6

News Extra

Representative image – a court room in Jiangsu Province - Shutterstock

China jails 53 people for March 2019 chemical plant explosion that killed 78 A

court in China jailed 53 people

on November 30 after they were convicted of charges including bribery and negligence in relation to the March 2019 chemical plant explosion in

even if Tianjiayi’s technology and equipment failed. The companies then knowingly produced and stored hazardous chemicals despite having unsuitable storage areas that did not meet safety requirements.

guilty of falsifying documents faced fines of

Xinhua also reports that six local government agencies, including Yancheng City’s Environmental Monitoring Centre, had issued false and inaccurate documents to hide the risks posed by Tianjiayi Chemical’s actions.

Some officials were also found guilty of taking bribes.

Xinhua news agency reports that after the sentencing, most of the defendants pleaded guilty and repented in court and did not issue an appeal.

between 100,000 Yuan (£14,000) and one million Yuan (£114,000). Individuals at the agencies were also given prison sentences of between four to nine months and fined.

Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province that killed 78 people, injured 76 and caused a direct economic loss of 198,350,700 Chinese Yuan (£22.6m).

Executives and employees of the Jiangsu Tianjiayi Chemical company, which owned the impacted chemical factory, received sentences that ranged from 18 months to 20 years in prison. Several local officials also received sentences.

According to the Xinhua news agency, the Intermediate People’s Court of Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province found that Tianjiayi Chemical ignored national environmental protection and production safety laws

The former General Manager of Tianjiayi Chemical, Zhang Qinyue, was found guilty of illegally storing dangerous substances, environmental pollution, and bribery. He received a fixed-term imprisonment of 20 years, deprivation of political rights for five years, and fined 1.55 million Chinese Yuan (£176,000).

and regulations, stored and disposed of nitrification waste in violation of laws and regulations for an extended period of time, and had a disorderly management, all of which led to the significant blast on March 21, 2019.

The courts also found that before the incident, Tianjiayi Chemical and its holding company Nijiaxiang Group had jointly decided to launch a new production line

www.hazardex-event.co.uk

Four people, including the former Deputy General Manager, Safety Director, and Chief Engineer of Tianjiayi Chemical were sentenced to six to nine years in prison for the illegal storage of dangerous substances and environmental pollution, and fined. Nijiaxiang Group’s Chairman and General Manager were sentenced to 12 and 13 years in prison.

The six local government agencies found

Following the incident, the Chinese government stepped up efforts in October 2019 to end the illegal dumping of hazardous chemical waste by 2025. As part of a nationwide crackdown on the chemical industry following the Tianjiayi Chemical blast, a plan was established to relocate 80% of toxic chemicals away from residential areas.

The government has said that all regions must have a comprehensive hazardous chemical monitoring system in place by the end of 2025. Hazardous waste treatment will also be part of a new corporate environmental credit system which will see firms being publicly blacklisted and denied financial assistance if they violate the new rules.

The safety crackdown could force hundreds of smaller, private firms out of the market, leading to consolidation while also modernising the chemical sector and driving it towards more efficient production.

News Extra

7

Great Britain starts own chemicals legislation: UK-REACH W

ith the withdrawal of the United

Kingdom from the EU and the end of the transition period on

basic registration before April 30, 2021.

There are no regulations in UK REACH for EU companies that want to continue to

Downstream users who purchase

supply the UK market. They have the option

December 31, 2020, the validity of

their products from the EU can receive

of engaging a British Only Representative

EU Regulation No. 1907/2006

transition periods of 2-6 years via a “DUIN”

who takes care of the DUIN notification

(“REACH”) in Great Britain also

notification before they have to submit a

for the recipient and thus protects

ended. A corresponding British law will now come into force (“UK-

UK REACH registration; the DUIN must be

existing supply relationships. In this way,

made before the October 27, 2021.

the supplier does not have to disclose

REACH”). Companies that trade in

the composition of his products to his

chemicals across borders should

In both cases, the company will have

quickly adapt to the new rules.

customers. However, the acquisition of new

to submit a complete registration dossier

customers is only possible after a full UK

before the end of the transition period.

REACH registration has been completed.

Manufacturers who have their own

The length of the transition period (2,

EU REACH registration are allocated a

4 or 6 years) depends on the annual

UK-REACH registration via the so-called

volume of the substance and the hazard

“grandfathering”, they must submit a

properties.

For more information, visit https:// www.dekra-uk.co.uk/en/brexit-hasconsequences-for-trade-of-chemicals/

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News Extra

Wacker’s Charleston plant – Image: Wacker

A

worker, who was among five

In a statement posted on Twitter, Wacker

injured, has died of their injuries following an accident at Wacker’s

said an industrial incident had occurred

chemical plant in Charleston,

had been taken to local hospitals. The

Tennessee on November 13. The

chemical company added that there

chemical company said that three

was no impact to the community or

of the injured men were receiving

environment and its thoughts and prayers

treatment for serious injuries in

were with the injured and their families.

at its Charleston site and five individuals

hospital while a fourth man was

One dead, four injured in industrial incident at Wacker plant in US

treated and released after the incident.

Wacker’s plant in Charleston has experienced serious safety incidents

According to the Chattanooga Times

before. In July 2020, four workers suffered

Free Press, the plant’s Communication and Executive Coordinator Lisa Mantooth

injuries while performing maintenance

said that the incident happened at around

2017, an explosion at the polysilicon plant

10:15 local time on November 13 and

injured 13 people and released a cloud of

that an investigation started immediately.

low-concentrated hydrochloric acid into

Mantooth said that family members of the

the atmosphere. Production at the plant,

worker who died had been notified and

which opened in 2016 at a cost of $2.5

that details about the incident would be

billion, was shut down for almost eight

shared as the investigation develops.

months after the explosion.

tasks in a process building. In September

US chemical plant explosion kills one, injures three

A

n explosion at a chemical plant in Belle, West Virginia killed one

person and injured three others on December 8. The blast happened at

drying operation. The material in the dryer was a chlorinated compound used for sanitisation. Kanawha County officials have yet to officially determine an exact cause.

December 12 that the chemical involved in the incident, sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate, had not been processed at the factory before. The chemical is used for chlorination disinfection purposes, such as

Optima Chemicals Company at around 22:00 local time and caused a shelter-

Optima Chemicals is a tenant on the site in

in-place order to be issued by police

Belle, located around 12 miles (18km) south

which affected around 2,000 people.

of Charleston, which belongs to Chemours.

WSAZ reports that company officials said

The company said that John Gillenwater, a

the chemical had not been added to the

chemical operator at the plant, was killed

Tier ll Emergency and Hazardous Chemical

by the blast. Two other chemical operators

Inventory because the chemical had been

were also inside the building when the

on site for less than two weeks. Companies

explosion happened. Those two workers

are required to provide notification of a

were taken to hospital where they were

change of regulated operations within 30

evaluated and later released. Another plant

days after a change has occurred.

The 2-mile (3.2km) radius cordon around the plant was lifted on December 9 after emergency responders gave the area an all clear and a fire was extinguished.

According to Optima Chemicals, a preliminary investigation indicated that a 1,200 gallon metal dryer became over pressurised during a chemical product

in swimming pools.

worker was injured by flying debris.

Local news channel WSAZ reported on

A full investigation has been opened to find the exact cause of the blast.

News Extra

9

Explosion at petroleum storage tank farm injures seven in US S

when the explosion happened. The tank was storing residual light crude oil, Calhoun said.

storage tank farm in Corpus Christi,

Magellan primarily transports, stores and distributes refined petroleum products and crude oil, according to its website. It’s tank farm in Corpus Christi on Texas’ south east coast has 60 storage tanks capable of holding 37 million barrels of petroleum and petroleum products.

even contractors were injured on

December 5 after an explosion at the Magellan Midstream Partners petroleum Texas. The incident happened at around 10:00 local time when the contractors were cleaning a petroleum tank.

Corpus Christi Deputy Fire Chief Richie Quintero told reporters during a televised

working closely with Magellan and Corpus Christi officials to aid in the emergency response efforts and to provide immediate

news conference that four of the injured

help to those injured in the explosion. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is monitoring air quality in the area, and the Texas Division Of Emergency Management is on the ground to provide support. The Texas Department of Public Safety is also working to provide assistance to first responders on the ground. The state is ready to deploy

workers were in critical conditions while

The exact cause of the blast remains

additional resources to respond to this event

another was taken to a burns centre at a

unknown. An investigation has begun

and keep the community safe.”

hospital in San Antonio.

with both Magellan and Shelton Services

During the same news conference, Magellan’s Local Operations Manager Mark Calhoun said that the seven contractors, who are employees of Shelton Services Inc., had been cleaning a large, above-ground storage tank

working with regulatory officials to gain

In August 2020, another incident occurred

an understanding of the circumstances

in Corpus Christi when a dredging vessel

surrounding the blast.

ruptured a submerged natural gas pipeline in the Port of Corpus Christi. The resulting

Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a

explosion killed four people and injured six

statement saying: “The State of Texas is

others.

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10 News Extra Baghjan oil well – Image: OIL

Alert Disaster Control was brought in to help tackle the situation in June 2020. An explosion occurred at the well just one day after the team arrived while they were conducting initial planning operations to plug the well.

The leak from the rig at the Baghjan oilfield in northeast India forced the evacuation of around 2500 people and killed scores of fish, birds, and monkeys, as well as several endangered dolphins. In a statement, OIL explained how on May 27 at around 10:30, the well suddenly became very active while workover operations

Fire at Indian natural gas well extinguished five months after initial blowout

were underway. The company said that there was no sign of fire, casualties or damage following the blowout, however gas continued to flow uncontrollably from the well for 13 days

A

n Oil India Limited (OIL) natural gas well in the state of Assam

which suffered a blowout in May 2020 before erupting into flames was eventually extinguished on November 15. Three people died and several were injured during the five months in which multiple operations were conducted to tackle the blaze and plug the leaking well.

In a statement posted on social media, OIL said the well was under control and the fire had been doused completely. The well was observed for 24 hours to see if any gas migration or pressure build-up occurred, but no build-up of pressure was reported in the well, the company added. An operation to abandon the well has now begun.

A team of experts from Singapore-based

before a fire and explosion on June 9.

The rig is located next to the DibruSaikhowa National Park which is home to several endangered species of animals and environmentalists have said the damage from the well leak could be irreparable. According to OIL’s quarterly financial results, the leak and fire cost the company more than $30.5 million (£23m) as of September.

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News Extra 11

Explosion at ExxonMobil facility kills one and seriously injures another in Nigeria fire and explosion at an ExxonMobil facility in Nigeria killed

A

an employee and injured another on December 13. The incident happened at the Qua Iboe Terminal on the country’s southern coast. Local news reports that the explosion happened while the two employees were lighting a gas flare.

An investigation into the incident has been

Local news reports that the explosion happened while the two employees were lighting a gas flare.

opened with ExxonMobil working with local authorities to determine the exact cause.

On December 22, ExxonMobil issued a force majeure on the facility but did not say when the plant would come back online. At the time of the explosion, the energy major said that the explosion had not affected

Nigerian news website Daily Trust reports that the person who died in the blast was a

said the two employees had flouted safety

supervisor working in the facility’s processing

procedures while the plant was coming back

According to the Nigerian National Petroleum

area. The injured employee was rushed

online following a maintenance period. The

Corp. (NNPC), the Qua Iboe Terminal

to hospital after being found with serious

source said that the two men had been told

produced around 178,000 barrels of crude

injuries.

to light a gas flare which both burns excess

per day in June 2020. The crude oil arrives

gas and powers a turbine at the facility which

at Qua Iboe from several offshore fields in the

is itself used to supply lighting.

Bight of Biafra.

Daily Trust quotes an anonymous source that

production.

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12 News Extra

Belarus transfo

Astravets nuclear plant – Image: Shutterstock

News Extra 13

sian nuclear plant reopens after ormer explosions halt production Production at the nuclear plant had been

Rosatom has denied all claims by Lithuania

power plant resumed operations on November 19 after a series

halted on November 8 after a series of

and said that the plant’s design and

voltage transformer explosions occurred.

construction met the highest international

of transformer explosions halted

The plant was built by Russian state-owned

standards, as confirmed by the International

production on November 8, just one day

company Rosatom and was financed with

Atomic Energy Agency.

after President Alexander Lukashenko

a loan from Russia.

B

elarus’s new Astravets nuclear

The Astravets plant – Belarus’s only nuclear

officially opened the country’s only The construction of the plant has long

power plant – was inaugurated on November

been criticised by Belarus’s neighbour

7 during a ceremony attended by President

Belarus’s Ministry of Energy announced that

Lithuania whose capital Vilnius is located

Alexander Lukashenko who said that the

the first power unit of the Astravets nuclear

just 25 miles (40km) away. Lithuania said

plant would allow Belarus to “become a

power plant was connected to the grid after

that construction of Astravets was plagued

nuclear power”. Lukashenko added that

the replacement of voltage transformers.

by safety incidents, stolen material, and

the facility marked a step into the future for

The power unit was connected to the grid

poor working conditions. The plant also

Belarus and would ensure the continued

and the load was increased in accordance

draws cooling water from the Nevis River,

security of the country’s energy supply.

with the requirements of the technological

a source of drinking water in Lithuania.

regulations for safe operation without any

Lithuania responded to the plant’s opening

The final completion of the nuclear plant

issues. The reactor of the first power unit is

by passing a law which prevents all imports

is planned for 2022 when it will have two

currently operating at 40% of the nominal

of electricity from Belarus.

reactor units, each generating around

nuclear power plant.

power.

1,200 megawatts.

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Standards 15 Standards 15

Back to work the Additional Information section for each standard.

There were three technical discussions which are worth noting:

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

T

he first full week of November was

taken with a remote meeting of the IEC TC31 Chair’s Advisory Group, spread over three days. We had been scheduled to meet face to face at the UL facility in Northbrook over two full days, but the

It was agreed that not all concept standards require specific control of temperature to the same degree. Increased Safety (60079-7) and Trace Heating (60079-30-1) have the most comprehensive requirements, but others, such as Flameproof (60079-1), leave much more to the installer of the equipment to decide how to limit temperature, particularly of immersion heaters. An ad-hoc WG of the MT convenors for the relevant standards will be convened, to attempt a more common approach.

three much shorter days, using Go-toMeeting, worked well.

Digital marking of equipment

The Chair’s Advisory Group (CAG) is a forum

Industrially, more and more use is being made of the ability of equipment to identify itself electronically, whether by the use of QR Codes on the label, or RF identification tags. Logically, this must come for Ex Equipment, but there are problems in ensuring that device readers are both universally available and also suitable for use in hazardous areas.

in which those who play a leading role in the creation of standards in the Ex field can get together and provide advice to the chairman of TC31 on the direction of the Committee, its Sub-Committees, Working Groups (WGs) and Maintenance Teams (MTs). There is also an opportunity to talk through problems created by new technological developments. On this occasion 44 people joined the meeting, most for all three days.

Although a number of WGs and MTs have managed remote meetings over the past year, progress has been slower than originally planned, so the Stability Dates for quite a few standards were advanced by one or more years.

Although perhaps not as well appreciated by the average reader of a standard, the Stability Date can be a vital tool for product developers.

The date gives an absolute indication of the earliest date on which a new edition of the standard can be published, and therefore the minimum life of a product designed to the current standard before it is necessary to review the design against the next edition. Stability dates are published, in the IEC Webstore, in

We discussed the potential of two German standard QR type codes (carrying different amounts of information) and the problems of readability when the code has been subject to damage in a harsh environment. At this time, the decision was that, if such electronic identification was to be used, it must be in parallel with the minimum amount of information in hard text form that is required by our standards (I may be willing to embrace modern technology, but I grew up in a world and industry where the norm was the use of cast brass for marking plates, and I can still see the benefits!).

Lithium Ion batteries It does not seem that long ago that we were hearing of battery fires in Boeing 787 Dreamliners and exploding Samsung phones.

Battery technology continues to develop at an

incredible pace, and although those problems were solved, new chemistry creates additional problems. Yet there is a desire to be able to employ some of the latest designs in hazardous areas. There would be significant environmental benefit in being able to remove all diesel engines from underground mines and replace such mobile equipment with high powered battery equivalents.

We learnt of a number of experiments that had taken place, demonstrating how difficult it would be to contain an explosion from the latest high energy density batteries in a flameproof enclosure. It should be stated that the experiments seem to have been conducted with cells and batteries that are not permitted by the current flameproof standard – IEC 60079-1 – but the pressure of the needs of industry will be driving a potential change to the standard. If you want to see the potential disaster that might await, there is a video available at bit.ly/3nvj7AZ. But do remember that the current standard puts significant limitations on the type of cell that can be used in a flameproof enclosure. For traction duties in Europe, we typically use batteries housed and tested to the Increased Safety standard (60079-7) which is strictly limited to lead-acid, nickel-iron, nickel-metal hydride or nickelcadmium types.

If technology never changed, we need never change our standards, but technology does change, and we do have to modify our standards to cope. The 44 people that met electronically in November are part of that ongoing process.

About the author SGS Baseefa’s Technical Manager Ron Sinclair MBE 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 the UK Standard Body operating in this area for electrical equipment, and recently retired as chair of the European committee.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

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PROVIDING THE COMPLETE SOLUTION Classification | Verification | Risk Management | IECEx | CE Marking | UKCA | Functional Safety Assessment | Major Accident Hazard Management | Hazardous Area Services (Advisory and Certification) | Due Diligence

Contact us and find out what we can do for you: email. ukverification@dnvgl.com

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News Extra 17

on the EU market and all products being imported to be sold must have the CE mark to gain entry. The CE mark must be issued by an EU-based Notified Body. Documents accepted from previous UK-based Notified Bodies could also now impact compliance so it is worth understanding how the changes may affect your business or your customers in terms of having the correct documentation at each stage of the compliance process.

NI market access When placing goods onto the Northern Ireland market, businesses will now need to apply the UKNI marking if they are using a UK

UKCA is now in effect – are you compliant?

Approved Body to conduct mandatory thirdparty conformity assessment. However, the UKNI marking cannot be applied on its own

W

hen our first UKCA Focus was

placing existing products onto the UK market,

and must be accompanied by an EU marking,

published in Hazardex December, there was significant concern over the

the CE mark (including ATEX) will continue

such as the CE mark.

looming deadline for a trade agreement

you are placing new products onto the UK

UK Government guidance

to be reached between the EU and UK.

market, however, the product will require

In January 2021, the UK Government

The December 31 deadline was coming

the UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) mark

published guidance to assist businesses

ever closer and left many businesses

which should be issued by a UK Approved

on understanding the regulations as

and consumers in limbo. Fortunately,

Body. Details of some UK Approved Bodies

amended at the end of the transition period

on December 24, after eight months of

can be found at the bottom of this page or

on December 31. The document includes

negotiation, the two parties announced

in Hazardex December’s UKCA Focus. The

obligations for manufacturers, their authorised

the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation

UKCA mark will not be accepted for goods

representatives, importers and distributors.

Agreement which contains new rules

being placed on either the EU or Northern

It can be read here: https://bit.ly/38F3x1q.

governing trade and investment

Ireland market.

to be recognised until January 1, 2022. If

between the parties.

For further information on the Brexit transition, visit: www.gov.uk/transition

EU market access The agreement provisionally began on

The CE mark will continue to be enforced

January 1, 2021 but is awaiting ratification by the EU in early 2021 before it formally comes into effect. If you have a few hours spare, the 1,246 page Agreement can be read in full

UKCA Approved Body Website Approved Body Number

Contact

CSA Group

0518

www.csagroupuk.org

+44 (0) 1244 670 950

DNV GL

0097

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James Steven E: james.steven@ dnvgl.com T: +44 (0) 2038 165744

here: https://bit.ly/3oEKo5i While the Agreement secured tariff-free access between the EU and UK, it has also meant that new requirements have been brought in that must be considered for businesses to remain compliant. While the technical provisions remain the same as the EU Directives, the documentation process has changed.

The rules have repercussions depending on whether you are placing goods onto either the UK, EU, or Northern Ireland market.

UK market access The UK will be maintaining a period of statusquo until 2022. This means that for those

EU staff take down the UK’s flag from outside the European Parliament – Image: Shutterstock

www.hazardexonthenet.net

Apple iPhone 11 ATEX Zone 1 IECEx Zone1 Certified!

Jan-Feb 2021

Digitisation in service and maintenance PPTex Products Hybrid RTLS technology for site wide tracking An unmanned revolution Secure remote maintenance for safety systems

Image: Pepperl+Fuchs ecom

20 PPTex – Products

ATEX rated lone worker alarm system Lone worker protection supplier SBES Limited offers the LifeSaver – a fast, accurate way of summoning help to the location of a man down incident. The lone worker protection system is completely scalable, from a single user to over 1000 users and is suitable for both partial or whole site coverage. The SBES LifeSaver system can be provided as an ATEX/Ex Certifed system if required.

In the event of an alarm being raised, there are multiple options available for alerting emergency response personnel. The most common means of alert messaging are: Image: SBES

SBES Control Panel – Clearly displaying the alarm alert message upon a large LCD display, the SBES Control panel comes complete with visual indication, internal siren with mute facility and full system reset.

Speech Messages – SBES’ telecom

Beacon Sounders – SBES supplies several

modules can be programmed with up to 10

types of beacon sounders with its systems

telephone numbers of your choice, upon

which will activate as soon as the alarm alert

alarm activation the system will automatically

is raised.

dial the programmed numbers and relay SBES Radio Pagers – Clearly displays the

the alarm message to your recipients –

Emergency Help points and Disabled Toilet

alarm alert on alpha numeric radio pagers.

please note that the alarm recipients have

Alarms can be incorporated into the SBES

to acknowledge the alarm alert from their

LifeSaver system as well.

SMS Text Messages – Alarm alerts can be

telephone handsets. sbes.co.uk

sent direct to your mobile telephones.

Project nautilUS - robotic solution for petrochemical oil tank inspection Project nautilUS is a joint initiative between six UK based organisations which aims to

explosive and flammable environment, the robot operation must avoid sparking.

revolutionise the way that periodic inspections of petrochemical storage tanks are carried

The Project nautilUS robot development

out. Since February 2018, the project nautilUS

is being co-funded by the UK’s innovation

team has been working to develop a multi-

agency and offers a significant reduction

million-pound certified Non-Destructive Testing

in the costs, danger, environmental impact

(NDT) solution, in the shape of a small robot to

and the health & safety risks involved in the

perform in-service inspections.

periodic inspection of the storage tanks.

Image: Project nautilUS / DesignSpark

As well as offering ease of use and unique The robot uses active real-time remote

movement capabilities, the technology can

testing methods allowing customers to drive

controls to move around a tank and an

also be applied for the inspection of ship-

down operational costs through preventative

ultrasound probe to make measurements

borne fuel tanks, transportation tanks and

maintenance and in reducing the cost and

of floor thinning, and records data regarding

water storage tanks.

complexity in current testing practices.

The project initially focused on the specific

The Project nautilUS partners are RS

market sector of refined petrochemical storage

Components, InnoTecUK, TWI, Sonomatic,

and moved on to unrefined too, having the

London South Bank University, and Innovate

benefit of feedback from the least challenging

UK.

location for post-processing after the robot is retrieved.

The design aims to obtain the smallest possible footprint to allow entry via the smallest manholes of liquid storage tanks.

For the robot to perform an inspection in an

www.hazardex-event.co.uk

application. Project NautilUS will have an impact both in the provision of new low-cost

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PPTex – Products 21

UK HSE and Lloyd’s Register apply machine learning to mine insight from decades of safety data

Lloyd’s Register is working with the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to bring together and analyse safety data on an unprecedented scale, powered by its latest digital innovation - Severity Scanner. The tool has been enabled

by Discovering Safety which has allowed unprecedented access to lessons learnt from past incidents in order to make the working world safer and prevent death and serious injury.

The initiative will also minimise human effort and error in the RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) reporting process, helping businesses to fulfil their regulatory obligations to protect themselves from potential disruption, investigation and fines.

be applied to datasets from the Health and Safety Executive with a pilot project being carried out in partnership with hospitality business, Mitchells & Butlers. The pilot project ensures that the algorithm and the tool’s machine learning capabilities correctly analyse the data.

Once established and operational, Discovering

The programme is funded by the Lloyds Register Foundation, and leverages the technology behind Lloyds Register’s original solution SafetyScanner which applies machine learning to large datasets to provide health, safety and environment professionals with actionable insights. This will

Safety`s knowledge library of safety information will have a global reach and impact on a scale never previously achieved in the domain of health and safety. www.lr.org/en-gb/aurora/safetyscanner/

First robotic ‘blade walk’ on a wind turbine opens door to significant cost cuts in offshore renewables The UK has achieved the world’s first blade

faster tip speeds can lead to significant blade

walk by a robot on an offshore wind turbine, thanks to BladeBUG and the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult. Over two days in mid-October, the six-legged inspect-and-repair robot repeatedly scaled blades at ORE Catapult’s 7MW Levenmouth Demonstration turbine off the coast of Fife.

damage over time.

The robot is being developed under a £1 million collaboration project between BladeBUG and ORE Catapult, part funded by Innovate UK. By the project’s end next year, BladeBUG will be capable of inspecting blade surfaces for emergent cracks and imperfections, transmitting

BladeBUG represents a 30 per cent cost

data on their condition back to shore and

reduction on current blade inspection

resurfacing the blades.

Image: Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult

the trial were: - Perfect adherence of its vacuum-padded feet to blade surfaces in offshore conditions

techniques, which are conducted by rope-

- Ability to navigate the varying curvature of blade surfaces in a variety of scenarios

access technicians, with a measurable

During the demonstration, the robot walked

knock-on effect to the levelised cost of energy.

50 metres on a vertically positioned blade on

For next generation turbines, ORE Catapult

the Levenmouth turbine (a length of 84 metres

predicts the cost savings could reach as much

with the tip reaching 195 metres above the sea

as 50 per cent. These costs have traditionally

when upright).

- Transmission of data from blade scans and live video feed to technicians demonstrating the BladeBUG’s navigational abilities and placement of feet on changing surfaces

The crucial capabilities demonstrated during

ore.catapult.org.uk

been one of the primary areas of concern for offshore operators, as sea conditions and

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22 PPTex - Tracking

Hybrid RTLS technology for site w W

hy is location tracking important

to take reasonable steps to protect their

The risk of falling objects, fire, and

for worker safety? The safety of workers, whilst always important, is

employees but not specifying how. Using

explosion of flammable gas and dust are

‘best practice’ as a benchmark is a

potential threats and whilst large-scale

moving higher up the list of priorities

continually moving target, and when it comes

disasters are thankfully rare, they still occur.

for investment. Companies operating

to making significant investments in unproven

In 2010, eleven people lost their lives at

within the process industries are always

technologies, no one wants to be first.

the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of

looking to ensure their workers are safe

Mexico. In 2014, over 300 workers died in

whilst making sure they are getting the

2020 changed that and gives us a different

the Soma mine disaster in Turkey and in

biggest ROI possible. In this article,

picture. Wireless and RFID technologies

2015, four workers at a wood processing

John Hartley, CEO of Extronics, talks

are widely used to protect workers in other

plant in Cheshire, UK, died in an explosion.

about the next generation of site wide

industries (such as the emergency services

Real Time Location Systems (RTLS)

and healthcare) and high-profile process

using hybrid technology for improved

industry employers like Shell and Suncor are

worker safety and asset tracking.

leading the way in creating best practice, and worker safety is coming to the forefront

Back in 2005, when the first intrinsically safe

once more.

Active RFID Wi-Fi RTLS tags were made,

These types of disasters are the ones to hit the headlines, but there is a huge range of more ‘everyday’ concerns for a process industry worker. From 2008 to 2017, 1,566 workers died from injuries in the US oil and gas industry; almost the same number of US troops that were killed in Afghanistan during the same time.

been slow for various reasons, such as

Why is there a need for a hybrid RTLS in process industry and hazardous environments?

the maturity of available technology and

Workers in process industry environments

or raw materials, machinery failure, and

concerns over costs and benefits.

face a variety of risks over and above their

lack of oxygen are all causes for concern,

counterparts in other industries. ‘Hazards of

as is the inherent risk posed by working

Health & Safety legislation is also not

the job’ are that much more serious because

at height, alone, or in confined spaces.

prescriptive, meaning companies need

there is a higher potential risk.

Workers are at risk from exposure to

the goal of the oil and gas industry was to use technology to improve worker safety.

This is still true today, though adoption has

www.hazardex-event.co.uk

Falls, crushing between heavy machinery

Image: Shutterstock

PPTex - Tracking 23

What are some of the main operational challenges when considering a worker safety solution?

We must start by asking what do we want our worker safety system to help us achieve?

Worker Productivity When companies are investing in costly construction or turnaround projects, time matters. Streamlining workflows, reducing time spent searching for tools and materials, and keeping projects on track is a major concern.

Enhanced Worker Safety This is the obvious one – identifying where workers are, their current level of risk, and making sure that they are accounted for.

This often includes providing workers with emergency call buttons with which to request aid or alert the control room to a developing situation, as well as automatic mustering of workers during emergency evacuations.

Lone Worker Safety Lone workers are, by their very nature, at a higher risk than those working in pairs or teams. They require ways to quickly call for help, but we should also consider tools to warn them of potential hazards like gas, and automatic alerts should the worker become incapacitated before they can raise the alarm, such as in a fall.

Many companies are still using old-fashioned processes and procedures to account for people, such as signing-in books or T cards.

Some have moved to an access control system that provides more oversight, such as automated headcount, but still an oldfashioned solution. Point solutions for lone workers have been available for years, such as walkie talkies with man down alerts or personal gas monitors, but these are difficult to scale cost-effectively and do not provide any other functionality to combat other operational challenges.

How does an RTLS help overcome these challenges?

This is a specialised area of higher risk work, about which entire white papers could (and have) been written. Traditional management methods can be labour intensive, requiring watchmen for each entry and ongoing monitoring on site.

An RTLS is a modern solution for the operational environment of today. An RTLS monitors the location and status information of personnel and assets in real time, providing the latest business intelligence to inform everything from crisis decision-making to route planning and work schedules. It can often also integrate with existing solutions, such as access control and PAGA systems, as part of a site-wide IIoT connectivity program.

as a heart attack, is made more serious

Worker accountability

There are several key technologies that may

by the physicality of their roles and their

Accurate recording of which workers (including contractors) are on site at any given time are absolutely required for compliance, invoice management, and security. It is also imperative that, should an emergency occur, every worker can be mustered and rescue teams can help those in need.

be used to create an RTLS:

wide tracking radiation or toxic fumes, noise, and extreme temperatures. They are also subject to the same potential medical emergencies as all humans are; the risk

Confined Space Entry

resulting from a medical emergency, such

working environments.

A hybrid RTLS helps ensure fast response times by providing accurate location tracking for worker safety in the event of an emergency like these.

Image: Shutterstock

- Active RFID - WiFi - Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) - GPS - Ultra-wide band (UWB)

www.hazardexonthenet.net

PPTex - Tracking 25

What are some of the most common environmental challenges associated to worker safety and an RTLS? Process industry environments can be very different from non-industrial sites, with its own set of challenges. The scale of processing operations can require sites stretching over large areas, such as the INPEX Ichthys LNG onshore processing plant in Australia at 361 hectares or Petronas’ RAPID project in Malaysia, covering 2000 hectares. Providing true site-wide coverage for an RTLS can become expensive.

Sites can encompass a variety of areas; indoor and outdoor, open and dense, flat and multilevel. To choose an appropriate technology, it is important to identify what areas are present and how workers are moving between them, so they can be monitored throughout their workday.

Process environments are also often highly metallic, which can cause interference with location signals. Multipath and interference have historically caused issues with Wi-Fi performance in applications without line of sight, but the latest 802.11 standards and MIMO functionality have functionally overcome those problems from a connectivity perspective but can still present challenges from a location accuracy perspective.

Industrial facilities can also include hazardous areas, where there is flammable gas or dust in the atmosphere. Equipment used in such areas is subject to additional legal requirements to reduce the risk of explosion. For ATEX and IECEx, the IEC 60079 series of standards are typically used for the approval of equipment for Hazardous Areas. This is usually IEC 60079 Part 0 (General Requirements), Part 1 (Explosion Proof enclosures), Part 11 (Intrinsic Safety) or Part 15 (Type n). Any RTLS used on such sites would require certified equipment to provide full site coverage.

Image: Extronics

involve a higher proportion of physical labour where equipment can be dropped or damaged. Any RTLS would need to have strongly built components with high ingress protection (IP) ratings to prevent damage from the elements. They would need to be durable enough to withstand a normal work usage, small enough to not hinder workers, and flexible enough to be mounted in a practical way.

Hybrid location is not a new idea. Indeed, the need to use multiple technologies was recognised by some RTLS vendors over a decade ago, such as those that introduced

Industrial sites have a large number of workers moving around, meaning that more people are at risk. This number can also fluctuate, for example as contractors are brought in to increase production or to accomplish a turnaround. Any RTLS would need to be scalable enough to cope with growing headcount and incorporate the ability to view the site at macro and micro levels.

two location technologies early on. However, the progression of geolocation technologies and improvements in implementation techniques over that time make hybrid location an attainable goal for the solutions of today.

About the author

How can a hybrid RTLS help overcome this challenge at scale?

It is unlikely that any one location technology ticks all your boxes, and there is no silver bullet. Hybrid location is the only practical solution to the complexities of the use cases in the process industries. It involves using more than one or two location technologies as part of the same solution: - To deliver wider coverage with reduced infrastructure - To add greater accuracy in certain areas

Even in industrial ‘safe areas’, which is to say that they are not defined as hazardous areas, rugged equipment is needed.

Personnel are often working outside in variable weather conditions, and roles

purpose-built multi-technology device. One technology alone cannot solve the diverse nature of the use cases either economically, in a cost-effective way, or practically, addressing the different physical and technical requirements.

- To provide additional functionality - To reduce total cost of ownership A hybrid location solution should involve multiple devices but can also involve a

John Hartley founded Extronics back in 1992 after cutting his teeth at Siemens. John is passionate about innovation and truly believes that the future of the process industries lies in their adoption of modern technologies.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

26 PPTex - Mobile Devices

A major advantage of using intelligent terminals in industry is the possibility of remote support for technicians in carrying out complex tasks

Digitisation in service an M

obile communication devices such

as smartphones or tablets are increasingly important for the industry.

Not only do they make data available in plants and industrial environments and facilitate communication between the control centre and the workers, they also support mobile workers in their daily tasks, thus ensuring optimised

any given location and digital measures provide mobile support to technicians in carrying out complex tasks directly in the plant. Here, the connection of all assets enables real-time availability of all relevant data. This results in an immense gain in knowledge for companies and employees about the condition of the plant and running processes.

processes and reliable quality management. In harsh and potentially explosive environments, the use of such Enterprise Mobility Solutions can even be life-saving.

Digitisation offers companies even better opportunities to optimise processes. In particular, maintenance and inspection is being made more efficient thanks to modern technology. Intelligent mobile devices enable more effective planning of work processes and new opportunities for cooperation. Instructions by experts from

www.hazardex-event.co.uk

be carried out and possible sources of problems can be avoided or quickly discovered and remedied.

The integration of mobile devices and tools helps to achieve the goal of digital production. Specialised suppliers of mobile devices for industrial and hazardous environments therefore adapt their mobile devices perfectly to the needs of the

Activation and linking of systems and plants

modern mobile worker. They have to

For this to be feasible within the company, an appropriate infrastructure is required.

All data must be continuously fed into a linked back end and evaluated via this.

By linking the back and front end, data is available at any time and from any location and can thus be used by collaboration tools to direct actions. Only a reliable data stock and data flow ensure process quality. This ultimately secures that effective planning and implementation of maintenance can

daily work and at the same time withstand

support the employee practically in their the conditions of a rough industrial environment. Furthermore, devices should be usable worldwide. In addition to general availability, this also involves the fulfilment of various requirements and the ability to be used in various infrastructures. The safety of the worker always comes first. Therefore, devices have to comply with the highest safety standards and measures for fast alerts in case of an emergency.

PPTex – Mobile Devices 27

For specific hazardous areas, mobile communication devices are specially designed in accordance with applicable regulations, thus meeting the legal safety requirements. At the same time, it is essential for companies that devices can be integrated effortlessly into digital infrastructures to support and make work processes more agile. Today, state-of-the-art solutions are those that guarantee high ergonomics and ease of use as well as reliable protection and global deploy ability. Certifications for hardware and software support as well as for security patches are also part of any such comprehensive mobile communication solution.

Especially for small and medium-sized companies, a functioning Mobile Device Management (MDM) system must be easy to implement and require little time in daily use. A central device management system not only saves a lot of time for maintenance but also guarantees uniform data and security management. In this manner even subcontractors can be easily integrated into the company’s security standards.

nd maintenance But mobile devices are more than just communication tools. As part of an overall solution, they also support mobile employees in recording and evaluating data and in reacting quickly and independently to any eventualities.

In order to evaluate the collected data in the back end, it requires a software that draws the right conclusions from the existing data, both historical and current, and uses those insights to develop better planning for the plant.

Remote support and preventive maintenance A major advantage created by intelligent devices is the possibility of remote support for technicians when carrying out complex inspection procedures. For this purpose, video calls or Augmented Reality (AR) applications can be used via intelligent devices even in hazardous areas. Appropriate peripherals such as headsets and holders ensure a hands-free operation. Real-time

Inspection and predictive maintenance Optimal planning of maintenance procedures as well as minimisation of downtimes through predictive maintenance and timely replacement of components are decisive steps for effective operational management.

By digitalising processes and using realtime data, provided by sensor technology and digital applications, staff members are quickly alerted in the event of an irregularity.

Drastically reduced planned and unplanned downtime and lower costs for new purchases are the positive effects.

Mobile devices are more than just communication tools – they can help support workers to record and evaluate data and react quickly to any eventualities.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

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PPTex – Mobile Devices 29

Digitisation offers companies ever better opportunities to optimise processes

analysis of data immediately indicates the success of the maintenance. These options,

database including incident management

Whether plant management, inventory

and reporting, which is available to

management, process automation,

in combination with predictive maintenance

employees anytime, anywhere.

maintenance, or applications in transport and

to determine the status of components in operation, guarantee optimum planning of work processes and rapid troubleshooting.

logistics, mobile devices optimise processes

Digitisation in service and maintenance In order to digitise a plant and make

Remote maintenance closes gaps when there is a shortage of skilled workers.

Technicians in the field have access to all necessary information at any time and experts can provide support for special problems or questions regardless of their location.

and minimise risk in industrial environments.

About the author

optimum use of the possibilities offered by digitisation, it is essential to be able to collect, aggregate and evaluate data centrally and make the findings available to employees at anytime and anywhere in real time. Intelligent devices such as smartphones, smartwatches and tablets, which are suitable for industrial and

In this way employees have immediate

hazardous areas, play a major role in the

access to the knowledge they need to

development of such an infrastructure.

always deliver top quality work quickly:

They ensure that employees are not only

a direct link to the right support expert

connected to each other, but also with

and an overview of all open, pending and

data and working systems. This way it is

completed cases. This reduces inspection

possible to plan, share expertise and avoid

times as well as downtime costs with real-

equipment failures. The results are optimised

time expert support, connects instantly

processes, effort planning capabilities, cost

to the right expert or information, and

savings as well as a higher productivity.

eliminates expert travel costs. In addition,

Hardware, software and people form a

it is possible to create a central knowledge

complex and effective ecosystem.

Jörg Hartleb is Chief Operating Officer at ECOM Instruments GmbH. In this function he is, among other things, in charge of product management.

www.hazardexonthenet.net

Image: Shutterstock

30 PPTex - Remote Access

Secure remote maintenance for safety systems T

he COVID-19 pandemic has given the world a boost in digitisation

that no one could have imagined. It can therefore be expected that previously known trends towards automation and digitalisation will continue to increase even faster. A particularly important aspect of digitalisation is the issue of remote access to industrial facilities. In this article, Dr. Alexander Horch, Vice President R&D and Product Management at HIMA Group, discusses the challenges and requirements that exist when implementing remote access solutions.

Remote access solutions are already used in many industries. However, there are several problems here. Firstly, it may create an opaque network of IT solutions that are difficult to handle and control. Secondly, any external access offers potential vulnerabilities for cyber-attacks.

process vulnerable to attacks – with potentially catastrophic consequences. It is therefore necessary to reduce these vulnerabilities to an acceptable minimum. The term “acceptable” here means that compromising such a system must be so difficult that any attacker will let off from this plan because of the enormous difficulties in front of them.

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The German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), the central point of contact for IT security issues in Germany, helps to avoid risks faced by plant owners and operators.

The BSI publication on cyber security (BSI-CS 108 | Version 1.0 | 1.2015 – see References at

It requires considerable know-how to manage secure remote access systems efficiently.

Ideally, this know-how is available inside a company or should be acquired through cooperation with a trustworthy partner. Doing nothing, however, could be a serious mistake.

the end of this article) provides an overview of the generic requirements for industrial remote maintenance according to the current stateof-the-art. A simple checklist as a basis for an investment decision for remote access systems can be derived from this publication and is shown in Table 1 of this article.

Safety systems, the last line of protection in a process plant need to be protected particularly well. When discussing remote access to such systems, the arguments mentioned before become even more important. Accessing safety systems remotely is the strongest challenge for the security of

It is obvious that remote maintenance of process plants via public networks in an industrial environment enables considerable cost advantages. On the other hand, significant potential security risks can be expected by accessing control system networks remotely. If a process network does not have an effective protective shield, a single security gap can make the whole production

Requirements for remote access systems for industrial plants

When designing secure remote access systems, it is important to take a holistic view.

The best way to avoid overlooking hidden vulnerabilities is to comply with requirements from national security institutes such as the German BSI.

such a system.

The most severe consequence of a vulnerability in a process network is a reduction in plant safety, and there is an increased risk of personal, environmental and huge economic damage. Previously, this ruled out remote access to safety systems. Today, such solutions exist.

In collaboration with its partner genua, HIMA developed a remote access solution that involves a rendezvous-server system, meaning no direct access from the remote maintenance station to the production environment is possible. Instead, all maintenance connections run via a rendezvous server installed in a demilitarised

PPTex - Remote Access 31

zone (DMZ), where both the maintenance

to their specific needs. That concept can

service and the plant personnel establish

systematically be scaled in order to fulfil the

connections during an agreed time window.

highest demands of both safety and security.

The rendezvous server maintains the ongoing

There are no real limits to scalability. From

maintenance connection. Once securely

the individual solution connecting to a single

established within the rendezvous server, the

critical system, to a global multi-site solution,

maintenance technician can then connect

all requirements are achievable. There are no

via the remote access app to a dedicated

restrictions regarding the integration of third-

hardware in a segregated portion of the local

party automation solutions. The rendezvous

engineering environment on site.

solution gives you complete control over maintenance access to your networks.

As an example, Table 1 on the following page lists a summary of the recommendations

Some aspects of realisation

offered by the German BSI and briefly

A remote access solution such as the rendezvous solution provides a uniform application for all remote maintenance cases and enables a central management solution.

Everything comes from a single source, including support. Using a single solution also reduces complexity, another major benefit.

Today, significant security problems can arise from numerous supplier solutions being installed for remote access.

indicates how a remote access solution such as the one developed by HIMA and genua satisfies those requirements.

Highly scalable secure remote access system Through the implemented mechanisms of a remote access solution, users can build up a remote maintenance concept adapted

MANAGEMENT CENTER

A dedicated server is implemented as a central remote maintenance gateway in the DMZ, thus ensuring full control through an upstream DMZ. With the rendezvous solution, no unilateral access from the remote maintenance service to the customer network is permitted.

Instead, all maintenance connections run via a rendezvous server installed in a DMZ, where both the maintenance service and the customer establish connections in an agreed time window. The rendezvous server establishes and maintains the continuous maintenance connection. Service engineers can now access the local engineering environment, which is segregated from the rest of the customer network by the remote maintenance app on the external side. The machine operator can also monitor the remote maintenance channel using the foureyes principle.

The rendezvous solution uses secure protocols, such as SSH, IPsec and SSL/

GENUCENTER +WebClient

CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION

DMZ

DEMILITARIZED ZONE Rendezvous Server

SERVICE PROVIDER

Servicebox

Servicebox

Remote Access App

Remote Access Provider

Servicebox

Servicebox

Figure 1 – Highly scalable secure remote access system

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32 PPTex - Remote Access

Ger. Fed. Office f. Information Security - Recommendationn

Implementation

Architecture Uniform solution (no “uncontrolled growth”)

All remote maintenance cases can be covered uniformly as well as central management solution Dedicated server as central remote maintenance gateway in the DMZ

Remote maintenance components in the DMZ Connections not per (sub)network but fine-granular per IP and port

Remote maintenance relationship always per IP and port

Connection setup from inside to outside, no open ports

Machine operator controls remote maintenance channel (four-eyes principle)

Dedicated systems for remote maintenance

Dedicated system: Remote maintenance appliance genubox

Secure Communication Secure protocols

SSH, IPsec, SSL/TLS

Secure cryptographic methods

High quality encryption, e.g. AES256

Authentication mechanisms Granularity of accounts

Guaranteed by user role concept

Strong authentication mechanisms

Authentication via password, OTP (with Yubikey token) together with RSA key

Password security

Guaranteed via password policy

Attack detection

Failed authentication detection

Organisational requirements Risk analysis

Possible via service

Principle of minimalism

Access generally strictly limited to the remote maintenance object (IP and port)

Process

Comprehensive support for processes and user roles

Inventory

Remote maintenance accesses are fully monitored and recorded

Time windows

Remote access can be limited in time

Functional test

Guaranteed via central monitoring

Specifications for remote service technicians

Testing of specifications by remote maintenance app

Patch process

Central Patch Management

Logging & Alerting

Central Logging & Alerting

Others Scalability

Easily scalable through central management, even for very large environments

Investment protection

Full IPv6 support, continuous product maintenance

High availability

Highly available provision of all components possible

Table 1 – Overview derived from: BSI-CS 108 / Version 2.0, dated 11/07/2018

DMZ

DEMILITARIZED ZONE

Rendezvous Server

REMOTE ACCESS PROVIDER Remote Access App

Service- Engineering box Station

OPERATOR Approval + Monitoring

Remote Access App

Figure 2 – Overview of the remote access solution

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PPTex - Remote Access 33

TLS. The employed symmetrical encryption method (AES256) ensures high-quality encryption, and password security is achieved through a state-of-the art password policy. In addition to the password, the user can be authenticated using a onetime password with a Yubikey token in combination with an RSA key. The granularity of the accounts is ensured via the user role concept.

As required by the BSI, the solution also enables attack detection by identifying any failed authentication attempts. All remote maintenance access attempts are fully monitored and recorded for inventory purposes. The time window for remote accesses can also be restricted as required.

rendezvous solution enables comprehensive support of processes and user roles. It is easily scalable through central management, even for very large environments.

About the author

Conclusion The remote maintenance solution presented here complies with highest national recommendations and fulfils the highest security requirements. Users can also integrate the solution in the HIMA Smart Safety Platform concept for remote access to safety systems. During the COVID-19 pandemic, HIMA has digitalised numerous activities such as commissioning and remote factory acceptance testing. The rendezvous solution has been used successfully for those applications.

Interactions can be tracked via central monitoring, with the added benefits of central patch management, logging and alerting.

References BSI – Implementation notes for the OPS.2.4

An important consideration for users is also the investment security through IPv6 support and continuous product maintenance.

Another positive aspect is that the solution is not limited by proprietary solutions. The

remote maintenance module https://bit.ly/2JYFn8w BSI publication on cyber security – Remote maintenance in industrial environments https://bit.ly/3nrd28y

Dr. Alexander Horch is Vice President R&D and Product Management at HIMA Group. He joined HIMA in April 2016 having previously worked as Principal Scientist at ABB Corporate Research in Germany with a focus on process plant optimisation and plant asset management. Between 2007 and 2016, he held different management roles for ABB Germany and ABB Switzerland. Dr. Horch is a Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and a Certified Automation Professional (CAP) of the ISA.

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34 PPTex - UAVs

An unmanned revolution in the oil and gas, energy and petrochemical industries T

he oil and gas industry is highly

maintaining oil pipelines and platforms is

complex: asset management,

a perilous task: many are remote and in

makers for uninterrupted surveillance both by day and night.

environmental compliance and safety

extremely harsh environments. For example,

must all be addressed and guaranteed.

offshore rigs require inspectors to climb

Optical Radar sensors, meanwhile, is an

Many organisations have invested

ladders, use dangerous machinery and work

airborne persistent wide area maritime search

heavily in deploying large oil pipeline

close to harmful chemicals. Rig inspections

system that autonomously detects objects

infrastructure across an expansive

carried out by rope-access technicians can

on the ocean surface, providing high-quality

geographic network, spanning countries

take up to eight weeks and involve shutting

images of items that other search methods

and continents. Such infrastructure

down production which poses a significant

often miss. Oil and gas pipeline operators

must be routinely inspected to ensure

financial risk.

have significant distances to monitor 24/7, both on land and at sea, making UAVs

structural integrity and to monitor for potential trespassers.

Traditionally, inspections have been completed by deploying teams of personnel, though these types of examinations entail high risk situations and long periods of time in the field for the crews. Manned operations are also very expensive, with estimates suggesting aerial inspection of pipelines using manned helicopters costs approximately $3,000 per hour.

Research has revealed that the oil and gas industry is one of the top four sectors with the greatest potential for drone integration

Many new UAVs fly using two-stroke heavy fuel engines – a crucial safety feature in maritime settings. Heavy fuel engines are advancing platform endurance to new heights, with some platforms capable of 5 hours in the air before any need for overhaul. By capitalising on these endurance improvements, deploying UAVs in oil and gas operations means it is possible to access the challenging environments with relative ease but without exposing crews to the associated hazards. This removes risk to employee safety and consequently reduces medical expenses and lost work hours due to injury.

(after construction, agriculture and insurance).

Payload applications

unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) offer over

Many advanced UAVs operate with a range of payloads including Electro Optical/Infrared (EO/ IR) and newly developed Optical Radar solutions.

safety and enhanced communication. Using UAVs for pipeline inspection is estimated to be worth $41 million globally, and as much as $1.1 billion for offshore rigs and refineries.

Improving crew safety For manned crews, inspecting and

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attractive proposition.

Surveillance and data Alongside scheduled inspections, protecting critical oil and gas infrastructure requires ongoing surveillance and remote monitoring to provide consistent tracking data. The location of oil and gas networks presents not only a dangerous work environment, but also a challenge in gathering and sharing such data.

Having manned crews run inspections and repairs means a delay between data recording and analysis, whilst fatigued personnel pose a risk of missing potential hazards in the field.

This is a result of three main benefits that manned operations: reduced costs, improved

with Optical Radar payloads an extremely

UAVs provide a cost-effective and safe alternative by allowing the data obtained – including visual images and 3D maps – to be shared via the cloud in real-time to crews

EO/IR gimbals provide advanced widearea situational awareness and intelligence gathering through identification, categorisation and geolocation of target objects. It provides real-time, high-definition video to decision

in another location, totally separate from the inspection itself. Not only do UAVs gather information more efficiently than humans, but the digital data also enables operatives to make better decisions with greater accuracy.

PPTex - UAVs 35

Research comparing the data obtained by manned vs unmanned operations on the same infrastructure found that results from the manual inspection mirrored the results of the UAV analysis with 99% accuracy, though the former took two days for each site compared to two hours with a drone. Once a potential hazard has been identified, it can be addressed in a far shorter time than via the manned alternative, helping to identify issues earlier and reduce downtime.

Through enabling quicker repairs and the opportunity to forecast any maintenance issues, UAVs are improving the efficiency of inspection operations – a vital gain for organisations in charge of safeguarding critical infrastructure such as offshore oil fields and cross-border pipelines. As a result, UAV deployment is increasingly entering organisations’ mindset as they look towards cost-effective, robust solutions.

Image: UMS Skeldar

in November 2020 inspection firm Flyability revealed how it partnered with DroneUA to conduct a mission at the Chernobyl Nuclear

environments. This is due to the requirement to ensure round the clock vigilance – a priority in any strategic asset protection plan.

Power Plant in Ukraine to determine whether nuclear waste was present in one of the

As other industrial applications also come to

plant’s decommissioned reactors – Reactor

the fore, such as in powerline inspection and

Five.

nuclear plant decommissioning, it is inevitable that we will see continued growth of UAVs in

More than 30 years after the nuclear disaster

the energy sector. Though market forecasts

at the site, the Chernobyl decommissioning

attempt to place precise figures on the

team enlisted Flyability to deploy their

value of drones, their ability to reduce risk to

Electricity networks and nuclear inspections

Elios 2 drone – marking the first time a

manned crews, shrink costs and enable more

Flyability drone was involved in nuclear plant

efficient data analysis places their true worth

Beyond oil and gas infrastructure, many other expansive industrial networks exist such as electricity powerlines. UAVs have the potential to revolutionise operations in this sector also.

In the UK, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) is monitoring its network with drones – a grid that incorporates more than 1,500 towers and 64,200km of overhead powerlines across the four regions of its distribution area. Traditionally, engineers would be required to physically climb towers to assess their condition and walk beneath loose or frayed powerlines. By deploying UAVs instead, the risk to crew members is reduced.

decommissioning efforts.

beyond any decimal point.

There are also fascinating UAV applications seen in the chemical sector. For example,

Accessing the part of the reactor where nuclear waste might have been stored was an impossible task for a manned crew. To conduct the operation, Flyability pilots stood in the middle of the reactor in a pit that was approximately 82 feet deep. Using the Elios 2, pilots were able to fly into Reactor Five and collect sufficient visual data to determine that the pools were empty and there was no nuclear waste anywhere inside.

About the author

Future forecasts Oil and gas organisations are beginning to deploy UAVs as they move towards nonconventional resources and more challenging

David Willems, VP Business Development and Strategy at UMS SKELDAR, has spent 20 years of his professional career working in the aviation Industry. He has developed skills working both with civilian and military applications and is an entrepreneur that has directly created or contributed to the creation of several businesses offering aviation-related operational and consulting services.

He has been involved in the unmanned industry for almost a decade and offers continued expertise in his role at UMS SKELDAR.

Image: UMS Skeldar

www.hazardexonthenet.net

36 Legislation & Regulation

Image: Shutterstock

Understanding the complia A

to determine what you wish or are required to meet and how this can be demonstrated.

for the global oil and gas sector and

Additionally, there are a number of key issues to address to mitigate risk to the integrity of hazardous area installations, whether that be regulatory (dependent on country requirements) or functional (includes environmental management). Indeed, this could be a combination of the two, to ensure safety of personnel and the plant, as well as operational delivery and reputation.

s an inherently hazardous industry,

‘being compliant’ has much deeper resonance and reverberations goes way beyond a tick box exercise.

Likewise, understanding perceptions of ‘compliance’ can differ, leaving stakeholders exposed to financial, technical and even reputational risk they may not be aware of. James Steven, Development and Innovation Manager Product Assurance at DNV GL, explores the quandaries.

To be compliant, it is important to know what you are trying to demonstrate compliance with. This can encompass a multitude of factors. Therefore, it is essential

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The wide variety of national, regional and international standards, combined in many cases with a limited understanding of how and where equipment will be used, can create a ‘minefield’ of misunderstanding

throughout the supply chain. For instance, certification of equipment in accordance with one relevant standard is often misconstrued as proving compliance and suitability of that equipment for all possible uses and operations.

Is what I’ve got sufficient?

There is a common misconception that by simply receiving a report following an inspection or survey, means compliance has been achieved. This may not be the case.

It’s crucial to understand the detail on that document to know exactly what has or has not been fulfilled on both the functionality and regulatory front. This will ensure nothing falls through the gap or is waylaid - there may be major repercussions in the long-run

Legislation & Regulation 37

The supplier must be given a vendor specification, detailing requirements which are relevant to the specific host installation and cannot rely on the vendor to define how to manage these. This should include information on how the equipment will influence existing safety systems, such as escape routes, and whether any emergency power or fire and gas detection will be available.

Where does responsibility lie?

A division of responsibilities commonly exists between the supplier and the end user. However, it is often assumed that just because a reputable supplier has been contracted, that all compliancy needs will automatically have been carried out and that no further action is required from the end user. This creates a great deal of disconnect across the value chain.

The end-user is typically responsible for determining which standards are applicable for their application or location and communicating requirements to the manufacturer or supplier.

ance conundrum if an outstanding task isn’t acted upon.

When utilising certification as part of the demonstration of compliance you need to understand what the “certificate” is actually covering. Product certification is

either isn’t in accordance with functional specifications, is lacking detail or is simply incorrect. This can result in equipment that does not fulfil the end users’ needs, leaving them potentially exposed, should an incident occur.

based on three key stages or activities,

For temporary equipment, this usually takes the form of a temporary equipment procedure or Performance Standard.

These documents should be designed to demonstrate agreement with HSE operational guidelines, statutory regulations, or local regulatory requirements when working outside of the UK. Since the Macondo event in 2010, awareness amongst industry stakeholders, particularly drilling companies regarding their responsibility for ensuring compliance, has improved and there is greater awareness that compliance is demonstrated based on the correlation between what is required and

this covers: the design assessment;

The safe use of equipment relies on a

intermediate manufacturing surveillance; and

sound understanding of the operations

the final survey along with relevant testing.

it will perform, as well as an appreciation

In all cases, it is canny to comprehend

Products which have only been surveyed

of the potential risks associated with it.

the purpose of the equipment being used

to a standard or code can only confirm

Considerations can include the effect of

and the criteria it needs to be checked

the construction and testing and may not

noise from the equipment, its hydrocarbon

against for installation, as well as during its

meet the full requirements of the referenced

inventory, available fire and gas detection,

operational life. For instance, it is imperative

standard.

loads and forces imposed by it, etc., which

to know that it’s fit for the intended purpose

can trigger a possible health and safety

and being able to prove what this is and how

hazard.

it is achieved should be easily demonstrated.

A common example is that a piece of equipment, which is designed and built

what is actually provided.

38 Legislation & Regulation

With the UK’s exit from the European Union (EU), this has introduced new requirements which need to be integrated into any compliance plan. UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) marking has been implemented in the UK in place of EU CE marking. The technical provisions are currently the same as the previous EU Directives, however, the documentation/process of compliance does differ.

The use of a UKAB (UK Approval Body) will be required in place of an EU Notified Body.

The UK has agreed to continue accepting EU Notified Bodies and CE marking up to 31st December 2021, giving time for manufacturers’ to transition to a UKAB. Any products which are shipped from the UK to an EU/EEA member will still require to follow EU requirements from 1st January 2021.

Acceptance of documents from previous UK Notified Bodies may also have an impact on compliance. It is therefore important to understand how these changes impact upon customers to ensure they have the right documentation to pass on to the next stage.

For instance, ensuring the end location/ application is known, or planning for supply to both schemes, is essential in order to avoid issues when shipping the final product.

Compliance does not mean complacency Regulations, such as COMAH (Control of Major Accident Hazards), DSEAR (Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations) and PUWER (the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations) for the UK and EU exist, alongside technical standards (API, ISO, IEC, etc) to strengthen the safety and technical case for more specific compliancy assessments.

Declarations of compliance mean nothing without the backbone of technical or safety assessments and assurance.

Another contentious area is when an organisation is working as a Notified Body. The conformity process for each directive details when a Notified Body can be used. However, some directives (e.g. ATEX 2014/34/EU) prohibit the use of a Notified Body when not required to do so by the directive.

Notified Bodies are not allowed to issue documentation as compliance when not permitted by the Directive. However, as customers want to have a validation, they do approach organisations which are Notified Bodies to provide this confirmation. This process is defined as ‘voluntary certification’, which is not recognised in the event of an incident and provides no legal protection as would have been provided had this been done in a Notified Body capacity. In some cases, these documents have been handed out like certificates which is a clear breach of the directive. This is also another case of checking and knowing what the document states and how this helps compliance.

What should be considered?

When looking to determine compliance it is important to have a clear plan and roadmap, which may answer the following questions: • What am I trying to comply with?

• What does the documentation actually mean?

• What does it prove?

• What am I actually trying to demonstrate?

• Have I recorded it in the right way?

Compliance is demonstrated based on the correlation between what is required and what is actually provided

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Legislation & Regulation 39

Why does the industry see so many issues with hazardous area installations?

Quite often, particularly on larger projects, some companies may use personnel with only a general understanding of electrical installations as opposed to having specific training in hazardous area requirements. Though technically possible, using one qualified inspector to review multiple vendors or activities increases the likelihood of defects being missed.

After all, trying to “inspect in” quality is much more difficult than having more competent eyes throughout the process.

For hazardous installations, additional competencies are vital for both the installer and the inspector to be aware of the requirements and the needs to follow these when installing and maintaining equipment.

Likewise, the demands of a particular location or environment needs to be factored along with the consequence of

imperative and accuracy is crucial but knowing what you need to achieve in the beginning will help make the process work smoothly and more efficiently.

To help save time and reduce costs associated with securing compliance, several tools are available, including remote witnessing, which can provide operators with more flexibility and efficiency without compromising safety.

With today’s restrictions on travel and social distancing, this means surveyors do not need to travel to offshore platforms or be physically present at other assets, saving cost, time and reducing risk.

About the author

James Steven is Development & Innovation Manager, Product Assurance with DNV GL Oil & Gas. His background as a lead approval engineer (electrical & instrumentation) saw him specialise in offshore, marine and temporary equipment. James is a global technical lead for DNV GL Standard 2.7-2 Offshore Service Modules as well as being a member of the Norsok Z-015 expert group. He also has experience in commissioning of marine and offshore installations to UK verification and Class/Flag requirements on multiple projects.

defects created during transportation, for example, with pre-assembled units moving from the manufacturing to the fabrication site. Failure to consider the implication for factors such as potential transportation impacts and other environmental changes can introduce potential defects post final inspection and testing.

Because of the above factors, virtually every project coming into the North Sea from abroad is either having a significant amount of rework, or having significant improvement notices issued by the regulatory authorities for failure to comply with hazardous area equipment requirements. This adds exorbitant cost and months of delays to projects aiming for first oil. Ensuring these types of risks have been identified and that steps for ensuring these can be determined/ mitigated have been implemented, will significantly reduce the potential impacts to costs, duration and reputation.

Early engagement Inspection should be the last line of defence not the first one. It should go without saying that traceable records are

Inspection should be the last line of defence not the first one

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40 Legislation & Regulation

Image: Shutterstock

Which standards and documents does an ATEX professional need in Ireland?

A

I.S.EN 60079–14 (Part 14) which provides

• IEC TS 60079-32-1 Electrostatic

a common installation standard for ATEX

hazards, guidance

of electrical systems needs to be competent. This is especially true when working with potentially explosive atmospheres. For those operating in Ireland, it is expected that such an ATEX professional would maintain, or have access to, a reference library including IEC/NSAI standards.

installations in Ireland. The key documents

• I.S. EN 80079–36 Explosive atmospheres

that an ATEX professional should be aware

- Part 36: Non-electrical equipment for

of include: • I.S. EN 60079-14, Explosive

explosive atmospheres - Basic method

ny engineer or electrician working on the design or installation

and requirements

atmospheres - Part 14: Electrical

• I.S. 60079-10-1, Explosive atmospheres

installations design, selection and erection

- Part 10-1: Classification of areas -

• I.S. EN 60079-17, Explosive

Explosive gas atmospheres

atmospheres – Part 17: Electrical

• I.S. 60079-10-2, Explosive atmospheres

installations inspection and maintenance

- Part 10-2: Classification of areas –

The key reference document used to be the

• I.S. EN 60079-19, Explosive

Combustible dust atmospheres.

ET 105 document, however the National

atmospheres – Part 19: Equipment repair,

• I.S. 10101, National Rules for Electrical

Rules for Electrical Installations in Hazardous

overhaul and

Installations

Areas ET 105:2011 has been withdrawn for

• I.S. EN 60079–25, Explosive

• NSAI Initial Inspection Guidance

some time now. It has been replaced with

atmospheres - Part 25: Intrinsically safe

Document (due for publication 2021)

a number of separate documents including

electrical systems

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Legislation & Regulation 41

I.S. EN 60079-14 The I.S. EN 60079 Part 14, as with the complete I.S. EN 60079 series, deals only with electrical installations, while mechanical installation requirements are included in the I.S. EN 80079 series of standards. The installation designer is however expected to be familiar with both electrical installation requirements and mechanical installation requirements.

and experience. Currently, for installations in Ireland, competency should be recorded on the project test certificate, the typical contents of which are available on the Health and Safety Authority website (www.hsa.ie/ eng/topics/atex/). However, a template for recording the initial detailed inspections of an ATEX installation is underway.

Earthing and bonding are addressed in detail in Part 14. Bonding of cable screens

Part 14 addresses the use of Ex Equipment not based on IEC standards. The procedure is effectively certification by the end user. In theory a similar route may be available for ATEX installations but will apply to Zone 2 or Zone 22 areas only since the ATEX directive prohibits certification of equipment in other zones by anyone other than Notified Bodies.

The use of such equipment is restricted to items that cannot be obtained with ATEX certification. This of course does not apply to non-electrical equipment which, except combustion engines in Zone 1 and Zone 21, don’t need Notified Body Certification albeit that a dossier on them must go to the NB.

As would be expected, considering its

and armour where the only bonding point

title, Part 14 addresses each of the ATEX

is outside the hazardous area, for example

protection types under the headings of

a control room, is addressed (the bonding

design, selection and installation. Statutory

point of the cable must be cross bonded to

requirements for substitution, control

the earthing system in the Hazardous Area).

and mitigation measures, which must be

Electrostatic hazards are not addressed

Repair of ATEX equipment is covered in I.S.

considered under the ATEX worker safety

within Part 14 and the ATEX professional

EN 60079-19 but the selection of used and/

directive, are repeated. Part 14 also defines

must refer to another part of the 60079 suite

or repaired equipment falls within the scope

documentation required for an installation

of documents, i.e. I.S. EN 60079–32-2 and

of Part 14. In ATEX areas, although not

including the Verification Dossier (similar

S.R. CLC/TR 60079–32-1.

mentioned in the standard, use of secondhand and repaired equipment is restricted

to the Explosion Protection Document in European Community jurisdictions) and ATEX Hazardous Area Classification. Part 14 is

In addition to addressing each type of protection used in ATEX Hazardous Areas,

to those items previously carrying ATEX certification.

explicit on the requirements for documenting an installation and includes sample initial inspection schedules. A comprehensive initial testing document is currently under development and is due to be published early 2021. It will address in detail the requirement that before plant or equipment is brought into service, it must be given an initial detailed inspection.

Personnel competency is addressed in Part 14 which requires that those responsible for the design of installations and the installation works associated with them have an in-depth knowledge of the equipment and protection types. It should be noted that work is in progress in the IEC Committees to develop a specific ATEX competency document, IEC TS 60079–44, which will address this subject in more detail. The competency of the designers and installers must be verified, and this verification recorded. Establishing competency and keeping records is not unique to Part 14 or ATEX installations – there are already well-established procedures within the Irish construction industry, in particular associated with BCAR, emergency lighting (I.S. 3217) and fire detection systems (I.S. 3218). Setting out the requirements for competency in a specific standard should establish a common assessment of an ATEX professional’s training, qualifications

Peat powered electricity generating station – Image taken by K Fallon

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42 Legislation & Regulation I.S. 10101:2020

person, can cause ignitions. Sparks from a person are capable of igniting gases, vapours and even some of the more sensitive dusts.

It is very important that people who may be exposed to flammable atmospheres having Minimum Ignition Energy (MIE) < 10 mJ should be prevented from becoming electrostatically charged by being earthed. This is best achieved by having a conductive or dissipative floor and ensuring that people wear dissipative footwear.

Part 14 is not a ‘standalone’ set of installation rules and must be read in addition to I.S. 10101. Working on electrical installations subject to the National Rules for Electrical Installations is considered as Controlled Works by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities and as such may only be carried out by a competent REC (Registered Electrical Contractor). Definitions of Controlled Works and REC are available on the CRU website (www.cru.ie).

I.S. EN 60079-25 equipment in hazardous areas and various

I.S. EN 60079 Part 17

forms of protection (Ex-d, Ex-e, Ex-i etc.),

As with Part 14, I.S. EN 60079-17 (Part 17) Electrical Installations Inspection and Maintenance supplements the requirements of NSAI I.S. 10101:2020 The National Rules for Electrical Installations.

they do not address in detail the potential ignition due to static discharges. To assist with the control of static, the NSAI has published guidance S.R. CLC/TR 60079-32-1 (Part 32) on how to avoid ignition hazards arising from static electricity.

The primary objective of Part 17 is to ensure that the installations are maintained in a

Static electricity is generated by the contact

satisfactory condition for continued use within

and separation of solids, e.g. the movement of

a hazardous area, either through:

conveyor belts; the flow of liquids or powders,

a) regular periodic inspections

and the production of sprays. The accumulation

b) continuous supervision by skilled personnel

of electrostatic charge can give rise to hazards including ignition of explosive atmospheres. It

As with Part 14, the inspection and maintenance regimes require the personnel are suitably qualified and competent.

is general good practice to minimise the use

produce calculations to prove the safety of the system. These calculations, referred to as a Descriptive System Document (DSD), confirm power supply, acceptable inductance and capacitance, and cable parameters. Details of how to produce DSD is contained within Part 25.

of insulating materials in hazardous areas.

All metal and other conductive or dissipative material should be connected to earth.

Documentation and recording of inspection activities is an important requirement of any maintenance regime and is included in the scope of Part 17. Inspection is addressed for each type of ATEX protection with sample inspection sheets included.

Every component part and system (product) used in an ATEX Hazardous Area has calculations to prove the safety integrity of the system associated with it. For most components these calculations are carried out by the manufacturer as part of the Technical File submitted to the Notified Body for certification.

Intrinsically safe systems are generally designed as part of the installation and the designer must

Capacitance is the key parameter that needs to be controlled. The maximum allowable capacitance of isolated items depends on the ignitability of the gases, vapours and dust and should be controlled or eliminated.

Isolated conductors such as metal tanks, tank

The Part 17 standard addresses the complex

structures or mobile vessels associated with

issue of inspection and verification of unmarked

liquid handling can be raised to high potentials

equipment. That is where the certification plate

by charges on the liquid. This can lead to spark

or markings on explosion protected equipment

discharges which are particularly hazardous

is missing or illegible. Alternative methods

because they can usually ignite flammable

may be used to determine traceability to the

vapours.

certification details of the specific equipment.

Part 25 also requires that compliance of an intrinsically safe system is demonstrated by the consideration of the following: a) correct ATEX hazardous area, zone, grouping and temperature class b) correct device for ambient temperature range c) comparison of input and output characteristics and parameters of the device d) cable parameters of the interconnecting wiring e) faults within cables containing a single multi-drop circuit f) faults within cables containing multiple intrinsically safe circuits g) suitability and influence of simple apparatus i) earthing and bonding

Use of an equipment tag to trace the original

People who are isolated from earth (typically

purchase paperwork is a typical route followed

due to insulating footwear or floors) can acquire

by inspection teams to establish details.

and retain an electrostatic charge. Charging

Where it is not possible to establish through

mechanisms include walking, handling plastics,

I.S. EN 60079-10 (Part 10)

documentation or inspection the certification of

or standing close to highly charged objects.

In the suite of EN 60079 standards, two documents define the methodology for area classification. These documents, I.S. EN 60079-10-1 and I.S. EN 60079-10-2, describe the procedures associated with the area classification for gas/solvent vapours and dusts/powders respectively.

an item of equipment, an assessment following the procedure within Part 17 may be followed.

S.R. CLC/TR 60079–32-1 Whereas Part 14 and Part 17 address the control of ignition sources associated with

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If an electrostatically charged person touches a conductive object (e.g. pipework, structural steel, metal vessel) a spark can occur at the point of contact. Such sparks, which are unlikely to be seen, heard or even felt by the

Legislation & Regulation 43

Although hazardous area classification is carried out by competent personnel with particular skills and training, it is important that designers and installers are aware of the methodology involved in the selection of zones.

Hazardous area classification is a method of analysing and classifying the environment where explosive gas atmospheres may occur, to facilitate the proper selection, installation and operation of equipment to be used safely in that environment. The classification also

Classification, the concept of zone of negligible extent (NE) for gas and vapours is addressed. In some cases, a zone of negligible extent may arise and may be treated as non-hazardous. A zone of negligible extent would also imply either a negligible release rate or a negligible release quantity and considering the volume for dispersion. Such a zone implies that an explosion, if it takes place, will have negligible consequences.

takes into account the ignition characteristics of the gas, vapour or dusts. The properties

I.S. EN 80079–36

of vapours and gases are available in another

It is essential that the designers and installers working with potentially explosive atmospheres are aware of the mechanical sources of ignition to be taken into account in addition to the electrical sources of ignition.

To assist with this the I.S. EN 80079 series of standards, which replaced I.S. EN 13463, address the requirements and protection concepts for mechanical explosion protected equipment. I.S. EN 80079-36 covers the basic requirements for design, construction and testing of most non-electrical equipment with potential ignition source.

document I.S. EN 80079-20 (Explosive Atmospheres - Material characteristics for gas and vapour classification - Test methods and data). Hazardous area classification has two main objectives, the determination of the type of any zone, and the extent of the zone.

It should be reviewed on a regular basis and generally recommended that an annual review take place.

Both ATEX legislation and standards require that installations should be designed, constructed, operated and maintained so that any releases of flammable substances, and consequently the extent of hazardous areas, are kept to a minimum with regard to frequency, duration and quantity of a release.

In addition to general Hazardous Area

Competency and knowledge Competency, for an ATEX professional, is generally taken as based on a combination of knowledge, training and experience. Some of the required knowledge is contained within the reference library maintained by the ATEX professional. This article seeks to outline some of the key documents which should be available to those working in ATEX environments. Considering the high level of technical content within the standards there is little alternative to having access to current ccopies of the standards.

The standards referenced in this article can be purchased from the National Standards Authority of Ireland, NSAI at shop.standards.ie.

About the author

More detailed guidance on ATEX compliant mechanical equipment can be found in other sections of I.S. EN-80079 addressing nonelectrical type of protection constructional safety “c”, control of ignition source “b”, liquid immersion “k”.

Kieran Fallon, a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of Engineers Ireland, has over 30 years’ experience in electrical design and ATEX installations. He sits on the NSAI Committee responsible for Irish & IEC Standards associated with Hazardous Areas (ATEX). Kieran works for the DPS Group, a global consulting, engineering and construction management company.

Image: Shutterstock

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Sellafield nuclear site in Cumbria, UK

44 Nuclear

The importance of networking radiological protection equipment A

rguably, there is no industry as highly regulated as the nuclear

sector and none where missioncritical safety systems matter more.

Here, Gary Bradshaw, Director of remote monitoring specialist Omniflex, explains how the nuclear sector can benefit by adopting new systems that save time and money while also improving plant safety.

Friday March 11, 2011 may have begun like a normal day for workers at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station in Japan, but it would turn out to be anything but normal. A nearby magnitude 9 earthquake set off a chain reaction of

the Chernobyl incident. While the Kyshtym disaster of 1957 was worse in terms of radiation released, the INES ranks by impact on population and that incident only saw 10,000 people evacuated, much less than the 154,000 of Fukushima Daiichi or the 335,000 of Chernobyl.

While memories of the Chernobyl disaster may have faded for many, images of the exposed reactor of the Fukushima Daiichi plant raging out of control are still fresh in the minds of most. Nine years on, safety is still at the forefront of the agenda for the nuclear industry and all new systems and protocols for the sector must be developed with that in mind.

at the facility, which led to the evacuation of

Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products

over 154,000 people.

are ready-made, packaged solutions that can then be adapted by the end user to

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to adopt COTS products, even though they offer some key advantages.

Radiological monitoring systems Every UK-based nuclear facility must follow strict guidelines for the radiological

events culminating in a containment breach

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster is only the second in history to be classified as a level 7 event on the International Nuclear Event Scale (INES), the first being

has made many plant managers reluctant

meet their needs. These purchases are often alternatives to custom equipment and one-off developments. To date, the highly regulated environment in the nuclear sector

protection systems used to monitor the levels of alpha, beta and gamma radiation in the environment. Traditionally, this was done using non-networked wall-mounted radiation protection instruments. In the event of a high-level radiation alert or instrument failure, the monitor would detect and sound a local area alarm.

It isn’t only within buildings that radiation levels must be monitored, but the whole facility and potentially beyond. Perimeter monitoring systems, commonly known as emergency plume gamma monitoring systems (EPGMS) are a necessity to keep people safe in the event of a containment breach.

Nuclear 45

The primary function of EPGMS systems is to provide critical information to the emergency services in the event of a radiation leak. To that end, they are normally interfaced with meteorological systems since factors like wind speed and direction can determine if nearby

skilled professional to spend days wiring and testing each bespoke unit. Each of these must then be inspected by an external engineer from a regulating authority to check for human errors before it can be certified for use. Again, this can take days to complete.

About the author

populations are at risk of exposure.

Furthermore, because the systems are often

Networking systems

uniquely designed for a given job, nuclear

Regulations set by the Health and Safety

facilities face significant challenges when it

Executive (HSE) and the Office of Nuclear

comes to maintenance of equipment. Since

Regulators (ONR) have created demand for

the bespoke panels aren’t standardised,

real-time and historical data monitoring and

maintenance work usually requires third

the creation of safe areas for operators to

party engineers to conduct a site visit to

collect data without entering radioactive areas.

carry out repairs. This leads to much higher

To comply with these regulations, networking

maintenance costs than if maintenance work

of radiological protection systems became

could be handled in-house.

standard practice.

The question then becomes, what do you do However, networking the monitors increases the complexity of operations. Because traditional nuclear radiation monitoring systems are bespoke, the field of radiation protection instruments needs to be manually networked to a bespoke panel, requiring a

when it isn’t feasible to use this bespoke method of installation, because of the time and financial burden it puts on a project? The answer comes in the form of a plug-and-play COTS product engineered to serve as the data collection point in a radiation monitoring network.

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

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

Case Study: The National Nuclear Laboratory project Furthermore, it eliminates the need to run

“From a project perspective, the plug-and-

miles of power cables to each monitor in

play design significantly improved project

the field because it connects directly on a

reliability and lowered the installation risk.

Fibre+Power ring network. Essentially, it

It also had the added benefit of drastically

takes its power from the facility’s secure

cutting working hours in active areas of

mains supply via distributed power and

the plant.

network boxes located around the nuclear facility. It then uses hybrid power/fibre When the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) was tasked with installing 130 data

Ethernet data cables to deliver power to,

collection points to connect large volumes

self-healing ethernet ring topology.

and network, each subsequent RPN1 in a

of radiation protection instruments at Sellafield’s nuclear site, it was not feasible to use traditional methods. Efforts to overcome the challenges involved led to the development of the RPN1 COTS device.

The gateway device simplifies the task of gathering data from Ultra, Mirion, James

The RPN1 is a plug-and-play COTS device that was developed by Omniflex in collaboration with Steve Parkin, Senior Project Manager for NNL. It is standardised, being produced to ISO 9001 quality levels, which eliminates the need for additional third-party inspection during testing and installation.

Caunt Scientific and other manufacturers’

This project helped NNL save over £1 million in costs and ensured that the time spent by personnel in the active areas was greatly reduced. The units have since been used on other Sellafield buildings at the site and are specified to be used on new projects planned over the next five years.

If we are to avoid future disasters like Chernobyl and Fukushima Daiichi, the nuclear industry must continue to push the boundaries of what COTS systems can offer. By working with manufacturers, plant managers can benefit from innovative new

RS485-type radiation monitors. It then

“Commissioning a traditional system of this

technologies that meet industry demands.

allows you to quickly read and store

nature would have taken many multiples

In the nuclear industry, where saving

the data on radiological surveillance

of the time and cost and would have been

money and improving safety don’t often go

supervisory control and data acquisition

impossible to install without large outages

together, new COTS systems are bringing

(SCADA) systems.

across the facility,” explained Steve Parkin.

the two together.

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HygroFlex5-EX • Stainless steel probes certified for operation in Zone 0/20 • HygroFlex5-EX measurement transmitter certified for Zone 1/21 • ATEX certified ranges -40...85 ºC, 0...100 %rh • Intrinsically Safe (secondary side); two-channel transmitter • Robust aluminium transmitter housing; IP66 protection • LC display with trend indicators and keypad

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Imperial Sugar explosion in 2008 – Image: US CSB

Dust 47

Compliance vs. Competence – what makes you safer?

W

hen doing ATEX presentations, Declan Barry, Managing Director

of ATEX Explosion Hazards Ltd., is frequently asked which is more important; Compliance or Competence.

His usual answer is: “people cause explosions, not plants”.

• Maximum Explosion Pressure in barg Pmax 2. Equipment: Equipment and protective systems in the places where hazardous

undertake maintenance work effectively, so that they themselves are safe and that they do not jeopardise the safety of the plant or the people who work on it.

explosive atmospheres may be present must be chosen in accordance with the categories in Directive 94/9/EC, unless

5. Acceptable residual risk: Is the risk or danger of an event, despite all the

otherwise provided in the explosion

prevention and protection measures

In the materials handling industry, we try to

protection document, based on the risk

applied, acceptable to the organisation’s

establish a “basis of safety” through seven

assessment.

targets for, and approach to safety?

primary headings.

3. Maintenance procedures should be 1. Material Properties: Identify the hazard, is it explosive, do you know the following:

6. Deviations: Written procedures should

in place to define methods by which

be in place, which ensures that all

equipment and plant can be safely (for the

modifications are authorised only by

• Minimum Ignition Temperature (MIT)

maintenance team and the plant), promptly

competent personnel.

• Minimum Ignition Energy (MIE) • Lower Explosion Level (LEL)

and economically restored to safe, effective and efficient operating conditions.

• Thermal stability • Explosibility in bar m/s K (dust, gas or vapour)

7. Explosion Prevention and Protection.

Additional measures to prevent the start of

4. Human Factors: Training of maintenance

an explosion like gas monitoring or spark

employees should enable tradesmen to

detection. In the event that an explosion

www.hazardexonthenet.net

48 Dust

the mill on the night of the incident were “normal,” and up until just moments before the explosion(s), workers either were unaware of any problems or assumed their troubleshooting efforts would reveal a typical and manageable situation.

Approximately 15 to 30 minutes before the explosion, workers saw and/or smelled smoke in area 1B of the plant. Just before the incident, individuals were walking around Didion Milling Company explosion in 2017, before and after – Image: US CSB

various levels in A and B Mills, and no one observed any other problems beyond the smell of smoke.

cannot be prevented, applying measures to mitigate its consequences to people and/or plant, such as: Explosion – • Containment • Venting • Suppression • And/or Isolation Looking back, there have been many examples of incidents which can be learnt from.

January 2019 – A&D Logistics, UK In January 2019, a worker suffered flash burn injuries from an explosion that occurred after they opened a container door. The team leader at UK logistics haulier A&D Logistics Limited had been asked by management to dry out condensation from the office accommodation container. The custom and practice was to use a propane fuelled openflame gas torch attached to a LPG cylinder, which was left burning within the container.

Returning four hours later to check on the progress of the container, the worker opened the door by putting his hand in the gap between the doors and pulling. There was an explosion and he was thrown by force against a steel workshop container. Whilst on the ground he felt his arms burning, saw they were on fire, and felt the same of his face and hair.

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An investigation by the HSE found that the company allowed the gas torch and propane cylinder to be left unattended with the torch lit whilst the team leader attended other work. The container did not contain sufficient oxygen to support safe combustion because of inadequate ventilation. Yard personnel had no ‘hot work’ training. The work-wear worn by the team leader was not suitable for ‘hot work’ activities. Formal training and instruction for drying out wet containers with a propane gas torch was absent.

May 2017 – Didion Milling Company, US In May 2017, five employees were killed and 14 others were injured after an explosion at Didion Milling Company in Wisconsin, US. Two days before the explosion, Didion had a fire inside a dryer, which propagated to the dust collector on the roof. This meant staff were already on high alert before the explosion.

In trying to find the source of the smoke, observations led workers to focus on a gap mill in 1B that was part of the bran system.

After inspecting the gap mill, workers witnessed an air filter from the air intake line of the mill blow off, releasing corn product and flames from inside the equipment into the air, followed by multiple explosions throughout the milling facility.

July 2015 – Wood Treatment Ltd, UK On July 17, 2015, four workers at Wood Treatment Ltd in Bosley, Cheshire, were killed after an explosion. It caused the collapse of a four-storey building and the incident is still in the courts. We know that there were problems with wood dust and equipment and that there were engineering issues in the silo and mill area. Employees have said they remember waking up after the blast with no roof over their head and flames all around blocking the emergency exits. One employee jumped out a window into a river to get away.

What are acceptable risks in your Basis of Safety?

So, we have had similar incidents in the US with plenty of detail reported but in the UK, there is not much data published. They both have similar guidance/regulations on hazard and risk.

A Bauermeister gap mill grinds corn into smaller pieces by forcing the pieces to hit each other and internal mill components, causing them to break apart through a

NFPA 61, Standard for the Prevention of Fires and Dust Explosions in Agricultural and Food Processing Facilities, 2017

process referred to as mechanical impact grinding. A series of unfortunate events led to the explosion at the mill.

Firstly, workers believed the conditions at

Section 3.3 General definitions: …an explosion, “the bursting or rupture of an enclosure or container due to the development of internal pressure from a

Dust 49

deflagration,” where deflagration is the “propagation of a combustion zone at a velocity that is less than the speed of sound in the unreacted medium.”

OSHA requires manufacturers to provide Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) to communicate hazards of their products (29 CFR 1910.1200(g)). The SDSs that Didion produced for several of its products, including corn bran, flour, grits, and meal, identified that “dust air mixtures [of these products] may be explosive.” Didion workers’ job responsibilities included cleaning and those interviewed described how they performed these activities daily.

Reported amounts of dust in the mill on the day of the incident rely upon individual perceptions, which varied widely among Didion employees. Some Didion workers described the plant as “dusty” while others indicated it was “clean”, while observations

varied between the plant being “spic and span” to “I was covered in [dust] everyday!”.

Recent investigations and reports have revealed that, amongst other things, serious issues with both ATEX equipment certification and hazardous area classification continue to be key issues.

Hazard Area Classification (HAC) A procedure by which sections of the plant where explosive atmosphere may exist identified and the extent of the hazard determined.

Continuous source Primary source Secondary source

conclusion that HAC needs to be specific to the hazard in each specific plant taking into account the experience of the plant operators and equipment suppliers. If dust layers cannot be prevented, then an explosive atmosphere has to be considered as a continuous source yielding a Zone 20.

I hope this article may open your mind to whether just complying with regulations like ATEX are the way forward to preventing or protecting your colleagues from explosion hazards or if you need to improve specific competence in your workforce.

(> 1000 hrs.yr-1) (10 - 1000 hrs.yr-1) (<10 hrs.yr-1)

These are a general broad brush approach, originally designed for gases and vapours.

In reality, experienced experts in their respective industries are now coming to the

yields a Zone 20 yields a Zone 21 yields a Zone 22 About the author

Declan Barry MD of ATEX Explosion Hazards Limited based in the UK and Ireland. ATEX Explosion Hazards Limited with offices in Cheshire is part of an international group of companies around the globe with our HQ in Germany. Explosion Hazards limited has been providing Explosion Safety Solutions to industry for nearly 50 years.

Bosley Mill explosion in 2015 – Image: Cheshire Fire & Rescue

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The unit is built to ensure no ambient, dirty, or humid air enters the cabinet.

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