Safety First

Products And Services Abound To Help Keep Employees Safe On The Job

INDUSTRIAL FIRES MADE THE NEWS ALL TOO FREQUENTLY IN 2022.

A July 25 fire destroyed the 135,000-square foot Timber Products Ampine Division particleboard mill near Martell, California. On September 2, the Mill Fire began at or near Roseburg Forest Product’s veneer mill in Weed, California, killing two people, burning nearly 4,000 acres and destroying 118 structures.

And while investigators are still piecing together the exact causes for these fires, Timber Products decided not to reopen the mill that employed 145 people and Roseburg continues to pay settlements while investigating whether a third-party machine failed to sufficiently cool ash at their mill, leading to the blaze.

An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure, they say, and protecting workers from hazards and risks in the workplace remains a top priority in any industrial setting. To this end, companies have created innovative methods and products to keep fire and other dangers at bay.

From spark suppression systems that prevent fires to pressurized mats that automatically shut down heavy machinery when people get too close, there are a multitude of ways to reduce or prevent the occurrence and severity of accidents and injuries in the workplace.

Some safety equipment is required by law in certain areas and situations, but other products fall into the “good idea” category for companies.

Fagus-Grecon has an entire line of spark suppression devices. One of their latest models, the DLD 1/9 Intelligent detector, adjusts to work in both dark and light areas and is a highly sensitive detector for both sparks and hot particles. It is insensitive to daylight and artificial light and offers excellent detection performance for all ignition sources in any environment

— FAGUS-GRECON

thanks to adaptive detection technology.

The company also just released a new Intelligent Extinguishment Module (IEM) for the reliable extinguishing of sparks with integrated early wear recognition. The integrated intelligent extinguishing technology (IET) permits highly precise monitoring of extinguishing and allows for the recognition and removal of clogged nozzles or a too-low flow pressure. Increasing wear of nozzles or valves will be reported predictively to permit targeted and efficient planning of maintenance. The automatic extinguishing system is ready when a spark appears, and in outdoor areas, the optional integrated frost monitoring can render operation as safe as possible, even in winter. Visit www.fagus-grecon.com for more information.

Fire is not the only hazard in industrial or commercial spaces. Companies using loud, heavy machinery can also utilize specialized equipment to help keep their employees safe while working.

Machine guarding products have been around for quite a while, but Pinnacle Systems has designed, manufactured and serviced a variety and multitude of these safeguarding devices for industrial

CONTINUED ON PAGE 28 › ceflafinishing.com

‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27 manufacturers. These safety devices include safety light curtains, safety mats, ergonomic palm buttons, safety relays, safety controls and much more. These machine guarding products provide assurance to the employer and the machine operators that hazardous areas and the dangerous point of operation requirements of industrial machinery can be made more safe. Applications such as power press guarding, press brake guarding, robot guarding and automation guarding are just a few examples of machine safeguarding capabilities offered by Pinnacle Systems.

One of Pinnacle’s latest innovations is a flexible, customizable safety mat. Safety mats are pressuresensitive machine safeguarding products for the industrial marketplace and are designed to detect the presence of workers or passers-by on the mat surface area around hazardous machines. These mats are flexible, impact resilient, functional after punctures, extremely durable and will not rust.

The STTS (Soft Tactile Transducer Sensor) Safety Mat System is a technological paradigm in the field of presencecontact sensing/pressure sensitive safety mat systems. This revolutionary mat system is a hybrid design that combines features to meet and surpass both domestic and international safety standards. Through its advanced technology and state-of-the-art design features, this flexible safety mat system is customizable by shape and size, with a large 6′ x 12′ single mat capability. The Category 4 STTS Controller actually pulses each individual mat every 19 milliseconds to assure no tampering to the mat or controller has been attempted. Visit www.pinnaclesystems.com for more information.

TOP: FAGUS-GRECON HAS JUST RELEASED A NEW INTELLIGENT EXTINGUISHMENT MODULE (IEM) FOR THE RELIABLE EXTINGUISHING OF SPARKS WITH INTEGRATED EARLY WEAR RECOGNITION. ONE OF THEIR LATEST MODELS OF SPARK SUPPRESSION DEVICES, THE DLD 1/9 INTELLIGENT DETECTOR, ADJUSTS TO WORK IN BOTH DARK AND LIGHT AREAS AND IS A HIGHLY SENSITIVE DETECTOR FOR BOTH SPARKS AND HOT PARTICLES.

ABOVE: THE STTS (SOFT TACTILE TRANSDUCER SENSOR) SAFETY MAT SYSTEM IS A TECHNOLOGICAL PARADIGM IN THE FIELD OF PRESENCECONTACT SENSING/PRESSURE SENSITIVE SAFETY MAT SYSTEMS OFFERED BY PINNACLE SYSTEMS.

In addition to these more recent innovations, some other common industrial safety equipment includes:

• Safety cabinets to store flammable liquids, corrosive chemicals, pesticides, and other hazardous materials safely and securely. They can prevent leaks, spills, fires, and unauthorized access to dangerous substances. Safety cabinets can also help comply with regulations and standards for safe storage of hazardous materials.

• Safety cans can hold and dispense flammable liquids safely and easily. They can prevent leaks, spills, fires, and explosions by having features such as self-closing lids, flame arresters, pressure relief vents, and ergonomic handles. Safety cans can also help comply with regulations and standards for safe handling of flammable liquids.

• Safety showers and eyewash stations can provide emergency flushing of the body or eyes in case of exposure to harmful chemicals or substances. These can reduce the risk of injury or infection by rinsing away contaminants quickly and thoroughly. Safety showers and eyewash stations can also help comply with regulations and standards for emergency response to chemical exposure.

• Gas detection systems can monitor and alert workers of the presence of flammable or toxic gases in the workplace. These systems can prevent fires, explosions, asphyxiation, and poisoning by having features such as sensors, alarms, displays, controllers, and communication devices. Gas detection systems can also help comply with regulations and standards for safe working environments.

• Personal protective equipment (PPE) help protect workers from various hazards and risks, including cuts, burns, abrasions, impacts, noise, dust, etc. PPE can include gloves, helmets, goggles, masks, ear plugs, boots, aprons and more. PPE can reduce the risk of injury or illness by providing a barrier between the worker and the hazard and can help companies comply with regulations and standards for worker safety.

Safety equipment and products are essential to help protect workers from hazards and risks and to comply with regulations and standards for safe and responsible operations. These products can also improve the quality and efficiency of the production process, as well as the customer satisfaction and reputation of the business. Safety equipment and products may add cost to production, but are an investment that pays off in the long run s p

National Fire Protection Association said ...

The National Fire Protection Association (www.nfpa.org) said that U.S. municipal fire departments responded to an average of 37,910 fires at industrial or manufacturing properties each year between 2011 and 2015. The NFPA says they estimate the annual losses from these fires at 16 civilian deaths and $1.2 billion in direct property damage.

Structure fires are more common in manufacturing or processing properties, while vehicle fires are more common in agricultural properties. Electrical distribution and lighting equipment was involved in 24% of structure fires, and heating equipment was involved in another 16% of these fires. Hot ember or ash was the leading heat source in 15% of outside non-trash fires in industrial properties.

The vast majority of fires (71%) in industrial and manufacturing properties were outside or unclassified fires, which accounted for an estimated average of 3 civilian deaths, 38 civilian injuries, and $265 million in direct property damage each year.

Vehicle fires accounted for an estimated average of 9% of industrial and manufacturing property fires) each year, with losses estimated at 6 civilian deaths, 17 civilian injuries and $125 million in direct property damage each year.