News

Box Hill Accident Highlights Gap In Crane Safety

Thanks to the internet, we’re able to hear about stories that would never have otherwise crossed our periphery.

One such piece of news in the construction industry this week was an accident in Melbourne, Australia this past week on a run-of-the-mill construction site. A kibble full of fresh concrete fell from a crane, submerging three workers and leaving one dead, with another fighting for his life.

The cause of the incident is still being explored, although initial reports point to a mechanical failure of the wedge socket, with the hook on the crane coming loose on only its first operation. In response, Aussie authorities have ordered more than 60 other Raimondi cranes supplied by the same company to cease work until the investigation is completed. (Read More)

Robust Well-Specified Hoists For General Industry

In an era when the industrial world is becoming ever-larger, there is a growing responsibility on equipment suppliers to make sure the market has everything it requires to function safely, reliably, efficiently and cost effectively.

With this notion in mind, J D Neuhaus (JDN) has always had a policy of continuous investment in its class-leading range of hoists and cranes for the general industrial marketplace. (Read More)

The cost of Arc Flash protection

Comments by Mark Lant, technical expert at ProGARM, a specialist in Arc Flash protection.

With the current economic climate, most budget holders are under extreme pressure to keep spending to a minimum but how is it possible to determine what seems like an expensive purchase now but one that will save money in the long term? (Read More)

New DuPont™ Tychem® Garments Offer Improved Hazard Protection and Comfort

DuPont  has added more innovations to its protective garment range with enhanced design features that offer improved personal protection while ensuring comfort and ease of movement for the wearer.

Made from proven Tychem® fabric, the new garments provide a reliable barrier against many of the organic and highly concentrated inorganic chemicals and biohazards encountered in industrial, (Read More) 

Arc Flash clothing specialist appoints Technical Sales Manager to help increase awareness across electrical industry

ProGARM, the UK’s number one supplier of Arc Flash garments, has recently appointed a new Technical Sales Manager, as part of its mission to increase global awareness across the electrical sector around the life changing dangers of Arc Flash - a relatively misunderstood, but extremely common type of electrical explosion. (Read More)

New Eguide From Honeywell Explains How To Select Chemical Protective Gloves In Six Steps

Honeywell has published the first in a two part series of eGuides to help workers and health and safety professionals choose the right chemical protective gloves.

. ‘A Guide To Selecting Chemical Protective Gloves – Part 1’ offers a simple six-step method for glove selection that can be used to ensure a worker’s hands are fully protected in a range of applications involving chemicals. (Read More)

Don’t get burned by buying the wrong PPE

Comments by Mark Lant, technical expert at ProGARM, a specialist in Arc Flash protection.

While many could be forgiven for thinking that flame retardant PPE can also help to protect against burns in an Arc Flash incident, what many don’t realise is that these burns aren’t caused by fire, but by thermal energy, and protecting yourself and your team against an arc flash incident requires more specialist garments.

What is an Arc Flash?

Hotter than the sun and louder than a bullet, an Arc Flash is when an arcing fault releases dangerous levels of radiant energy, which vaporizes metal that spews from the arc. The air is super-heated causing pressure waves that can throw individuals across rooms and create a deadly molten shrapnel. (Read More)

Managing Static Electricity Risk during Mixing and Blending Processes

Static electricity is generated silently and unintentionally by virtually all operations and processes involving movement – for example product transfer, mixing and size reduction.

Industries where powders and solvents are used in key processes are at particular risk due to the hazardous nature of the materials.  Fires and explosions can occur as a result of uncontrolled static discharge from plant, people and materials, and these commonly result in civilian (Read More) 

How To Work In Hazardous Environments

Engineering solutions provider, Boulting Ltd has released an informative infographic explaining its top tips for contractors working in hazardous environments. The infographic details key considerations, including how to identify zones, use of correct equipment and relevant regulations.

There are many scenarios which can result in an area being classified as a hazardous environment, such as flammable gases in process industries and flour dust in bakeries. To prevent an incident from occurring it is vital that precautions are taken when constructing, installing and using apparatus within the defined area.

A well-planned project should ensure the working environment incorporates extensive safety precautions, that all equipment is fit for purpose and rigorously tested and correct, quality components are used. These steps can reduce the risk of an incident such as a catastrophic explosion. (Read More)

How to build an ATEX forklift

To comply with European legislation, forklifts operating in potentially explosive atmospheres require special conversion to reduce the risk of ignition. Pyroban explains.

Regulations

Explosion protection conversion company Pyroban modifies forklift trucks to meet ATEX 2014/34/EU* requirements, and standards such as EN1755:2015*, for operations that need to comply with ATEX 1999/92/EC. (Read More)