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When we certify products ATEX, UKCA or IECEx we test a product to the relevant Standards, and we control the future manufacturing compliance by listing the ‘controlled drawings’ or ‘scheduled drawings’ on the certificate.

Whilst these ‘scheduled’ drawings are only designed to control the safety related aspects of manufacturing, many critical parts may have been individual tested and listed on the drawings by type and part number. This is very often the case with Intrinsic Safety where a specific integrated circuit may have been tested, for example for transient let thorough or temperature.

Given that these parts may become unavailable (which seems to be happening a lot currently), it is highly advised that when seeking certification, a manufacturer lists of ‘alternative’ items in the Bill of Materials. It is both faster and less expensive to consider this at the time of certification and we would always recommend it for certain types of critical parts, for example: batteries, cements, gaskets, and critical intrinsic safety components.

If you have a part on your certication drawings listed by manufacturer/part number and that part is no longer available (or has very long lead times) you will need to get a ‘variation’ to your certication (as the drawings will change to show a new part). This variation may involve retesting parts, for example retesting a gasket or cement may involve thermal conditioning and that can take a month of testing, so don’t leave it until the last minute! Contact ExVeritas via the contact form on our web site if you need any more information on this or require a Certificate Variation to allow more flexible manufacturing (we can take over existing certificates and add new parts at the same time).

If you are on our web site, why not order out new A1 wall poster full of the very latest IEC, ATEX and UKCA information!

 For nearly 50 years CCG’s Ex certified cable glands have been recognized globally by electrical engineers for the Built-in Safety^TM features of the Captive Component Gland® design.

Having major safety advantages over other makes of glands which have loose components, CCG’ Ex certified glands have their critical seals, single orientation armour clamping cones and cone rings (for SWA and braid cables) held captive within the gland. This Built-in Safety^TM design means that these components do not need to be individually assembled when the gland is installed and therefore cannot get lost or wrongly fitted. This equates to an extremely easy safe and speedy installation process.  

Building on this already solid international reputation for innovation, in 2013 CCG revolutionized the international cable gland market with the introduction of the award-winning QUICKSTOP-Ex® Injection Resin flameproof barrier gland.

Recognizing that explosive gasses or liquids can migrate down the interstices of cables in hazardous areas thus bypassing traditional cable gland inner seals, the IEC 60079-14 installation standards require that barrier glands be fitted on Ex d (flameproof), Ex nR (restricted breathing) and Exp (pressurized) equipment, and on cables which run from hazardous areas to non-hazardous areas. 

A barrier gland is designed to fill all the interstices and gaps and seal around the individual cable conductors within the cable inner bedding, thus giving a 100% barrier seal against explosive gasses and liquid migration down the cable. Traditional inner rubber compression/tapered seals can never achieve this level of sealing.

   The IEC 60079-1 standard requires that Ex d glands with rubber type compression / tapered displacement seals withstand a pressure of 30-bar, this test is to simulate an internal explosive pressure generated within a flameproof enclosure. However, these tests are performed on solid steel mandrels and do not take into consideration the real-life properties of cables experienced in the field which are that they have bedding susceptible to creep or cold flow, and are never completely filled, solid or gas-tight. This means that although traditional glands with compression / tapered seals will easily pass the 30-bar pressure test on a steel mandrel they will perform very differently when installed on the multitude of different types of cables found installed in modern hazardous areas plants. Unfilled or multicore cables become mini pipes whereby explosive pressures generated in flameproof enclosures force hot gasses down cables bypassing the traditional gland seals and flame paths. This not only causes damage to the cable but also creates the potential for an external explosion. With onsite temperature fluctuations, explosive gasses or liquids can also migrate down cables from a zoned area into non-zoned areas such as a control room or non-certified equipment. (The infamous SeaGas explosion incident in Australia is a good example of this type of gas migration.)

CAPTION: EXPLOSIVE GAS TRANSMISSION THROUGH UNFILLED CABLE, BYPASSING TRADITIONAL FLAMEPROOF SEALS

Although traditional two-part putty mixed barrier glands have been on the market for many years, these barrier glands took a long time to install as the putty had to be hand-mixed and installed and took a few hours to set. They also had a wide margin of error as it relied on the skill and subjective opinion of the installer to install the gland correctly. With the increased awareness of the updated IEC 60079-14 requirements and the increased mandatory requirement for barrier glands over the traditional “rubber taper/compression seal” type glands, CCG designed a faster easier and safer means of installing barrier glands. The QUICKSTOP-Ex® Injection Resin Barrier Gland uses a two-part quick setting resin which is instantly and accurately mixed and injected into the gland seal pot by means of a double injection tube and a vortex mixing nozzle. Being a liquid, the resin flows around the cable conductors filling all the voids and then bonds in just minutes with a 100 % gas blocking seal quickly achieved.

After a request from one of CCG’s major international oil and gas customers for an inspectable version of the QUICKSTOP-Ex® gland, the 2^nd generation VORTEx® Inspectable Injection Resin Barrier Gland® range was launched at the Offshore Europe Expo in 2019. The resin colour was changed to a bright yellow and a clear resin chamber was introduced so that the installer could easily inspect the resin fill.

Despite the Covid-19 economic downturn, CCG has seen tremendous uptake in the VORTEx® range of glands having supplied two major expansions in the Shell and SANTOS coal seam gas fields in Australia, the Sriracha Thai Oil refinery project and the Saudi Aramco Zuluf, Abu Safah, Berri and Safaniya Oil Field development projects.

As international safety standards and specifications change and engineers become more aware of EEHA safety-related issues, Ex d I/II certified VORTEx Injection Resin Barrier Gland® technology is not just a simple game-changer, it is the major technological shift in cable gland design and safety, making flameproof glands with old-style compression / tapered seal technology all but redundant.

Enquiries:

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A new push-around scissor lift from BoSS aims to take factory maintenance to a new level of safety and productivity.

The BoSS PA-lift, available from Access Platform Sales (APS), has industry-leading working height of 5.4m with smart technology previously only offered with larger access platforms.

It is also outdoor rated, with a reduced maximum working height of 4.6m (for wind speeds up to 12.5m/sec), even with optional anti-climb guards fitted.

The scissor lift, manufactured by Wernerco, has been designed as a replacement of the already popular BoSS X3 and BoSS X3X models, and represents a major upgrade in key performance areas.

Chris Banks, Technical Director at APS, the exclusive distributor of BoSS products in the UK and Ireland, said: “The BoSS PA-lift represents a significant step forward in push-around platform design.

The Water Jetting Association is introducing a new purple code of practice for pressure washing to counter ignorance about the risks associated with the powerful cleaning technique.

The code lays out the steps needed to optimise the safe use of pressure washing equipment. It also explains why these steps are important and what needs to be done if something does go wrong.

The Water Jetting Association (WJA), the UK’s trade body for the water jetting industry, says awareness of water jetting risks has not remained in step with the development of pressure washing technology and its increasing use.

WJA Training and Safety Committee Chairman Darren Hamilton said: “Over recent years, companies and individuals have been able to buy evermore powerful pressure washing systems.

The Bacton Gas Terminal supplies up to a third of the UK's total gas demand, whilst also exporting gas to Europe 1. Now more than ever, the reliability of the nation's energy supply is paramount, making the Bacton complex one of the UK's most crucial energy infrastructure assets. To support continued reliability at one of the six gas terminals making up the complex, Bibby Turboflex recently refurbished a critical gas compressor coupling which had been operational for two decades.

Located on the Norfolk coast, the Bacton Gas Terminal can process up to 58 million cubic metres of gas per day 2, most of which is extracted from North Sea oilfields, delivering it via pipeline to homes and businesses across the UK. The UK Government estimates gas constituted 41.9% of all inland energy consumption in 2020,3therefore ensuring reliability at sites like Bacton Gas Terminal is essential for supporting the UK's energy needs. Generally, it is recommended that plant operators hold critical spares, such as power transmission products, to maximise operational efficiency and minimise breakdowns and downtime.

Installed between a gas turbine and a high-speed compressor, the Bibby Turboflex high performance 305S Torquemeter disc coupling operated at peak performance for more than 20 years. With a torque rating up to 100 kNm and a max speed of 7700 RPM, this unique coupling features an integrated torque meter that measures asset efficiency ensuring maximum gas output. Due to its length in service, plant operators decided to install the site's spare coupling and return the original operational coupling back to Bibby for a health check and any necessary refurbishments.

A leading brand of Altra Industrial Motion Corp., Bibby Turboflex is a market leader in the design and manufacture of high performance engineered couplings specifically designed for turbomachinery applications.

The coupling was returned to Altra's Bedford facility. Within two weeks, the coupling was disassembled and removed from the bearing casing. All components were cleaned, de-greased and checked, with major components then shot blasted. Utilising a coordinate measuring machine (CMM), the critical dimensions of all parts were checked against the original coupling drawings. A thorough magnetic particle inspection (MPI) was performed and a written detailed inspection report, including photos of any defects, sent to the customer.

Subsequently, Bibby replaced all flexible elements and hardware. The coupling was then re-phosphated, re-assembled and dynamically balanced back to original specification prior to shipping back. The complete overhaul returned the coupling to its original production condition. The coupling was delivered back to the customer with a full 1-year warranty.

The local engineering capabilities offered by Bibby meant that the coupling could be returned to an optimal condition quickly. The plant maintained operation efficiency by holding a critical spare coupling in stock, therefore allowing the operational coupling to be sent back for repair. Furthermore, refurbishment provided increased value compared to supplying an all-new custom coupling. In addition to the significant cost reduction and time saving repair offers over purchasing new, repairing the coupling had a much lower carbon impact on the environment.

With securing energy supply an ever more pressing issue, operators choosing reliable power transmission components backed by responsive OEM maintenance support can help maximise operational efficiency by minimising downtime and failures. As a result, homes and businesses can be sure of reliable power and heating all year round. The next time you turn on the lights, heating or water think about the quality rotating equipment which supports those everyday utilities.

 www.altramotion.com

Engineers and technicians working at height, often in challenging locations and appalling weather, are well aware of the risk of hand tools or equipment falling or being dropped.

Not only are they a major threat to anyone working below, plunging tools can damage critical systems, causing expensive downtime.

The success of the safety focused Tools@Height programme from Snap-on Industrial depends upon securely tethering all hand and power tools to lanyards, bags, pouches and belts.

Says Richard Packham, Snap-on Industrial’s Director, UK & Europe: “Engineers and technicians working at height need to have absolute confidence that their safety equipment will protect them and others working below them, as well as safeguarding vital systems and machinery.

“Our extensive research, development and quality management programme has resulted in advanced design, manufacturing, testing and operating procedures covering safety and dropped object prevention.”

The result is a wide range of dependable tools with strong, integrated fixing points to enable hand and power tools to be securely tethered to Snap-on lanyards, bags, pouches and belts, while ensuriing functionality.

Tools@Height sockets, adapters and extensions have a locking hole on all sides. Drive tools and ratchets have a locking pin which fits into the side locking hole to ensure positive locking. Less secure attachments with a hole only on one side are at risk of falling apart.

Snap-on Industrial can supply individual tools or complete kits to meet customer specifications and can provide full training in their use. Products are delivered to customers’ premises fully assembled and ready for immediate use.

01536 413904

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www.snapon-industrial.co.uk/tools-at-height

Leading global provider of mission critical air and gas handling products, technologies and services, Howden, supplied eight diaphragm compressors for hydrogen refueling stations at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

As one aim of the 2022 Winter Olympics was to produce an event that was both low carbon and with zero emissions, the compression technology from Howden brought hydrogen energy to four refueling stations. Filling up to 180 vehicles a day, including buses and service cars, the contract supported Howden’s own commitment to enable its customers’ vital processes to advance a more sustainable world.

Vital in the supply of the hydrogen compressors was service reliability, for which Howden is renowned. For the duration of the Olympic Games, Howden’s site service engineer remained on site, providing ongoing monitoring to ensure the safe and continuous operation of the equipment during difficult weather conditions.

Harold Lang, President of China at Howden, comments: “Howden was honoured to be part of the team delivering a truly sustainable solution for the Beijing Winter Olympics. Supporting our own commitment to carbon Net Zero, this contract represented an important step in sharing our knowledge and expertise to contribute to an energy transition where hydrogen has a clear role to play.

“Howden has a long history of supporting vital processes in China. We have a strong presence with over 1,200 employees, operating with offices and service centres across seven cities with a large manufacturing centre, to support many key industries across the country.”

Howden received further endorsement from the HQ for traffic operations in the Zhangjiakou Competition Area. This commended the hard work and support delivered by the Howden team through the Games and confirmed that it was trust in the Howden brand that drove the decision to use its products.

Howden focuses on helping customers increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their air and gas handling processes enabling them to make sustainable improvements in their environmental impact. Howden designs, manufactures and supplies products, solutions and services to customers around the world across highly diversified end-markets and geographies.

The business recently announced its target to be carbon Net Zero by 2035 through the purchase of renewable energy and carbon free energy; efficiency gains from energy conservation measures; and by renewable energy projects at its manufacturing facilities. The largest impact the business will have on global sustainability will be through its partnership with customers to supply equipment that will make a major impact on their carbon emissions and sustainability.

In response to growing market demand, polymeric technology company, Belzona, now offers a complete leading edge repair and protection solution. Optimised to be easy-to-apply, fast-curing and hard-wearing, the combination of Belzona 5711 and Belzona 5721 is specially designed to fortify wind turbine blades with outstanding protection against leading edge erosion for the long term.

Fast, in-situ application of leading edge repair and protection solution, Belzona 5711

New Thixotropic Paste Repair System Builds on Success of Leading Edge Protection (LEP) Coating

From Norway to North Dakota, since its launch in October 2019, Belzona’s leading edge protection coating, Belzona 5721, has already been deployed at numerous wind farms worldwide to great success. Lauded as an “extremely fast and cost-effective solution for protecting leading edges” by Jæren Vind Energi AS in Norway, the turbine blade coating provides a quick and straightforward means of protecting leading edges in situ.


2-part leading edge protection coating, Belzona 5721, being applied in situ at a wind farm

Now, building on this knowledge and experience in the field, the Company has developed Belzona 5711 – a thixotropic paste specially designed to be applied in conjunction with the Belzona 5721 protective coating (amongst other product options). This solvent-free, 2-part repair paste is specially formulated for the in-situ repair and rebuilding of leading edge erosion and impact damage on wind turbine blades.

New Leading Edge Repair Paste Facilitates Fast Turnaround Time

Commenting on Belzona’s new polymeric solution for the wind industry, Jason Horn, Research and Development Manager, said: “Whilst offering rapid cure, Belzona 5711 also has a good working life which allows for the material to be perfectly contoured/formed to the leading edge of the blade. This removes the need for sanding, therefore, eliminating a step in the repair process and simplifying the application.”

He continued: “Belzona 5711 cures quickly and can be directly overcoated with Belzona 5721 in as little as 30 minutes at 20°C/68°F - without the need for any additional preparation. At the same temperature, Belzona 5721 will be fully cured within five hours, allowing the turbine to be returned to service in the same day.”

He concluded: “With the combination of Belzona 5711 and Belzona 5721, the balance between usability and rapid return-to-service makes the products ideal for in-situ repair across a broad application temperature range. The long shelf-life also makes Belzona an ideal stocking material for wind turbine maintenance.”

Key Benefits of New Belzona Leading Edge Repair Product VS. Leading Competitive Products

• 60-minute cure time in ambient temperatures ensures rapid return-to-service
• Product is suitable for all climates (5-40°C / 41-104°F) with a maximum overcoat window of 24 hours
• Cartridge packaging ensures good mixing quality and ease of use
• Easy to contour and long working-life ensures a smooth finish
• Reduced health and safety risks (CMR free labelling in EU)
• Durable technology provides a long-lasting repair
• Sanding is not required prior to overcoating with Belzona 5721, thus speeding up the application process
• Single component rather than two grades for all climates
• Three-year shelf life allows for flexibility in application planning 
• Higher volume per cartridge ensures reduced packaging waste
• Can be applied either at offshore or onshore wind farms
• Can be used to repair manufacturing defects


Belzona 5711 cartridge packaging facilitates a fast and simple application procedure

In addition, Belzona 5711 is available worldwide through the network of Belzona international Distributors. In order to ensure that the product is applied correctly, Contractors can be trained in the application of Belzona 5711 locally on site by one of the local Distributors.

Repair not Replace: Leading Edge Repair and Protection System Supports a Circular Economy

According to the European Wind Energy Association, the estimated lifespan of a wind turbine is typically 20-25 years. Environmental factors, such as weathering, lightning, icing, birds and insect collisions, can seriously limit this lifespan. In addition, there is evidence that damage to the leading edges of a turbine blade can lower the annual energy production, with energy losses that range between 4 to 20% when the damage is severe. 

By investing in a high-performance leading edge repair and protection system, asset-owners can protect wind turbine blades against the environmental damage outlined above. In doing so, polymeric systems support a circular economic strategy as this technology helps to extend the lifespan of wind turbine blades. In turn, this reduces the demand for blades to be manufactured and, eventually, disposed of. Therefore, by giving the blades a new lease of life in this way, the combination of Belzona 5711 and Belzona 5721 will help towards mitigating the carbon footprint of the wind power industry.

In addition, by bypassing the expensive process of both replacing and disposing of damaged blades, asset owners will be able to make significant financial savings as well.

Safeguarding Wind Turbine Blades with Polymeric Technology Supports a Net-Zero Future

According to the 2021 State of Climate Action Report, authored by the world’s top climate analysis coalition, Climate Action Tracker (CAT), in order to meet the Paris Agreement’s net-zero by 2050 target, the share of wind and solar energy in electricity generation needs to increase from 7.03% (based on 2018 figures) to 37 - 72% by 2030. By 2050, the share needs to rise further to 80 - 82%. 

This means that by 2050, wind and solar electricity generation needs to increase by between 72.97 – 74.7%. In order to support this seismic growth, leading edge repair and protection systems, such as Belzona 5711 and Belzona 5721, play a critical role in extending the lifespan of wind turbine blades and, therefore, supporting a net-zero future for the planet.


Polymeric repair and protection systems support a net-zero future for the planet

More information on Belzona’s leading edge repair and protection solution can be found here.

Peppers Cable Glands are world leaders in the design, manufacture, and supply of Hazardous Area Connectivity Solutions for use within industries such as Oil, Gas, Marine, Petrochemical, Pharmaceutical and Food.

The Peppers product range includes a vast array of Elastomeric Seal and Barrier Cable Glands for use with armoured, unarmoured cables and conduit systems. Alongside an extensive range of enclosure accessories like Blanking Plugs, Thread adaptors and Breather Drains

Peppers understands your requirement for simplicity in all its forms, from initial contact and quotation to ordering and final delivery. Their simplified processes ensure that within 24 hours they can not only provide a quote, but in many cases and due to holding stock, they can often dispatch on the same day; by using a clever "component manufacturing" processes it allows them to remain agile and react fast to customer demands.

With an unfaltering reputation for knowledge and expertise in the industry, when charged with supplying products into hazardous areas, customers need to know they're receiving accurate technical information that they can rely on; and this is an integral element of the service Peppers provides.

Innovative gland styles such as the new Eclipse Liquid Barrier range provide added versatility to their existing barrier range. The EC-S*M & CR-S*M, unlike any other gland on the market, known as a "Conduit Stopper Box", can effectively stop explosions from either direction. Peppers has also integrated its ingenious MAC system and Deluge protection concept into various gland designs, ensuring even more installations are completed without mistakes.

Peppers maintains a quality management system approved to ISO 9001 :2015, BS EN ISO/IEC 80079-34:2020. Application of quality systems for equipment manufacture and an Environmental System approved to ISO 14001:2015 as well as operating within Occupational Health and Safety Management (OHS) to ISO45001.

Semiconductors have changed the way we live and continue to play a key role in our future. As the number of production facilities increase, so the potential for harmful emissions also rises. Sensor technology supports the semiconductor industry by enabling consistency and uniformity, while at the same time protecting those working directly on the fabrication process, and off-site emissions that can potentially impact local communities.

With product standards and safety requirements so crucial, the highest quality standard of sensors and monitoring is imperative. ION Science, leaders in PID (photoionisation detection) technology are experienced in delivering those solutions.

Demand for semiconductors is at an all-time high with a wide spectrum of usage including smartphones on a small scale, electric cars on the medium scale and within smart factories on an industrial scale. Whatever their end application, they require extremely precise fabrication.

Different types of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and gases are used in the development of integrated circuits on silicon wafers. Determining and ensuring the exact amount of VOC exposure is crucial, both for consistency and for personal health. Unaccounted-for VOCs have the potential to interfere with the creation of a wafer and ruin a circuit, potentially even a whole batch.