There are many tools available which can enhance plant safety, from everyday workwear to key items
of plant equipment that can be purchased and repaired to high levels of safety classification. However
to realise the full p
There are many tools available which can enhance plant safety, from everyday workwear to key items
of plant equipment that can be purchased and repaired to high levels of safety classification. However
to realise the full potential of such tools they should always be adopted alongside a comprehensive
Risk Assessment programme, says ERIKS
For most industrial and
manufacturing companies health
and safety has become an
established part of their business
processes. Yet all too often, health and
safety practices are based on a simple
assessment of risk, with accident
prevention measures and basic
employee training the only initiatives
that are put in place. Although this
approach complies with legislation it is
often based on a premise that health and
safety practices are a necessary
encumbrance to a business.
By comparison, more enlightened
companies are recognising that by
adopting a positive risk reduction strategy
they can both comply with legislation and
improve their productivity and
profitability. At a simple level, this
approach might involve, for example,
selection of exactly the right hearing
protection or identification of the best
hand protection for different tasks to
reduce fatigue and personal injury.
However, a positive risk reduction strategy
goes far further, encompassing factors
ranging from inventory management
systems to control the issue of the correct
equipment, through to product
innovation for easier handling, efficiency
and performance, and appropriate
machine maintenance and repair
techniques.
Take, for example, the requirements for
motors that operate in hazardous areas.
The ATEX labelling scheme provides a
vital indication of the level of protection
offered and the zones in which the motor
is suitable for use but the judgement as to
whether a repaired motor remains ATEXcompliant
is more complex and may
require help from a specialist. To maintain
safety, operators must be sure that a
repaired motor is as safe as a new one, so
it is important to enlist the help of a
partner that offers an accredited repair
service. ERIKS for example provides a
reliable repair service, being one of the
first companies to have a motor repair
workshop approved to undertake ATEX
repairs, and because we both repair
motors and sell a range of new units
designed and certified for use in
hazardous locations, we can offer a truly
unbiased service.
Of course, safety legislation covers not
only key items of plant equipment such as
motors, it also embraces workwear, or
PPE, and since many engineering
operations function in the presence of
some particularly aggressive elements -
chemicals, molten metals, high pressure
fluids, dust, gas - PPE therefore covers a
wide range of product areas, from the
more complex (for example, breathing
apparatus) to the more common, such as
eye, foot and hand protection. Here, even
a better specification of an item as simple
as a glove can enhance safety; for example,
gloves must be flexible enough to allow
the engineer to manipulate tools with
dexterity while still offering adequate
protection against hazardous substances.
Similarly, goggles, ear defenders and
respiratory protection can improve an
engineer's ability to concentrate and work
effectively, while a poor specification can
have the opposite effect, especially if these
items must be worn simultaneously but
are incompatible.
In addition to protective clothing and
accessories, safety in the engineering
workplace can be strongly supported by
condition monitoring tools. For example,
ultrasonic equipment offers a highly
effective level of defence against any
malfunction that could pose a threat to
safety, such as steam and gas leaks, worn
bearings and discharges in faulty high
voltage systems.
