ASSOCIATION NEWS
TECHNICAL EXPERTS PAUL HAGUE, COMPEX AND GARY PARKER, ECA DISCUSS HOW TO KEEP YOUR WORKFORCE VIGILANT WHILE OPERATING IN A HIGHLY HAZARDOUS WORKING ENVIRONMENT… Risky business – working in hazardous areas
A hazardous area is an environment in which an explosive atmosphere is present or may be expected to be present in quantities such as to require special precautions for the construction, installation and use of equipment. In this article we will explore the challenges faced in the workplace and the measures that can and should be implemented to mitigate risk. While we can introduce a range of measures to prevent an unintended release of a flammable or combustible material, we cannot completely rule out the risk of a release occurring. In most instances, we can do little about the levels of oxygen in the air. Thankfully, we can have an influence on the source of ignition, for example electrical equipment. Defining and mitigating risks Electrical contractors work in all types of buildings and locations. However, the
risks vary dramatically in these installations. For instance, a swimming pool installation poses different risks to an installation on a chemical site. What is clear, however, is that fire and
form an atmosphere that could be explosive. Fortunately, incidents that involve an explosion are rare but when they do occur, they often make the news. When breaking these events down into their simplest terms, they are essentially a combination of a release or leak in the right quantities and concentrations of a particular substance or material, their mixing with oxygen and the presence of a source of ignition. Hazardous areas are documented on the hazardous area classification drawing and are identified on site by the triangular “EX” sign. Here, amongst other key information, the zones are split into three types
explosions are, without doubt, a major risk that electrical contractors face in many projects and environments. Most of us are familiar with the fire triangle – remove any one of the three elements and the fire cannot occur, but is that it? It is a consequence of modern life that we
“…fire and explosions are, without doubt, a major risk that electrical
contractors face in many projects and environments.”
manufacture, store or handle a range of gases or liquids that are deemed flammable and a range of dusts that are deemed combustible. These substances can, in the right conditions,
“The subject of hazardous areas is a serious one with a unique set of challenges.”
32 | IRELAND’S ELECTRICAL MAGAZINE
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