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To get the specification right for an explosion-proof fan unit, you need to understand both the nature of the hazard and the installation you are planning.

The applications are numerous, and ATEX can affect virtually every industry.

Different ATEX applications

In addition to oil and gas industry applications, examples include: paint shops and spray booths in confined areas, water and sewage companies where methane and other explosive gases are an issue, food processing where dust can build up from flour or sugar and battery storage areas where there is a danger from hydrogen leakage.  From the latter example, it's worth thinking about whether you have several forklifts charging in the same confined space.

TÜV Rheinland offers an IECEx certification scheme for explosion protection specialists / International comparability of qualifications supports companies

Safety specialists who are familiar with explosion protection are in demand worldwide. This is because all companies that operate or set up potentially explosive plants need such experts – especially the oil and gas industry. “Such specialists must be able to work internationally. However, there is often a lack of comparability in training,” explains Marc Krugmann, explosion protection expert at TÜV Rheinland. As a result, companies looking for explosion protection specialists find it difficult to assess whether a specialist is suitably qualified in each case.

Some hazardous industrial environments pose an increased risk of fire and explosion, so equipment must meet the enhanced requirements of applicable regulations and standards. Within the EU, compliance with the ATEX Directive (2014/34/EU) is required, and in other markets the IECEx Equipment Certification Scheme applies. 

Following Brexit, as EU Directives are transposed into National Law, the UK already has a legal system in place that applies. The actual standards will remain the same as EU harmonised standards and will be carried across as UK designated standards to maintain a single standards model. 

STEGO Heater CREx 020, Compact Thermostat REx 011:

Air as a medium can be malicious to electrical and electronic appliances. Absorption and release of water in the air within control cabinets creates the potential for the formation of condensate. Condensate, in turn, carries out corrosion processes on sensitive components and can freeze at minus degrees. Thermal Man-agement specialist STEGO also offers the right answer for hazardous environments.

With the proven expertise as heating manufacturer for panels & enclosures, STEGO meets the requirements of the Ex industry. The Ex heater series CREx 020 safeguards heating of switchgear and control cabinets as well as measuring devices in explosive atmospheres of zone 1 (gas atmospheres) and zone 21 (dust atmospheres) ac-cording to Ex protection class Ex II 2 GD. The maintenance-free convection heaters are available in three tem-perature classes (T3/T200 °C, T4/T135 °C and T5/T100 °C) and reliably prevent the harmful formation of con-densate, temperature fluctuations and frost in explosive atmospheres. The CREx 020 series achieves dust and splash protection according to protection type IP66.

A common misconception is that waterproof and water resistance have the same meaning, but this is far from true. Even though some companies use them interchangeably, they do not represent the same thing, and not knowing the difference can ruin your device. 

You can tell precisely how waterproof something is if you know its IP rating. The IP rating scale is a standard set by the International Electrotechnical Commission. It specifies how resistant a device is to freshwater, dirt, dust, or sand and typically appears on the product's packaging or in the instruction manual technical specifications. Here are the IP ratings from lowest to highest.

NEW Neon Jackets and Fleeces from Snickers Workwear for the flexible working environment - delivering visibly superior comfort and freedom of movement.

While Fabric, Functionality and Fit are hallmarks of Snickers Workwear, it’s the innovation and fabric technology in the design of the new FlexiWork Neon Fleece Hoodie, Jacket and Gilet that really set these new garments apart. 

Hellberg Safety specialist PPE products include highly advanced face protection products, noise hazard protection and communication solutions for personal safety and wellbeing on site.

Hellberg’s interoperable face protection products offer helmet and visor solutions to suit a variety of internal and external work situations. With a standard product design across the range, users are able to mix and match visors, carriers, and hearing protectors for complete ‘headband-only’ or ‘safety helmet’ solutions that protect against the hazards faced in differing task environments.

The spread of the Coronavirus around the globe has had a major impact on everyone’s day to day lives. Not only has the virus taken its toll from a health point of view but has posed major challenges to multiple different industries. As many businesses have been forced to make major changes to their operations to be able to continue or even forced to close for a time, other businesses are facing a significant increase in demand for products to help in the fight against Covid-19.

From the increase in production of personal protective equipment for front-line health workers to the rush to produce the chemicals needed for testing kits and the increase in food production to keep the supermarket shelves full after panic buying, in many areas, the rush is on to react quickly enough to keep up with the demand. 

Leading renewable energy consultancy and service provider, Natural Power, has launched DARC (Detection and Active Response Curtailment) – the first ever bat smart curtailment technology to simultaneously reduce bat fatalities AND energy losses at wind farms.

In its efforts to progress wind farm projects stuck in development due to bat concerns, and reduce the impact of wind farms on bat populations whilst increasing the energy production and revenue potential, Natural Power brought together a team of bat experts and technology and software engineers to develop this new service.

Ultimo Software Solutions has announced that DNASTREAM, the IT consulting organisation, will operate as its UK implementation partner. DNASTREAM will focus on the manufacturing and utilities sectors, supporting businesses by driving the more efficient use of assets, enabled by Ultimo’s Enterprise Asset Management software.

Ultimo and DNASTREAM have been working together since 2018 and are now expanding their collaboration as a first step in Ultimo’s expansion of its international partner strategy. DNASTREAM offers the Ultimo portfolio as part of its extensive range of IT solutions. The business is fully equipped to advise customers on their asset management issues and support any implementation process.