News

Digital transformation has gained pace in 2020. According to McKinsey & Company, we leapt forward five years in consumer and business digital adoption in a matter of weeks. In many industrial settings, going digital improves workflows and asset management or enables faster, more accurate reporting. Above all, it paves the way for IoT technology, big data analytics and improved operational efficiency.

But it’s not always straightforward. Many industrial settings and facilities contain restricted zones with dangerous explosive atmospheres which, until recently, meant these were firmly designated as ‘pen and paper’ areas. So how can organisations enable devices to be used without putting safety at risk?

Conductive (metal) plant items and equipment run the risk of accumulating dangerous levels of static charge if they are not properly earthed. Using purpose designed, Ex certified static grounding clamps is one of the safest and most cost-effective methods of ensuring plant equipment and people are protected from static ignitions in potentially flammable or explosive atmospheres. 

A new, global ISO 20560 norm is now available to standardise the identification of hidden and often hazardous pipe contents in factories and facilities. Compliant pipe markers are already offered by Brady Corporation. Lean more about colours and symbols!

Enerpac announces new ZU5 Post Tensioning Pumps offering increased efficiency for post tensioning contractors when strengthening steel strands in reinforced concrete. With six pistons for increased stressing speed, operators can stress more strands or tendons per day. In a head-to-head job site test, the Enerpac ZU5 performed 30% faster than traditional hydraulic pumps. The ZU5 improves contractors’ ability to stay on schedule or move onto other jobs more quickly.

Empteezy Ltd has begun the production of “Schoeller Masks” branded Type 1 tested 4-ply disposable face masks. This comes during a time when they are more required than ever. “Rules” across the world are forever changing however face masks have become a mainstay of those rules and are now an essential tool for day-to-day living.

Empteezy’s 4-ply solution is designed to be an efficient, reliable and affordable option to serve the high demand with accountability and belief in a company with 30 years of experience in the environmental health and safety sector.

Empteezy Collapsible Bunds are unique bunds designed for the storage of drums, IBCs, plant, machinery or even vehicles.

Our new PVC Eezybund portable bunds, part of our collapsible bunds range, are easy to store, and transport while being quick to assemble. They are also compatible with hydrocarbons as well as a wide range of other chemicals (compatibility information available upon request). These portable bunds are the ideal solution to your containment needs when a standard spill pallet is impractical.

Falls are the second leading cause of accidental or unintentional injury deaths worldwide. In the UK in 2019/20, falls from height accounted for 26% of all workplace deaths¹. In France, each year, more than 10% of all accidents at work are due to falls from height². While in Germany, from 2009 to 2016, they accounted 432 workplace deaths³.

How picking the right connector first time can make the difference 

When designing industrial equipment, the operating temperature of the product is often at the top of the list for design engineers. This makes sense, after all, you don’t want to keep replacing failed equipment. However, while engineers give a lot of thought to heat in the equipment itself, the performance of the connectors and cables that join different devices is often overlooked. Here, Jonathan Parry, Senior Vice President of Global Operations and European Managing Director at , explains how to choose an extreme temperature connector.

For the average member of the public, choosing a connector is often as simple as deciding between a one or two metre USB cable, and we still get very annoyed when the connection starts to become unreliable.

Safety interlocks in the new MN7XX series from ifm electronic use RFID technology in combination with unique actuator coding, which means that tampering and unauthorised operation are rendered virtually impossible.

Suitable for use in safety systems that meet the requirements for PL e to ISO 13849-1 or SIL CL3 to IEC 62061, up to 32 of the new interlocks can be connected in series without reducing the safety functionality.

An app which rates the performance of asbestos workers could potentially be used to blacklist and discriminate workers, Unite, the UK’s construction union, has warned.

The app was launched yesterday (September 1) by the Asbestos Removal Contractors Association (ARCA).

However, after a close reading of how the app appears to work and in particular the way that contractors rate operatives, Unite is concerned that the app could be used to victimise and blacklist workers.

Unite has written to Jason Day, the chairman of ARCA raising its concerns.