Major Causes of Industrial Fires and Tips for Prevention

 

Industrial fires occur in every industry, resulting in massive financial losses and worker injuries or fatalities. In fact, more than 600 of these fires happen each year, according to the National Fire Protection Association. To prevent industrial fires, it’s essential to understand the major causes that spark them. Learning about the major causes of industrial fires and how to prevent them from happening on your own site will help you make informed decisions and keep your employees safe.

Combustible Dust:

Combustible dust is one of the major reasons for fires and explosions within an industrial setting. OSHA defines it as a solid dust particle material that poses a fire and explosion hazard. When it comes in contact with oxygen and an ignition source, the dust can result in a fire and explosion. In addition, if the dust is dispersed in an enclosed area, the risk of an outbreak is high and difficult to contain. Broken bag detectors can help prevent fire and dust flare-ups from happening.

Flammable Atmosphere:

One way that fire is ignited in an industry setting is through the ignition of an explosive atmosphere. The primary cause of this fire is the presence or release of flammable gas or vapour, which can be quickly ignited by a spark, open flame, overheated metal, electric arc, or other means.  

The most common combustible gases found in industries are natural gas (methane), propane gas (LPG), gasoline vapours, and other hydrocarbons. When determining potential sources of ignition, three factors need to be considered: the location of the flammable gas, its concentration, and whether or not it will mix with air before it reacts. The best prevention measure for this type of fire is limiting exposure to sources of ignition by providing ventilation for reducing atmospheric concentrations and investing in a flame detector.

Hot Work:

Hot work like welding, torch cutting, heating and soldering, burning, and brazing can all create the potential for fire and explosion. Fire risk is high in hot work environments due to the sparks that hot work equipment creates and molten material that can reach above 1,000F and travel more than 30ft. When the spark and heat from hot work combine with combustible dust, it results in fires and explosions.

Tips for Preventing Industrial Fires and Explosions:

·         Conduct a hazard analysis and invest in suitable fire detectors.

·         Have a fire suppression system in place.

·         Remove any combustible materials from the area.

·         Keep water supplies nearby and any other firefighting equipment that might be needed.

·         Keep an eye on electrical components, gas lines, and fuel tanks to ensure no ignition or leakage potential.

·         Be sure all employees are aware of evacuation routes in case a fire or explosion occurs. Offer training sessions about what to do in case of emergencies and when a flame detection system alarms.

·         Make sure you always have extra resources on hand, such as safety goggles, extinguishers, and protective suits if necessary.

·         Inspect and maintain your equipment and facility.

These steps are essential measures you need to take to prevent fire accidents in your facility and meet the standards of OSHA.

The new age in Flame Detection

In a hazardous environment like a petrochemical processing plant or an oil and gas facility, failing to detect gas leaks can result in catastrophic events. That’s why industries involved in processing, storing, manufacturing, and transporting flammable materials rely on fire monitoring systems to prevent workplace fire accidents.

Principles of Flame Detection – How do they work?

Fires radiate over the entire spectrum

•           Ultraviolet, Visible and Infra-Red

High Intensity especially in IR (40kW for standard fire [0.1 m2 n-heptane])

Low frequency radiation flicker, typically 1-10 Hz.

Environmental constraints & false alarm sources help us select one technology over another……

Optical Flame Detector Technologies

Optical flame detectors provide the fastest detection of a flammable liquid or gaseous

fire in the early ignition stage. Today’s optical flame detectors are offered in a variety of dependable, flame sensing technologies as described below.

Ultraviolet (UV) flame detectors provide dependable, ultra-highspeed detection to virtually all fires. In general, they operate by counting the electron discharge from each UV photon. Their sensitivity to radiation from welding, lightning, X-rays, and other nuclear sources may limit them. They can also be adversely affected by airborne contaminants.

Multi-Spectrum Infrared flame detectors have the ideal combination of flame

sensitivity and false alarm rejection. Most MultiSpectrum Infrared (MIR) optical flame

detectors utilize three sensors at three different infrared wavelengths. Some MIR

detectors have sophisticated software algorithms which provide the ability to ignore

modulated black bodies and other non-fire sources in its field of view yet still retain its alarm capabilities.

Intelligent visual flame detection (iVFD) principle ensures maximum false alarm immunity and eliminates sensitivity loss in the presence of modulated sunlight and black body heat.

The detector operates ‘standalone’ or can be integrated with an FM Approved control system. Detectors are typically located throughout the installation to achieve specific detection coverage and ensure that site performance requirements are met. Each detector can provide live video images and fire alarm/fault signalling to the control equipment. Each detector incorporates within a single unit an imaging device, digital signal processing hardware, and firmware algorithms to process live video images and recognise flame features

 An Intelligent visual flame detection (iVFD) is

•        A flame detector designed to detect small fires.
•          A flame detector designed to detect large fires.
•          A flame detector designed to detect fires when sunny.
•         A flame detector designed to detect fires when it is raining.

Intelligent visual flame detectors (iVFD) consistently demonstrate the highest immunity to false alarms in areas where flare reflections and / or hot CO2 emissions may cause other technologies to false alarm.

Measuring Turbidity Levels in Water Is Made Easy with a Turbidity Analyser

 

Clarity is a crucial factor when testing the quality of water. If your water source is murky or dark, it could contain contaminants. Testing the turbidity levels in the water is one of the best ways to determine whether the water is safe to consume or not. Knowing what type of contaminants are in the water can really help you understand how to treat the water. This is when Turbidity Analyser Australia comes into the picture. With the help of a turbidity analyser, it’s easy to find out the turbidity levels in the water. 

What Is Turbidity, and Why Is It Important to Measure? 

Turbidity is defined as the amount of cloudiness in the water, and this can vary from water from different sources. Cloudiness is caused by particles that are suspended in the water that can’t be seen individually. Dirt, minerals, algae, proteins, oils, and even bacteria are the major particles that cause turbidity in water. The water with high levels of turbidity can’t be used directly as it can impact the health of the consumers. Turbidity should be measured to determine the presence of these suspended particles and how it affects water quality.  

It is usually measured with the Turbidity Analyser Australia by shining light through a sample and measuring the suspended particle’s concentration at 90 degrees. Remember, the more particles in the water, the higher the turbidity. 

When it comes to drinking water, consumer health can be impacted when the substance has high turbidity levels. Also, the risk of waterborne disease outbreaks is increased when water is contaminated with dangerous particles. We cannot measure bacteria with a turbidity analyser. This is because water can carry harmful pathogens and toxic elements like lead and mercury. 

Turbidity is a benchmark water quality in all environments, from municipal drinking water facilities to private water treatment facilities and everything in between. 

The primary goal of turbidity measurement is to remove and reduce turbidity levels in the water. Throughout the water treatment process, the turbidity is measured in various levels to determine the clarity of the water and, more importantly, to comply with the state’s rules and regulations. 

Suspended particles can reduce the effectiveness of chemicals used to disinfect the water. Furthermore, this can increase the chances of carrying dangerous bacteria and parasites that can cause adverse effects on the consumers. 

Drinking water, wastewater, and environmental use should be measured for turbidity to ensure they are safe to use and consume. So whether you are looking for a turbidity analyser or Portable gas detectors, we’ve got you covered. Please get in touch with our team. 

The author is an active blogger and renowned for providing innovative solutions such as Flame Detector, gas detectors, turbidity analysers, etc., to the Oil & Gas, Chemical, Petrochemical, Manufacturing, Food, Pharmaceutical, Water Treatment, and many other industries across Australia and New Zealand. Visit http://prodetec.com.au/ for more details. 

Things to Consider When Choosing Gas Detectors

 

Every working environment has its safety risks and challenges, regardless of size. That said, industries like oil and gas and mines are more dangerous than other commercial facilities as people work in confined places where the presence of hazardous gases are high. This is where the devices like gas and flame detectors play a crucial role in saving lives and reducing property damages. Portable gas detectors and Flame Detector are life saving devices. Therefore, it make sense to choose the right gas or flame detectors based on the needs of your facility. Gas monitors and detectors should be reliable, detecting all hazardous present or may arise.

With several types of gas detectors and flame detectors available in the market, it can be quite difficult to choose the right one. How will you know which type of gas detector will suit your facility and needs? Here are a few pointers to help choose the right gas monitors:-

Assess the Risk

Before choosing the gas detector, you’ll have to know the hazards you’re exposed to. Assessing the risk in your facility is the foundation of determining, evaluating, and controlling risk. Any unsafe level of gases or chemicals can be dangerous, leading to fatal gas or fire accidents. It’s not just important for safety, but it’s the law. Perform a thorough hazard assessment to invest in the right lifesaving equipment, if you aren’t sure, have a skilled industrial hygienist take a look at the site and perform the assessment for you.

Understand the Features of Gas Detectors

When you know the hazard risk in your facility, you can begin to determine the type and concentration of the gases. All scenarios and possible situations should be considered when you are sampling. Choose sampling devices that have the sensors for the known and unknown potential hazardous present in the atmosphere. When you sample the equipment, you could very well know and understand the features of the equipment and determine the right one for your facility.

Identify the Type of Gas Detector

There are several types of gas detectors, including transportable, fixed, personal, single gas, and multiple gas detection systems. Know the features and pros of each type and choose the best that suits your facility’s needs.

Choose the Right Communication System

Technology has given us lot of life saving devices. But, communication is the key. Gas detectors can report data back to control centre. With such information, it’s easier to prevent fatal accidents in confined spaces. However, choosing the right alarm systems are equally important. It could be visual, audible, vibratory or combination of these.

Before choosing the equipment, a full site assessment is necessary to safeguard against fires or explosions.

Whether you need gas detector or Turbidity Analyser in Australia, we got you covered. Please get in touch with our team for further queries.